--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The situation Larch was thinking of was…" description: "\"“The situation Larch was thinking of was war, the so-called war in Europe; Larch, and many others, feared that the war wouldn’t stay there. (‘I’m sorry..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/john-irving-337_bad-heart_the-situation-larch-was-thinking-of-was_1467586.jpg" --- # The situation Larch was thinking of was war, the so-called… ![“The situation Larch was thinking of was war, the so-called war in Europe; Larch, and many others, feared that the war wouldn’t stay there. (‘I’m sorry, Homer,’ Larch imagined having to tell the boy. ‘I don’t want you to worry, but you have a bad heart; it just wouldn’t stand up to a war.’) What…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/john-irving-337_bad-heart_the-situation-larch-was-thinking-of-was_1467586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/john-irving-337_bad-heart_the-situation-larch-was-thinking-of-was_1467586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e01/john-irving-337_bad-heart_the-situation-larch-was-thinking-of-was_1467586.jpg) > ““The situation Larch was thinking of was war, the so-called war in Europe; Larch, and many others, feared that the war wouldn’t stay there. (‘I’m sorry, Homer,’ Larch imagined having to tell the boy. ‘I don’t want you to worry, but you have a bad heart; it just wouldn’t stand up to a war.’) What Larch meant was that his own heart would never stand up to Homer Wells’s going to war. The love of Wilbur Larch for Homer Wells extended even to his tampering with history, a field wherein he was an admitted amateur, but it was nonetheless a field that he respected and also loved. (In an earlier entry in the file on Homer Wells – an entry that Dr. Larch removed, for it lent an incorrect tone of voice, or at least a tone of voice unusual for history – Dr. Larch had written: ‘I love nothing or no one as much as I love Homer Wells. Period.”” [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. A mentor fears that his own frailty will fail his protégé in a dangerous world, prompting protective love and secretive guidance. **In simple terms:** A caring adult worries about his own weakness harming a younger one. Key Takeaway Accept limits and seek help when needed. Themes mentorship fear protective love war history Mood concerned protective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - medical training - military enlistment - family advice Key Concepts psychology ethics legacy self‑sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - What truths are you hiding to protect others? - How can you balance honesty with protection? A Different Perspective The mentor’s secrecy may hinder honest communication and growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Tone Of Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tone-of-voice/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Wallace Worthington would have reminded Wilbur Larch of someone he might have met at the Channing-Peabodys’, where Dr. Larch went to perform his second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/wallace-worthington-would-have-reminded-wilbur-larch-of-someone-he/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I understood that Death wasn’t the one to be feared. War was the one that laid waste to lives. Death was just the cleanup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-understood-that-death-wasn-t-the-one-to-be-feared-war-was-the-one/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Grant us safe lodging, and holy rest,” Mrs. Grogan was saying, “and peace at last.” Amen, thought Wilbur Larch, the Saint of St. Cloud’s,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/grant-us-safe-lodging-and-holy-rest-mrs-grogan-was-saying-and-peace/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Among adults – and among orphans – Wilbur Larch noted that delirious happiness was rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/among-adults-and-among-orphans-wilbur-larch-noted-that-delirious/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“You are my work of art," Wilbur Larch told Homer Wells. "Everything else has just been a job. I don't know if you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-are-my-work-of-art-wilbur-larch-told-homer-wells-everything-else/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“In Wally’s bedroom Homer marveled at how the world was simultaneously being invented and destroyed. Nothing marvelous about that, Dr. Larch would have assured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/in-wally-s-bedroom-homer-marveled-at-how-the-world-was-simultaneously/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Wilbur Larch knew that freedom was an orphan’s most dangerous illusion, and when he finally heard from Homer, he scanned the oddly formal letter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/wilbur-larch-knew-that-freedom-was-an-orphan-s-most-dangerous/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Two things are bad for the heart - running up stairs and running down people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/two-things-are-bad-for-the-heart-running-up-stairs-and-running-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Won’t we be quite the pair?