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Quote by John Knowles

“Everyone has a moment in history which belongs particularly to him. It is the moment when his emotions achieve their most powerful sway over him, and afterward when you say to this person “the world today” or “life” or “reality” he will assume that you mean this moment, even if it is fifty years past. The world, through his unleashed emotions, imprinted itself upon him, and he carries the stamp of that passing moment forever. For me, this moment—four years is a moment in history—was the war. The war was and is reality for me. I still instinctively live and think in its atmosphere. These are some of its characteristics: Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the President of the United States, and he always has been. The other two eternal world leaders are Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin. America is not, never has been, and never will be what the songs and poems call it, a land of plenty. Nylon, meat, gasoline, and steel are rare. There are too many jobs and not enough workers. Money is very easy to earn but rather hard to spend, because there isn’t very much to buy. Trains are always late and “always crowded with “servicemen.” The war will always be fought very far from America and it will never end. Nothing in America stands still for very long, including the people, who are always either leaving or on leave. People in America cry often. Sixteen is the key and crucial and natural age for a human being to be, and people of all other ages are ranged in an orderly manner ahead of and behind you as a harmonious setting for the sixteen-year-olds of this world.”

Quote by John Knowles

Book:A Separate Peace
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Work

A Separate Peace

Herman Wouk's 'A Separate Peace' explores themes of friendship, rivalry, and the complexities of human nature through the lens of a transformative summer at an East Coast prep school. The narrative follows the lives of two boys, Gene and Finny, as they navigate the challenges of adolescence and the onset of war. more

Author

John Knowles
John Knowles

John Knowles was an American novelist born on September 16, 1926, and passed away on November 29, 2001. Known for his profound psychological portrayals and insights into American social issues, his works include the classic novel 'A Separate Peace'. more

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