Quote by C.S. Lewis, On Three Ways of Wri
Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adults themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence.... When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.
Summary
This quote by C.S. Lewis suggests that adults who idolize adulthood and shun anything deemed "childish" lack maturity themselves. He argues that true adulthood is reflected in a secure sense of self, where one can openly indulge in activities that might be considered childlike without feeling ashamed. Lewis shares his personal example of reading fairy tales as a child in secret and now, as an adult, openly enjoying them without fear of judgment. The quote ultimately suggests that being truly grown up means letting go of the fear of appearing childish and finding joy in the things that bring us happiness, regardless of societal expectations.
Topics
Fairy Tales
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