Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat. Herd men, followers of a leader, cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars. John Steinbeck More Quotes by John Steinbeck More Quotes From John Steinbeck The ancient commission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our many grievous faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement. John Steinbeck lightdarkdream There are as many worlds as there are kinds of days, and as an opal changes its colors and its fire to match the nature of a day, so do I. John Steinbeck colorfiretravel Men really need sea-monsters in their personal oceans. An ocean without its unnamed monsters would be like a completely dreamless sleep. John Steinbeck oceansleepmen A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. John Steinbeck journeystruggletravel Do you take pride in your hurt? Does it make you seem large and tragic? ...Well, think about it. Maybe you're playing a part on a great stage with only yourself as audience. John Steinbeck pridehurtthinking People need responsibility. They resist assuming it, but they cannot get along without it. John Steinbeck responsibilitypeopleneeds Our people are good people; our people are kind people. Pray God some day kind people won't all be poor. John Steinbeck wrathprayingpeople There is nothing pleasanter than spading when the ground is soft and damp. John Steinbeck gardennatureearth I've lived in good climate, and it bores the hell out of me. I like weather rather than climate. John Steinbeck climateweatherlife People like you to be something, preferably what they are. John Steinbeck east-of-edenlike-youpeople When we get these thruways across the whole country, as we will and must, it will be possible to drive from New York to California without seeing a single thing. John Steinbeck new-yorkcountrytravel ... you must not expect to find that people understand what they do. John Steinbeck people You can't go home again because home has ceased to exist except in the mothballs of memory. John Steinbeck good-memorieshomememories So much there is to see, but our morning eyes describe a different world than do our afternoon eyes, and surely our wearied evening eyes can report only a weary evening world. John Steinbeck differenteyemorning I have named the destroyers of nations: comfort, plenty, and security - out of which grow a bored and slothful cynicism, in which rebellion against the world as it is, and myself as I am, are submerged in listless self-satisfaction. John Steinbeck boredslothself We are lonesome animals. We spend all life trying to be less lonesome. John Steinbeck lonesomeanimaltrying If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones. John Steinbeck adversityhelping-othershurt Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do...Try to be better than yourself. John Steinbeck excellencedreamwriting And her joy was nearly like sorrow. John Steinbeck sorrowjoy We only have one story. All novels, all poetry are built on the never-ending contest in ourselves of good and evil. John Steinbeck novelevilstories
