There'll be a war," my mother said, her lit cigarette as…
““There'll be a war," my mother said, her lit cigarette as though forgotten in front of her face… She couldn't have meant war … Soon enough even my father would realize that we were stupid enough to fling a hefty piece of wet Balkan shit right into the blades of a turning fan and expect not to get soiled. The war would come just as prophesied, and for years a part of me would believe that…I had somehow caused it all, and I would feel guilty for all of the dead and the dead-to-be, and sitting in the basement with my town groaning from destruction above my head, I would wish for a time machine and another go at that day. (p.58)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A narrator blames themselves for a war, feeling guilt and longing for a chance to change the past.
In simple terms: Self‑blame for war and wish for a redo.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of personal responsibility.
Themes
guilt
war
regret
memory
fate
Mood
sorrowful
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war aftermath
- family trauma
- personal reflection
- seeking redemption
Key Concepts
psychology
historical trauma
counterfactual thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of war are truly beyond personal control?
- How can one move from guilt to constructive action?
A Different Perspective
Guilt may overlook larger forces that cause conflict.