Small towns Quote by John Irving
““...but I suddenly realized what small towns are. They are places where you grow up with the peculiar -- you live next to the strange and the unlikely for so long that everything and everyone become commonplace. My cousins were both small-towners and outsiders; they had not grown up with Own Meany, who was so strange to them that he inspired awe - yet they were no more likely to fall upon him, or to devise ways to torture him, than it was likely for a herd of cattle to attack a cat.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The World According to Garp by John Irving, 1978
Small towns make the familiar seem strange, and strangers become ordinary over time, blurring the line between awe and indifference.
In simple terms: Familiarity dulls novelty, making oddities seem normal.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when routine masks uniqueness.
Themes
community
perception
normalcy
identity
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
Type
observational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- cultural studies
- personal relationships
Key Concepts
social dynamics
psychology
anthropology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does familiarity affect judgment?
- When do we overlook the extraordinary?
A Different Perspective
Even in small towns, outsider perspectives can reveal hidden complexities.
![“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)
![“I've seen it [Australia] go from a lot of small towns to big towns, but I think it has found its identity in all this time... it's a very special country, I could easily live here.” quote by Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/364/suzi-quatro-7541_australia_i-ve-seen-it-australia-go-from-a-lot-of_39617.jpg)
