The Road to Character

by

David Brooks

Augustine Character Analysis

Augustine was born near the end of the Roman Empire and is known for his long and torturous road to Christianity. His mother, Monica, ardently wanted him to be a Christian, but in his early life, he followed his earthly desires instead. He was a well-educated public figure who steadily climbed in the highest political circles of the time. However, he was unhappy. He felt that his work was empty and meaningless and that answering his desires was not satisfying him. However, although he knew his desires were leading him to unhappiness, he could not stop following them. This made him despair of the division within human nature that causes a person to follow their perverse desires even though they know they shouldn’t. Augustine believed God existed, and that he should renounce his desires in order to serve God’s will, but he couldn’t make himself do this. It was not until he had a powerful experience in a garden one day, in which a voice compelled him to open his Bible to a certain page and read, that he finally gave up his desires. His path towards belief had had many stops; first, he had examined himself to see why he couldn’t be happy. In doing so, he’d realized how vast the human mind was. He was then humbled by this realization and felt small in comparison to God. Then, he had accepted God’s grace which showered him with unconditional love: God had already justified his existence and absolved his sins. After accepting God’s grace, he was flooded with gratitude. Finally, this gratitude left Augustine full of energy for returning God’s love. After his conversion, he spent his life writing and preaching, feeling that now that his attention was turned to God, the material world no longer claimed his loyalty.

Augustine Quotes in The Road to Character

The The Road to Character quotes below are all either spoken by Augustine or refer to Augustine . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Self-Renunciation vs. Self-Love Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1: The Shift Quotes

Only Adam II can experience deep satisfaction. Adam I aims for happiness, but Adam II knows that happiness is insufficient. The ultimate joys are moral joys.

Related Characters: David Brooks (speaker), Dorothy Day , Augustine
Related Symbols: Adam I, Adam II
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8: Ordered Love Quotes

If you think you can organize your own salvation you are magnifying the very sin that keeps you from it. To believe that you can be captain of your own life is to suffer the sin of pride.

Related Characters: David Brooks (speaker), Augustine
Page Number: 199
Explanation and Analysis:

Knowledge is not enough for tranquility and goodness, because it doesn’t contain the motivation to be good. Only love impels action.

Related Characters: David Brooks (speaker), Augustine
Page Number: 211
Explanation and Analysis:
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Augustine Quotes in The Road to Character

The The Road to Character quotes below are all either spoken by Augustine or refer to Augustine . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Self-Renunciation vs. Self-Love Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1: The Shift Quotes

Only Adam II can experience deep satisfaction. Adam I aims for happiness, but Adam II knows that happiness is insufficient. The ultimate joys are moral joys.

Related Characters: David Brooks (speaker), Dorothy Day , Augustine
Related Symbols: Adam I, Adam II
Page Number: 14
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 8: Ordered Love Quotes

If you think you can organize your own salvation you are magnifying the very sin that keeps you from it. To believe that you can be captain of your own life is to suffer the sin of pride.

Related Characters: David Brooks (speaker), Augustine
Page Number: 199
Explanation and Analysis:

Knowledge is not enough for tranquility and goodness, because it doesn’t contain the motivation to be good. Only love impels action.

Related Characters: David Brooks (speaker), Augustine
Page Number: 211
Explanation and Analysis: