"How sick one gets of being "good," how much I should respect myself if I could burst out and make everyone wretched for twenty-four hours; embody selfishness"

This quote by Alice James speaks to the problem of preserving a great and moral character in a world that typically rewards selfishness. It expresses a sense of disappointment with the expectations of society, and a desire to break devoid of them. The quote recommends that Alice James feels caught by the need to be excellent, which she would like to be able to express her own selfishness without consequence. It also implies that she feels she would be more appreciated if she could act selfishly, as if it is viewed as an indication of strength. Ultimately, this quote talks to the problem of being an ethical individual in a world that typically rewards selfishness, and the desire to break devoid of the expectations of society.