Bitter cold Quote by Graham Greene
““The soap-box orators talked in the bitter cold at Marble Arch with their mackintoshes turned up around their Adam's apples, and all down the road the cad cars waited for the right easy girls, and the cheap prostitutes sat hopelessly in the shadows, and the blackmailers kept an eye open on the grass where the deeds of darkness were quietly and unsatisfactorily accomplished.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene, 1940
A vivid tableau of urban decay, moral ambiguity, and hidden power structures in a cold cityscape.
In simple terms: Dark city life shows hidden power and moral decay.
Key Takeaway
Notice unseen influences in society.
Themes
urban decay
morality
power
poverty
crime
Mood
somber
critical
Type
descriptive
analytical
When to use this quote
- street activism
- political journalism
- social work
- urban planning
Key Concepts
social critique
existentialism
class struggle
Questions to Reflect On
- How do hidden powers shape daily life?
- What responsibility do observers have?
A Different Perspective
The quote romanticizes suffering, overlooking agency.
