--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then they were off again, across the…" description: "\"“Then they were off again, across the unbroken sprawl of Chicagoland, a single city made up of interlocking strip malls, decorated at random intervals ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/daryl-gregory-10433_middle-earth_then-they-were-off-again-across-the-unbr_597096.jpg" --- # Then they were off again, across the unbroken sprawl of… ![“Then they were off again, across the unbroken sprawl of Chicagoland, a single city made up of interlocking strip malls, decorated at random intervals by WELCOME TO signs with defiantly rural names—River Forest, Forest Glen, Glenview—and enough dales and groves and elms and oaks to populate Middle…” quote by Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/daryl-gregory-10433_middle-earth_then-they-were-off-again-across-the-unbr_597096.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/daryl-gregory-10433_middle-earth_then-they-were-off-again-across-the-unbr_597096.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e2/daryl-gregory-10433_middle-earth_then-they-were-off-again-across-the-unbr_597096.jpg) > ““Then they were off again, across the unbroken sprawl of Chicagoland, a single city made up of interlocking strip malls, decorated at random intervals by WELCOME TO signs with defiantly rural names—River Forest, Forest Glen, Glenview—and enough dales and groves and elms and oaks to populate Middle Earth. The flatlanders had been especially determined to tag every bump of land with a “Heights” or “Ridge.” Pity the poor hobbit trying to find anything to climb in the town of Mount Prospect.”” [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Urban sprawl mimics fantasy landscapes, yet the lack of true elevation leaves residents yearning for adventure. **In simple terms:** City’s endless flatness feels like a fake fantasy world, leaving people wanting real challenges. Key Takeaway Seek genuine challenges beyond monotonous environments. Themes urban life fantasy monotony adventure Mood nostalgic playful critical Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - city tourism - community building - creative urban design Key Concepts sociology urban planning literary satire Questions to Reflect On - How does the environment shape your sense of adventure? - What “ you create to add “height” to daily life? A Different Perspective Flat cities can limit personal growth and exploration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth Flatlanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-flatlanders-4874426/) [Middle earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-earth/) [Rural Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rural-names-4874425/) [Sprawl Chicagoland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sprawl-chicagoland-4874423/) [Unbroken Sprawl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbroken-sprawl-4874424/) ## Related quotes > [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Galadriel his sister went not with him to Nargothrond, for in Doriath dwelt Celeborn, kinsman of Thingol, and there was great love between them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/galadriel-his-sister-went-not-with-him-to-nargothrond-for-in-doriath/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Second, there are so many magical places in books that you can't go to, like Hogwarts and Middle Earth, so I wanted to set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/second-there-are-so-many-magical-places-in-books-that-you-can-t-go-to/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [The burned hand teaches best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-burned-hand-teaches-best/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [“Martian invasion: sure, the Army understands what it needs to do, if not necessarily how to go about it. Religious apocalypses involving the Four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/martian-invasion-sure-the-army-understands-what-it-needs-to-do-if-not/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ Ambar-metta!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/et-e-rello-endorenna-ut-lien-sinome-maruvan-ar-hildinyar-tenn-ambar/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [No one seems to wash in Middle-earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/no-one-seems-to-wash-in-middle-earth/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [ “We weren't born yesterday. We are from \[New York\]. But we are also from somewhere else. We are from Oz, from the Looking-Glass Land,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/we-weren-t-born-yesterday-we-are-from-new-york-but-we-are-also-from/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [One of the great pleasures of working in Middle Earth is you get to be another being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/one-of-the-great-pleasures-of-working-in-middle-earth-is-you-get-to/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [I had this desire to see the world. I couldn't see any of it, but I saw it in my imagination, and that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-had-this-desire-to-see-the-world-i-couldn-t-see-any-of-it-but-i-saw/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [I want to live in Middle-earth, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-want-to-live-in-middle-earth-actually/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [They can keep their heaven. When I die, I’d sooner go to Middle Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-can-keep-their-heaven-when-i-die-i-d-sooner-go-to-middle-earth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of ideas took us to dead ends or we found the tone wasn’t just right. I think we discovered very quickly this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/a-lot-of-ideas-took-us-to-dead-ends-or-we-found-the-tone-wasn-t-just/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [“I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolkien/i-met-a-lot-of-things-on-the-way-that-astonished-me-tom-bombadil-i/) [Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tolkien/) > [I really feel that's part of why audiences go to movies now is to take you to a world you have no access to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-really-feel-that-s-part-of-why-audiences-go-to-movies-now-is-to/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) ## More by Daryl Gregory > [“The human egg is a Mrs. Bennet, desperate to marry off her daughters...It is a truth universally acknowledged that a sperm must be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-human-egg-is-a-mrs-bennet-desperate-to-marry-off-her-daughters-it/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“He lit the cigarette and inhaled gratefully. "You want one?" "No thanks. Had a touch of the cancer a few years ago." "What kind?