America Quote by John Fante
““I have seen them stagger out of their movie palaces and blink their empty eyes in the face of reality once more, and stagger home, to read the Times, to find out what's going on in the world. I have vomited at their newspapers, read their literature, observed their customs, eaten their food, desired their women, gaped at their art. But I am poor, and my name ends with a soft vowel, and they hate me and my father, and my father's father, and they would have my blood and put me down, but they are old now, dying in the sun and in the hot dust of the road, and I am young and full of hope and love for my country and my times, and when I say Greaser to you it is not my heart that speaks, but the quivering of an old wound, and I am ashamed of the terrible thing I have done.””
About This Quote
The narrator feels alienated by cultural expectations and personal history, confronting shame while yearning for dignity and belonging.
In simple terms: Alienation fuels shame and hope.
Key Takeaway
Identity struggles clash with societal prejudice.
Themes
alienation
identity
shame
hope
social class
Mood
melancholic
defiant
Type
confessional
social critique
When to use this quote
- immigrant experiences
- student activism
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
cultural marginalization
intergenerational trauma
Practical Applications
- Channel feelings of exclusion into creative writing to process and share perspective.
Questions to Reflect On
- What narratives help you reclaim agency amid marginalization?
- How can you transform shame into constructive action?
A Different Perspective
Over‑identifying with victimhood can impede agency and personal growth.
![“I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. [salutes]” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/bill-hicks-970_america_i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumor_655.jpg)
