Accidents Quote by John Cheever
“Children drown, beautiful women are mangled in automobile accidents, cruise ships founder, and men die lingering deaths in mines and submarines, but you will find none of this in my accounts.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Enormous Radio by John Cheever, 1947
The author omits tragedies from his stories, focusing on everyday life instead of sensational events.
In simple terms: He avoids graphic disaster in his narratives.
Key Takeaway
Notice what is left unsaid.
Themes
literature
realism
focus
omission
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- Writing fiction
- journalistic reporting
- teaching narrative restraint
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Narrative choice
selective storytelling
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the exclusion of tragedy reveal about the author's purpose?
- How might readers' perceptions change if such events were included?
A Different Perspective
The omission may limit awareness of broader societal issues.
![“[During the 20th century] ... 170 million men, women, and children have been shot, beaten, tortured, knifed, burned, starved, frozen, crushed, or worked to death; buried alive, drowned, hung, bombed, or killed in any other of the myriad ways governments have inflicted death on unarmed, helpless…” quote by Rudolph Rummel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b6c/rudolph-rummel-42992_20th-century_during-the-20th-century-170-million-men_1655922.jpg)
