Book Quote by Graham Greene
“Our heroes are simple: they are brave, they tell the truth, they are good swordsmen and they are never in the long run really defeated. That is why no later books satisfy us like those which were read to us in childhood - for those promised a world of great simplicity of which we knew the rules, but the later books are complicated and contradictory with experience; they are formed out of our own disappointing memories.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene, 1940
Childhood stories offer clear moral heroes, while adult narratives become complex and often clash with personal disappointment.
In simple terms: Simple heroes vs. complex adult stories
Key Takeaway
Cherish simple narratives for comfort
Themes
nostalgia
heroism
complexity
Mood
reflective
bittersweet
Type
literary
nostalgic
When to use this quote
- reading childhood books
- teaching children
- reflecting on adult literature
- discussing narrative expectations
Key Concepts
Literature
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile adult complexities with childhood ideals?
- What simple truths do you miss in modern stories?
A Different Perspective
Later works may lack the comforting certainty of early stories.
