Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John SteinbeckRead
But you can't start. Only a baby can start. You and me - why, we're all that's been. The anger of a moment, the thousand pictures, that's us. This land, this red land, is us; and the flood years and the dust years and the drought years are us. We can't start again.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We are the sum of our experiences, and starting anew is not as easy as it seems.
In this quote, John Steinbeck reflects on the collective memories and experiences that shape our identities. He suggests that while babies can embark on a journey of starting fresh, adults are defined by the weight of their past, encompassing both their struggles and triumphs. The imagery of the land and various hardships emphasizes the deep connection between individuals and their history.
Themes
IdentityHistoryExperiencesChangePast
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on the importance of past experiences in shaping a person's character.
More from John Steinbeck
All quotes →At one point, as Samuel urges Adam to raise his boys well regardless of the blood that might be in them, Adam tells him, "You can't make a race horse of a pig." Samuel replies, "No, but you can make a very fast pig.
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And when that crop grew, and was harvested, no man had crumbled a hot clod in his fingers and let the earth sift past his fingertips. No man had touched the seed, or lusted for the growth. Men ate what they had not raised, had no connection with the bread. The land bore under iron, and under iron gradually died; for it was not loved or hated, it had no prayers or curses.
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The comfortable people in tight houses felt pity at first, and then distaste, and finally hatred for the migrant people.
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People do not want advice - they want corroboration.
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It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.
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