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Famous quotes explained : « Paris is a populated solitude. A provincial town is a desert without solitude, » La Province, François Mauriac, 1926.
François Mauriac was a French writer of the 20th century, born on October 11, 1885, in Bordeaux, and passed away on September 1, 1970, in Paris. He is one of the most significant authors in 20th-century French literature, known for his rich literary style and works deeply influenced by his Catholic faith and his inquiries into human nature.
His work, La Province, was published in 1926. This essay explores life in a provincial town in France, featuring characters who struggle with boredom, routine, and particularly the social conventions of the era. The work delves into themes such as solitude, the search for meaning, and the inner conflicts of the characters. Indeed, he wrote it in the form of thoughts during solitary walks in Bordeaux, the city of his youth. However, the work also serves as a defense of the provinces in the midst of a modernist era that elevates Paris, the capital, as the center of the country.
This quote by François Mauriac, Paris is a populated solitude. A provincial town is a desert without solitude, reflects his perspective on the contrasts between Paris, the metropolis, and provincial towns in France.
In this quote, Mauriac suggests that Paris is a densely populated city where individuals can feel lonely despite the crowds around them. This can be interpreted as a moral solitude or anonymity that one may experience in a large metropolis where human interactions can sometimes appear superficial.
On the other hand, he asserts that in a provincial town, even though there are fewer people, solitude is not experienced in the same way. This may signify that social bonds are closer, and interactions are more meaningful. People know each other better, and there is a certain communal warmth that contrasts with the moral isolation of Paris.
Ultimately, this quote expresses the tension between life in a cosmopolitan city and life in a provincial town that is closer to its inhabitants. Mauriac appears to prefer the closeness and warmth of provincial towns over the impersonality of Paris. Solitude is not determined by the number of people but rather by the interest they have in you.
Paris is a populated solitude. A provincial town is a desert without solitude
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