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/he-lit-the-cigarette-and-inhaled-gratefully-you-want-one-no-thanks/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“startled awake. Ollie froze for a moment, staring in his direction. The kid scrunched his face and yawned like a bear. I said to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/startled-awake-ollie-froze-for-a-moment-staring-in-his-direction-the/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Fayza leaned in, squinting, as if she didn’t hear me correctly: one of the library of power moves that adults used to signal that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/fayza-leaned-in-squinting-as-if-she-didn-t-hear-me-correctly-one-of/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“The business travelers, however, were all business, from their business jacket to their business skirts and their skinny business shoes. They sliced through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-business-travelers-however-were-all-business-from-their-business/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [Every other writer's process is sort of vaguely scary and appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/every-other-writer-s-process-is-sort-of-vaguely-scary-and-appalling/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“There was a scientist who did not believe in gods or fairies or supernatural creatures of any sort. But she had once known an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/there-was-a-scientist-who-did-not-believe-in-gods-or-fairies-or/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“What was the point of being a mind anchored to this read weight-or dying weight, that was it, a blooby mass already becoming old,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/what-was-the-point-of-being-a-mind-anchored-to-this-read-weight-or/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“A BS in any neuroscience without a master's or PhD was a three-legged dog of a degree: pitiable, adorable, and capable of inspiring applause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/a-bs-in-any-neuroscience-without-a-master-s-or-phd-was-a-three-legged/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Frankie did as he was told. He popped the last three cubes form a tray and slid the empty container back into the freezer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/frankie-did-as-he-was-told-he-popped-the-last-three-cubes-form-a-tray/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [The best aunts aren't substitute parents, they're co-conspirators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-best-aunts-aren-t-substitute-parents-they-re-co-conspirators/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“You know why I’m raising you kids to be Cubs fans?” Buddy shakes his head. “Any mook can be a fan of a winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/you-know-why-i-m-raising-you-kids-to-be-cubs-fans-buddy-shakes-his/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“The gun, my young friend, is that dark cousin of the placebo, the nocebo. If a placebo provides false benefits, the nocebo imparts false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/the-gun-my-young-friend-is-that-dark-cousin-of-the-placebo-the-nocebo/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“I met him in the hospital.' I saw the eyebrow raise in my peripheral vision. 'Yeah, that hospital. He believes that powerful telepaths are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/i-met-him-in-the-hospital-i-saw-the-eyebrow-raise-in-my-peripheral/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) > [“Divine essence?' I said. 'Hey, I'm Fat Boy, I'll possess a guy and make him eat ten pounds of chocolate in one sitting! Yeah,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-gregory/divine-essence-i-said-hey-i-m-fat-boy-i-ll-possess-a-guy-and-make-him/) [Daryl Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) [Explore all 65 Daryl Gregory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-gregory/) ## More Middle earth quotes > [“Sam: Mordor. The one place in Middle-earth we don't want to see any closer, and the one place we're trying to get to. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/sam-mordor-the-one-place-in-middle-earth-we-don-t-want-to-see-any/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“I met a lot of things on the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tolkien/i-met-a-lot-of-things-on-the-way-that-astonished-me-tom-bombadil-i/) [Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tolkien/) > [A lot of ideas took us to dead ends or we found the tone wasn’t just right. I think we discovered very quickly this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-boyd/a-lot-of-ideas-took-us-to-dead-ends-or-we-found-the-tone-wasn-t-just/) [Billy Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-boyd/) > [They can keep their heaven. When I die, I’d sooner go to Middle Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-can-keep-their-heaven-when-i-die-i-d-sooner-go-to-middle-earth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to live in Middle-earth, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-want-to-live-in-middle-earth-actually/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [I had this desire to see the world. I couldn't see any of it, but I saw it in my imagination, and that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-had-this-desire-to-see-the-world-i-couldn-t-see-any-of-it-but-i-saw/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [One of the great pleasures of working in Middle Earth is you get to be another being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/one-of-the-great-pleasures-of-working-in-middle-earth-is-you-get-to/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [ “We weren't born yesterday. We are from \[New York\]. But we are also from somewhere else. We are from Oz, from the Looking-Glass Land,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/we-weren-t-born-yesterday-we-are-from-new-york-but-we-are-also-from/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [No one seems to wash in Middle-earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/no-one-seems-to-wash-in-middle-earth/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [“Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn’ Ambar-metta!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/et-e-rello-endorenna-ut-lien-sinome-maruvan-ar-hildinyar-tenn-ambar/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Martian invasion: sure, the Army understands what it needs to do, if not necessarily how to go about it. Religious apocalypses involving the Four…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/martian-invasion-sure-the-army-understands-what-it-needs-to-do-if-not/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [The burned hand teaches best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/the-burned-hand-teaches-best/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Second, there are so many magical places in books that you can't go to, like Hogwarts and Middle Earth, so I wanted to set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/second-there-are-so-many-magical-places-in-books-that-you-can-t-go-to/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [“Galadriel his sister went not with him to Nargothrond, for in Doriath dwelt Celeborn, kinsman of Thingol, and there was great love between them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/galadriel-his-sister-went-not-with-him-to-nargothrond-for-in-doriath/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [I really feel that's part of why audiences go to movies now is to take you to a world you have no access to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-affleck/i-really-feel-that-s-part-of-why-audiences-go-to-movies-now-is-to/) [Ben Affleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-affleck/) [Browse all 70 Middle earth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-earth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Then they were off again, across the unbroken sprawl of Chicagoland, a single city made up of interlocking strip malls, decorated at random intervals by WELCOME TO signs with defiantly rural names—River Forest, Forest Glen, Glenview—and enough dales and groves and elms and oaks to populate Middle Earth. 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