Quote by Jean Genet
Excluded by my birth and tastes from the social order, I was not aware of its diversity. Nothing in the world was irrelevant: the stars on a general's sleeve, the stock-market quotations, the olive harvest, the style of the judiciary, the wheat exchange, flower-beds. Nothing. This order, fearful and feared, whose details were all inter-related, had a meaning: my exile.
Summary
This quote reflects the perspective of someone who feels excluded and isolated from society due to their birth and preferences. They confess to being unaware of the diverse aspects of social order and assert that nothing in the world, no matter how seemingly unrelated, is irrelevant. Everything, from military insignias to financial markets to agricultural practices, is connected and holds significance within this ordered system. The speaker perceives this order as something to be feared, and it is through this lens that they interpret their own exile as a reflection of this rigid social structure.
Topics
Exile
By Jean Genet
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