El paso Quote by Glendon Swarthout
““He had not been in El Paso for years, and they had developed it considerably since then, he'd heard, along the lines of sin and salvation. They had churches and a Republican or two and a smart of banks and a symphony orchestra and five railroads and a lumberyard and the makings of a library. So much for sin. On the side of salvation they had ninety-some saloons, just shy of one for every hundred citizens, although municipal goodyism had moved the gambling rooms out back or upstairs.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Man Who Loved Children by Glendon Swarthout, 1965
The passage contrasts the town’s moral veneer of institutions with its underlying vices, showing how progress and vice coexist.
In simple terms: Town appears respectable but hides many sins.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hidden flaws beneath surface appearances.
Themes
hypocrisy
urban development
morality
progress
culture
Mood
reflective
critical
observational
Type
literary
social commentary
descriptive
When to use this quote
- town planning
- community assessment
- policy making
- historical research
Key Concepts
social stratification
public vs private morality
urbanization
Questions to Reflect On
- What signs reveal hidden problems in a community?
- How does rapid growth affect moral standards?
A Different Perspective
The description may romanticize the town, overlooking systemic issues.
![“[My grandparents] were from Texas. El Paso. White trash.” quote by Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/012/carrie-fisher-927_el-paso_my-grandparents-were-from-texas-el-paso_251822.jpg)