William Faulkner on “Kilroy was here”

The aim of every artist is to arrest motion, which is life, by artificial means and hold it fixed so that a hundred years later, when a stranger looks at it, it moves again since it is life. Since man is mortal, the only immortality possible for him is to leave something behind him that is immortal since it will always move. This is the artist’s way of scribbling “Kilroy was here” on the wall of the final and irrevocable oblivion through which he must someday pass.

Interview with Jean Stein, Lion in the Garden, p. 253.

Related posts

4 Responses to “William Faulkner on “Kilroy was here””


  1. 1 jeff drouin Jul 20th, 2008 at 4:11 pm

    You know, I thought I saw Kilroy in Brooklyn recently. Rumor has it he’s been very active in the Midwest and is headed Virginia-way. Watch out!

  2. 2 Reverend Jul 21st, 2008 at 9:33 pm

    You’re right, Jeff, I just saw Kilroy a few minutes ago in my backyard. He was devouring a Raccoon in the raw, and his eyes were sparkling with the kill. I was terrified, and I then I knew what it meant for him to have been here.

  3. 3 Theswitch90 Oct 27th, 2008 at 5:43 pm

    Wow…. you guys astonish me with your ignorance, do you even understand what Faulkner is saying? He’s responding to his historical moment using a recognizable symbol of the times to express mans constant struggle to leave something of himself behind on this earth. In essence it is a search for a way for man to leave behind his legacy and have it still speak to those hundreds of years after him… Reverend you posted this thing, I would at least expect you to have some, excuse my bad word play, reverence for it.

  4. 4 Reverend Oct 27th, 2008 at 9:24 pm

    Theswitch90,

    Lighten up, Francis, for “Ma’am, I was the corn cob.”

Leave a Reply




EDUPUNK: DIY EdTech

about

bavatuesdays.com is an ongoing conversation about media of all kinds ...

Testimonials:

Generations from now, they won't call it the Internet anymore. They'll just say, "I logged on to the Jim Groom this morning.
-Joe McMahon
Everything Jim Groom touches is gold. He's like King Midas, but with the Internet.
-Serena Epstein

I am Jim Groom

Find out more about me here.

browse the bavarchive

I'm a twit

random gems from bavarchive

Roy Colt and Jack Winchester The Toxic Avenger Part II I <3 Socialistics They Call Me Trinity Miglior Colonna Sonora
View more photos >

My netflix


Grizzly ManThe HitcherMy Neighbor Totoro

Polls

What are your five favorite film adaptations of a Stephen King novel or story?

  • The Shining (1980) by Stanley Kubrick (23%, 34 Votes)
  • Shawshank Redemption (1994) by Frank Darabont (21%, 32 Votes)
  • Stand by Me (1986) by Rob Reiner (18%, 27 Votes)
  • Misery (1990) by Rob Reiner (17%, 25 Votes)
  • The Green Mile (1999) by Frank Darabont (13%, 19 Votes)
  • Carrie (1976) by Brian DePalma (11%, 17 Votes)
  • The Dead Zone (1983) by David Cronenberg (8%, 12 Votes)
  • Creepshow (1982) by George Romero (5%, 7 Votes)
  • Pet Cemetary (1989) by Mary Lambert (5%, 7 Votes)
  • The Mist (2007) by Frank Darabont (4%, 6 Votes)
  • Firestarter (1984) by Mark L. Lester (3%, 4 Votes)
  • The Running Man (1987) by Paul Michael Glaser (3%, 4 Votes)
  • Cujo (1983) by Lewis Teague (2%, 3 Votes)
  • Christine (1983) by John Carpenter (2%, 3 Votes)
  • Children of the Corn (1984) Fritz Kiersch (2%, 3 Votes)
  • Cat's Eye (1985) by Lewis Teague (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Dreamcatcher (2003) by Lawrence Kasdan (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Maximum Overdrive (1986) by Stephen King (1%, 2 Votes)
  • The Lawnmower Man (1992) by Brett Leonard (I imagine Stephen King would suggest this should not be on the list) (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Dolores Claibourne (1995) by Taylor Hackford (1%, 2 Votes)
  • The Dark Half (1993) by George Romero (1%, 2 Votes)
  • Apt Pupil (1998) by Bryan Singer (1%, 1 Votes)
  • Thinner (1996) by Tom Holland (1%, 1 Votes)
  • Needful Things (1993) by Fraser Clarke Heston (1%, 1 Votes)
  • Silver Bullet (1985) by Daniel Attias (1%, 1 Votes)
  • Sleepwalkers (1992) by Mick Garris (1%, 1 Votes)
  • The Mangler (1995) by Tobe Hooper (0%, 0 Votes)
  • Sometime's They Come Back (1991) by Tom McLoughlin (0%, 0 Votes)
  • Creepshow 2 (1987) by Michael Gornick (0%, 0 Votes)
  • Graveyard Shift (1990) by Ralph S. Singleton (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 150

Loading ... Loading ...