It is by all odds the loftiest of cities. It even managed to reach the highest point in the sky at the lowest moment of the depression.
E. B. WhiteRead
In a man's middle years there is scarcely a part of the body he would hesitate to turn over to the proper authorities.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the idea of vulnerability and the acceptance of aging, suggesting that as people grow older, they become more open to examination and scrutiny.
E. B. White's quote captures the essence of how individuals, particularly men in their middle years, may feel a sense of surrender regarding their bodies and lives. It highlights the journey of aging, where one becomes more aware of their mortality and the physical aspects of life and may feel inclined to relinquish control over them to medical or societal authorities. This can symbolize a broader acceptance of one's life choices and the experiences that come with age.
Themes
AgingAcceptanceVulnerabilityScrutinyMortality
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on aging, one could use this quote to underscore the changes people face in later life.
More from E. B. White
All quotes βIt isn't silence you can cut with a knife any more, it's interchange of ideas. Intelligent discussion of practically everything is what is breaking up modern marriage.
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The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. Because I have the greatest respect for the reader, and if he's going to the trouble of reading what I've written -- I'm a slow reader myself and I guess most people are -- why, the least I can do is make it as easy as possible for him to find out what I'm trying to say, trying to get at. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.
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A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a sense of humus.
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A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.
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All writing is communication; creative writing is communication through revelation-it is the Self-escaping into the open.
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