Lipton’s Journal/December 31, 1954/145

At the point where Eitel thinks “Oh, how I’m degenerating,” there could come to him the thought of Marion Faye speaking over his shoulder, and saying, “No, my friend, you are beginning to grow, but you are much too terrified of that.” All of The Deer Park is the wrestle I made with myself to protect myself against quitting the values of the world in the false but nonetheless vivid way I held them. Thank God I lost. The Deer Park is a failure, but I have discovered myself.