Quote by Herman Wouk, War and Remembrance
Life was a colorful painful pageant to her, in which right and wrong were wobbly yardsticks. Values and morals varied with time and place. Sweeping righteous views, like Victor Henry's Christian morality and Rule's militant socialism, tended to cause much hell and to cramp what little happiness there was to be had. So she thought.
Summary
This quote captures the perspective of a person who views life as a vibrant and unpredictable theater, in which the concepts of right and wrong can be subjective and uncertain. According to this viewpoint, values and morals are not fixed, but rather influenced by the context of time and place. The speaker suggests that adopting staunch and rigid beliefs, such as Victor Henry's Christian morality or Rule's militant socialism, often leads to conflict and limits the potential for happiness. In essence, it conveys the idea that life is a complex and ever-evolving journey, requiring open-mindedness and flexibility to navigate successfully.