Able Quote by Breece D'J Pancake
“I'm going to come back to West Virginia when this is over. There's something ancient and deeply-rooted in my soul. I like to think that I have left my ghost up one of those hollows, and I'll never really be able to leave for good until I find it. And I don't want to look for it, because I might find it and have to leave." - from a letter to his mother Helen Pancake that Breece wrote in Charlottesville, where he was studying writing.”
About This Quote
Source Letter: Personal correspondence to mother Helen Pancake, 1970s
The writer feels a deep, ancestral pull to West Virginia, fearing that confronting his roots will force him to leave his current life.
In simple terms: A deep connection to home can feel both comforting and imprisoning.
Key Takeaway
Face your roots to move forward.
Themes
home
identity
roots
nostalgia
fear
self-discovery
Mood
nostalgic
conflicted
Type
personal
literary
When to use this quote
- family therapy
- creative writing
- heritage tours
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
psychology
place attachment
existential longing
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “home” represent for you?
- Can confronting your past empower change?
A Different Perspective
Returning may trap him in the past.
