--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was not necessarily what Ketchum might…" description: "\"“It was not necessarily what Ketchum might have said about the war in Iraq, or the never-ending mess in the Middle East, that particularly interested D..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/john-irving-337_middle-east_it-was-not-necessarily-what-ketchum-migh_1882266.png" --- # It was not necessarily what Ketchum might have said about… ![“It was not necessarily what Ketchum might have said about the war in Iraq, or the never-ending mess in the Middle East, that particularly interested Danny or Six-Pack Pam. It was what Ketchum would have said about anything. It was the old logger's voice that Danny and Six-Pack wanted to hear. Thus…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/john-irving-337_middle-east_it-was-not-necessarily-what-ketchum-migh_1882266.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/john-irving-337_middle-east_it-was-not-necessarily-what-ketchum-migh_1882266.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57a/john-irving-337_middle-east_it-was-not-necessarily-what-ketchum-migh_1882266.png) > ““It was not necessarily what Ketchum might have said about the war in Iraq, or the never-ending mess in the Middle East, that particularly interested Danny or Six-Pack Pam. It was what Ketchum would have said about anything. It was the old logger's voice that Danny and Six-Pack wanted to hear. Thus we try to keep our heroes alive; hence we remember them”” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on how people cling to the familiar voice of heroes, even if their actual words are irrelevant, to preserve memory and identity. **In simple terms:** People remember heroes for their voice, not details. Key Takeaway Value the essence of what inspires you. Themes memory identity hero worship nostalgia Mood reflective nostalgic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal reflection - storytelling - cultural memory Key Concepts Narrative voice psychology of remembrance Questions to Reflect On - What voice do you seek in leaders? - How does nostalgia shape your choices? A Different Perspective Heroes may be idealized, obscuring their true actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Interested Danny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested-danny-2666846/) [Ketchum Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ketchum-said-991820/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [Said Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-old/) [Voice Danny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice-danny-2666845/) [Wanted Hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-hear/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Six-Pack didn't despise George W. Bush to the degree that Ketchum did, but she thought the president was a smirking twerp and a dumbed-down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/six-pack-didn-t-despise-george-w-bush-to-the-degree-that-ketchum-did/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“We've been an empire in decline since I can remember," Ketchum said bluntly; he wasn't kidding. "We are a lost nation, Danny. Stop farting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/we-ve-been-an-empire-in-decline-since-i-can-remember-ketchum-said/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Now isn't that nice!' said the old lady. 'If cousins are the right kind, they're best of all: kinder than sisters and brothers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-enright/now-isn-t-that-nice-said-the-old-lady-if-cousins-are-the-right-kind/) [Elizabeth Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-enright/) > [A 24 year boy seeing out from the train window, shouted, Dad, look the trees are going behind! Dad smiled and a young couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-24-year-boy-seeing-out-from-the-train-window-shouted-dad-look-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There was an obvious display of blatant sexism when I couldn't get signed. They didn't say I was ugly. They didn't say that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/there-was-an-obvious-display-of-blatant-sexism-when-i-couldn-t-get/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [“You’re on Facebook, Uncle Reid?” Athens asked. “Of course he is,” Liliana said. “That’s where all the old people go to waste their time.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-rochon/you-re-on-facebook-uncle-reid-athens-asked-of-course-he-is-liliana/) [Farrah Rochon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-rochon/) > [I'm sure people in the business have said: She's too old for that part. I don't hear about it because your agent protects you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-kendal/i-m-sure-people-in-the-business-have-said-she-s-too-old-for-that-part/) [Felicity Kendal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-kendal/) > [There goes a saying, and 'twas shrewdly said, ''Old fish at table, but young flesh in bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/there-goes-a-saying-and-twas-shrewdly-said-old-fish-at-table-but/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“How did it die?" he asked. "Short circuit," I said. "Old and frayed wires." He looked at me like I was senile. "Could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-messinger/how-did-it-die-he-asked-short-circuit-i-said-old-and-frayed-wires-he/) [Jonathan Messinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-messinger/) > [“But unless we determine to take action,' said the old man querulously, as if struggling against something deeply insouciant in his nature, 'then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/but-unless-we-determine-to-take-action-said-the-old-man-querulously/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Lost ye way in the dark, said the old man. He stirred the fire, standing slender tusks of bone up out of the ashes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/lost-ye-way-in-the-dark-said-the-old-man-he-stirred-the-fire-standing/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [I'm not putting them on,” said old Archie in indignation. “I like a healthy breeze 'round my privates, thanks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-m-not-putting-them-on-said-old-archie-in-indignation-i-like-a/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [“If,' Roland said. 'An old teacher of mine used to call it the only word a thousand letters long.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/if-roland-said-an-old-teacher-of-mine-used-to-call-it-the-only-word-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You think people was meaner then than they are now? the deputy said. The old man was looking out at the flooded town. No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/you-think-people-was-meaner-then-than-they-are-now-the-deputy-said/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “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… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Middle east quotes > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [On the McLaughlin Report, August 26, 1990: 'There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the middle East, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/on-the-mclaughlin-report-august-26-1990-there-are-only-two-groups/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [You don't know whether he's thought through how this is going to affect the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/you-don-t-know-whether-he-s-thought-through-how-this-is-going-to/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [One of those blocks (that prevent the 'Middle East from entering the mainstream of modernity') is the orthodox tenet that the Koran and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-beichman/one-of-those-blocks-that-prevent-the-middle-east-from-entering-the/) [Arnold Beichman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-beichman/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I believe that people are holy because they’re made in the image of God, and a place can be holy when God is present—but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-brock/i-believe-that-people-are-holy-because-they-re-made-in-the-image-of/) [Jared Brock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-brock/) > [We face a brutal enemy who will kill the innocent for one purpose and that is to gain control of the Middle East and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/we-face-a-brutal-enemy-who-will-kill-the-innocent-for-one-purpose-and/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [There has been sort of, if you will, a moral interventionism on the part of the United States trying to reshape countries in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/there-has-been-sort-of-if-you-will-a-moral-interventionism-on-the/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [We're not going to cure terrorism and spread peace and goodwill in the Middle East by killing innocent people, or I'm not even saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/we-re-not-going-to-cure-terrorism-and-spread-peace-and-goodwill-in/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [“Terrorists are like a fly that tries to destroy a china shop. The fly is so weak that it cannot budge even a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/terrorists-are-like-a-fly-that-tries-to-destroy-a-china-shop-the-fly/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Certainly, protecting oppressed people, stopping ethnic conflict and promoting responsible governance are worthy goals. But none is as important for American security and prosperity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mandelbaum/certainly-protecting-oppressed-people-stopping-ethnic-conflict-and/) [Michael Mandelbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mandelbaum/) > [We spend less time with each other now than we did during the presidency. When you're president, you're usually out and back in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-spend-less-time-with-each-other-now-than-we-did-during-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 1,468 Middle east quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was not necessarily what Ketchum might have said about the war in Iraq, or the never-ending mess in the Middle East, that particularly interested Danny or Six-Pack Pam. It was what Ketchum would have said about anything. It was the old logger's voice that Danny and Six-Pack wanted to hear. 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