Well, every little boy thinks he invented sin. Virtue we think we learn, because we are told about it. But sin is our own designing. John Steinbeck More Quotes by John Steinbeck More Quotes From John Steinbeck One of the laws of paleontology is that an animal which must protect itself with thick armour is degenerate. It is usually a sign that the species is on the road to extinction. John Steinbeck paleontology law animal It doesn't matter that Cathy was what I have called a monster. Perhaps we can't understand Cathy, but on the other hand we are capable of many things in all directions, of great virtues and great sins. And who in his mind has not probed the black water? John Steinbeck black water hands Maybe not having time to think is not having the wish to think. John Steinbeck time-to-think wish thinking Man himself has become our greatest hazard and our only hope. So that today, St. John the apostle may well be paraphrased: In the end is the Word, and the Word is Man - and the Word is with Men. John Steinbeck hazards may men I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America - a ridiculous situation. John Steinbeck taken home travel Literature was not promulgated by a pale and emasculated critical priesthood singing their litanies in empty churches, nor is it a game for the cloistered elect, the tinhorn mendicants of low calorie despair. John Steinbeck despair singing games I believe there are monsters born in the world to human parents.... The face and body may be perfect, but if a twisted gene or a malformed egg can produce physical monsters, may not the same process produce a malformed soul? John Steinbeck eggs eden believe You got to live before you can afford to die. John Steinbeck dies In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different. John Steinbeck sunset flower summer There's nothing sadder to me than associations held together by nothing but the glue of postage stamps. If you can't see or hear or touch a man, it's best to let him go. John Steinbeck glue together men Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody - to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. John Steinbeck guy nuts book I seen too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand. John Steinbeck guy land hands Life could not change the sun or water the desert, so it changed itself. John Steinbeck desert sun water But most important of all, the truth, that dangerous stuff, became beautiful and more precious. John Steinbeck important stuff beautiful On all levels American society is rigged. I am troubled by the cynical immorality of my country. It cannot survive on this basis. John Steinbeck cynical levels country A dying organism is often observed to be capable of extraordinary endurance and strength. .. When any living organism is attacked, its whole function seems to aim towards reproduction. John Steinbeck endurance dying inspirational My wants are simple. I have no desire to latch onto a monster symbol of fate and power and prove my manhood in titanic piscine war. But sometimes I do like a couple of cooperative fish of frying size. John Steinbeck fate couple war I see too many men delay their exits with a sickly, slow reluctance to leave the stage. It's bad theater as well as bad living. John Steinbeck delay exit men It's one of the great fallacies, it seems to me, that time gives much of anything but years and sadness to man. John Steinbeck sadness men years Hate cannot live alone. It must have love as a trigger, a goad, or a stimulant. John Steinbeck stimulants triggers hate
