"Through the windows, as if in a stop-motion photograph, the place looked as if it had been hit by nerve gas, everything still and lifeless, even the people. The town could not talk, and would not listen."
I really like this quote because as I was reading I could imagine myself in the same situation. It always amazes me how big our world is. Some places busier than others, and everyone likes something else. Personally, I cannot stay in the city for too long, because I enjoy small towns. However, others would prefer the big city and rush of people. This quote reminds me of a camping trip I went on with my family and friends of ours. One night us kids drove out onto an open path to look at the stars, and this quote explains exactly how I felt at that moment.
Pg. 141
"How the rain never stopped. How the cold worked into your bones. Sometimes the bravest thing on earth was to sit through the night and feel the cold in your bones. Courage was not always a matter of yes or no. Sometimes it came in degrees, like the cold; sometimes you were very brave up to a point and then beyond that point you were not so brave."
As I was reading this quote I thought it was very powerful. I liked how he mentioned that bravery and courage come "in degrees." He explains the degrees literally as the cold rain and but he also explains it as situations that are on specific levels. This is how I interpreted this quote; a person may be very brave and courageous but when they are faced with a troublesome situation they loose that confidence in themselves. And it's not entirely based on whether someone is brave/courageous or not, their feelings are dependent on the experience. Sometimes we need other people's bravery and courage to increase our confidence before we can take the next step.
People often back down when it comes to tough situations. I agree with what you are saying when it depends of the experience, because many times people will not act unless they fell comfortable enough to do so.
ReplyDelete