Literature is humanity's broad-minded alter-ego, with room in its heart for monsters, even for you. It's humanity without the judgement.
Glen DuncanYes, Eden was beautiful- and if I had to squeeze through corporeal keyholes to crash it- so be it. (Hasnโt it bothered you, this part of the story, my being there, I mean? What was I doing there? โPresume not the ways of God to scan,โ youโve been told in umpteen variations, โthe proper study of Mankind is Man.โ Maybe so, but what, excuse me, was the Devil doing in Eden?) I took the forms of animals. I found I could. (Thatโs generally my reason for doing something, by the way, because I find I can.)
Glen DuncanThe flesh had infinity in it. I must know every inch by touch yet every inch renewed its mystery the instant my hand moved on. Delightful endless futility.
Glen DuncanI suppose the word "unbearable" is a lie by definition. Unless you kill yourself immediately after using it.
Glen DuncanWeโre the worst thing because for us the worst thing is the best thing. And itโs only the best thing for us if itโs the worst thing for someone else.
Glen DuncanYou can't blame me. I mean that literally. You're incapable of blaming me. You're human. Being human is choosing freedom over imprisonment, autonomy over dependency, liberty over servitude. You can't blame me because you know (come on, man, you've always known) that the idea of spending eternity with nothing to do except praise God is utterly unappealing. You'd be catatonic after an hour. Heaven's a swiz because to get in you have to leave yourself outside. You can't blame me because -- now do please be honest with yourself for once -- you'd have left, too.
Glen Duncan