Just as it is true that a stream cannot rise above its source, so it is true that a national literature cannot rise above the moral level of the social conditions of the people from whom it derives its inspiration.
Meaning of the quote
A stream can't flow higher than its starting point, just like a country's literature can't be better than the moral values of the people who inspire it. The ideas and stories in a country's books and writings reflect the morals and social conditions of the people who create them.
About James Connolly
James Connolly was a Scottish-born Irish republican, socialist, and trade union leader who played a pivotal role in the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland. He founded Ireland’s first socialist party and was a prominent figure in the Irish labour movement.
More quotes from James Connolly
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Just as it is true that a stream cannot rise above its source, so it is true that a national literature cannot rise above the moral level of the social conditions of the people from whom it derives its inspiration.
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