Great expectations Quote by John Irving
““Almost none of them understood Great Expectations or David Copperfield, anyway. They were not only too young for the Dickensian language, they were also too young to comprehend the usual language of St. Cloud’s. What mattered to Dr. Larch was the idea of reading aloud – it was a successful soporific for the children who didn’t know what they were listening to, and for those few who understood the words and the story, then the evening reading provided them with a way to leave St. Cloud’s in their dreams, in their imaginations. Dickens was a personal favorite of Dr. Larch; it was no accident, of course, that both Great Expectations and David Copperfield were concerned with orphans. (‘What in the hell else would you read to an orphan?’ Dr. Larch inquired in his journal.)””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Cider House Rules by John Irving, 1985
Reading aloud provides comfort and escape for children in a harsh environment, using stories to transport them beyond their immediate suffering.
In simple terms: Stories give children comfort and escape.
Key Takeaway
Use storytelling to soothe and inspire.
Themes
comfort
escape
storytelling
children
imagination
Mood
empathetic
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
educational
therapeutic
When to use this quote
- classroom reading
- hospital bedside
- refugee camps
- orphanages
Key Concepts
literary therapy
narrative transport
psychological coping
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you pair stories with practical support?
- What narratives best empower vulnerable children?
A Different Perspective
Stories may not address deeper needs beyond temporary relief.
![“JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" [Owen Meany] said crossly. "LOOK AT THOSE WEIRDO TV MIRACLE-WORKERS--THEY'RE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN MAGIC! BUT THE REAL MIRACLES AREN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70e/john-irving-337_atheists_just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-bet_31804.jpg)
