I’m not writing a book of Western history,' I tell him…
““I’m not writing a book of Western history,' I tell him. 'I’ve written enough history books to know this isn’t one. I’m writing about something else. A marriage, I guess. Deadwood was just a blank space in the marriage. Why waste time on it?' Rodman is surprised. So am I, actually — I have never formulated precisely what it is I have been doing, but the minute I say it I know I have said it right. What interests me in all these papers is not Susan Burling Ward, the novelist and illustrator, and not Oliver Ward the engineer, and not the West they spend their lives in. What really interests me is how two such unlike particles clung together, and under what strains, rolling downhill into their future until they reached the angle of repose where I knew them. That’s where the interest is. That’s where the meaning will be if I find any.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The author sees his work as exploring personal relationships rather than historical narrative, focusing on how disparate individuals unite and evolve together.
In simple terms: He writes about marriage and partnership, not history.
Key Takeaway
Focus on the dynamics of human connection.
Themes
relationships
identity
history
marriage
growth
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- writing a novel
- personal reflection
- analyzing relationships
Key Concepts
interpersonal dynamics
narrative focus
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define the core of your work?
- What does “angle of repose” symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may overlook broader social contexts.