In novels, and American novels in particular, it's not just about redemption, it's about forward movement and healing oneself. Americans are very big on getting better.
Hanya YanagiharaRead
It's a funny thing about cities: Some have brief, bright moments of cultural and political dominance, decades- or centuries-long spells when they seem the center of their particular nation, or region, or empire... only to later fall into obscurity and disrepair, never to regain their former glory.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Cities experience fleeting periods of prominence before fading into obscurity.
Hanya Yanagihara's quote reflects on the transient nature of cities and their cultural significance. It suggests that even great centers of power and influence can lose their prominence over time, becoming mere shadows of their former glory, which serves as a reminder of the impermanence of achievement and recognition in human history.
Themes
CitiesCultural DominanceObscurityImpermanenceHistory
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about urban development, one might say, 'It's a funny thing about cities, as Yanagihara notes, they can rise and fall in prominence.'
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