—you with your bad heart, me with my bad head. Together, though, we might have something worthwhile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-anne-fowler/won-t-we-be-quite-the-pair-you-with-your-bad-heart-me-with-my-bad/) [Therese Anne Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-anne-fowler/) > [If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-s-fowler/if-somebody-has-a-bad-heart-they-can-plug-this-jack-in-at-night-as/) Mark S. Fowler > [“Maybe I'm not so good as I seem to you. I've a bad heart; I will have my own way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/maybe-i-m-not-so-good-as-i-seem-to-you-i-ve-a-bad-heart-i-will-have/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“My head is bad, but my heart — my heart is good”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/changdictator/my-head-is-bad-but-my-heart-my-heart-is-good/) [Changdictator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/changdictator/) > [Sinful gossip is bearing bad news behind someones back out of a bad heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sinful-gossip-is-bearing-bad-news-behind-someones-back-out-of-a-bad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Perpetual anticipation is good for the soul but it's bad for the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/perpetual-anticipation-is-good-for-the-soul-but-it-s-bad-for-the-heart/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [The craftiest trickery are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/the-craftiest-trickery-are-too-short-and-ragged-a-cloak-to-cover-a/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) ## 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 Bad heart quotes > [The craftiest trickery are too short and ragged a cloak to cover a bad heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/the-craftiest-trickery-are-too-short-and-ragged-a-cloak-to-cover-a/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [Perpetual anticipation is good for the soul but it's bad for the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/perpetual-anticipation-is-good-for-the-soul-but-it-s-bad-for-the-heart/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [Sinful gossip is bearing bad news behind someones back out of a bad heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sinful-gossip-is-bearing-bad-news-behind-someones-back-out-of-a-bad/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My head is bad, but my heart — my heart is good”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/changdictator/my-head-is-bad-but-my-heart-my-heart-is-good/) [Changdictator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/changdictator/) > [“Maybe I'm not so good as I seem to you. I've a bad heart; I will have my own way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/maybe-i-m-not-so-good-as-i-seem-to-you-i-ve-a-bad-heart-i-will-have/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-s-fowler/if-somebody-has-a-bad-heart-they-can-plug-this-jack-in-at-night-as/) Mark S. Fowler > [“Won’t we be quite the pair?—you with your bad heart, me with my bad head. Together, though, we might have something worthwhile.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-anne-fowler/won-t-we-be-quite-the-pair-you-with-your-bad-heart-me-with-my-bad/) [Therese Anne Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-anne-fowler/) > [Two things are bad for the heart - running up stairs and running down people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/two-things-are-bad-for-the-heart-running-up-stairs-and-running-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think about determination, if people have a heart and are determined, they can get to that place. But there are a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/if-you-think-about-determination-if-people-have-a-heart-and-are/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [One of the things I like to do is people's hearts are on their sleeve, whether it's a good or a bad heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-michael-bendis/one-of-the-things-i-like-to-do-is-people-s-hearts-are-on-their-sleeve/) [Brian Michael Bendis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-michael-bendis/) > [I've been treated with the utmost respect by the whitest of white guys, and I've been treated bad by the whitest of white persons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-reed/i-ve-been-treated-with-the-utmost-respect-by-the-whitest-of-white/) [Ed Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-reed/) > [Bad mind, bad heart. (Mals Mens, Malus Animus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anacharsis-cloots/bad-mind-bad-heart-mals-mens-malus-animus/) Anacharsis Cloots > [Doubtless criticism was originally benignant, pointing out the beauties of a work rather that its defects. The passions of men have made it malignant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/doubtless-criticism-was-originally-benignant-pointing-out-the/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [To be happy, one must have a good stomach and a bad heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/to-be-happy-one-must-have-a-good-stomach-and-a-bad-heart/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [“The person with a good heart and leading a virtuous life will envelop himself in a flourished countenance, creating a favorable condition for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quyen-quang-tran/the-person-with-a-good-heart-and-leading-a-virtuous-life-will-envelop/) Quyen Quang Tran Browse all 43 Bad heart quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The situation Larch was thinking of was war, the so-called war in Europe; Larch, and many others, feared that the war wouldn’t stay there. (‘I’m sorry, Homer,’ Larch imagined having to tell the boy. ‘I don’t want you to worry, but you have a bad heart; it just wouldn’t stand up to a war.’) What Larch meant was that his own heart would never stand up to Homer Wells’s going to war. The love of Wilbur Larch for Homer Wells extended even to his tampering with history, a field wherein he was an admitted amateur, but it was nonetheless a field that he respected and also loved. (In an earlier entry in the file on Homer Wells – an entry that Dr. Larch removed, for it lent an incorrect tone of voice, or at least a tone of voice unusual for history – Dr. Larch had written: ‘I love nothing or no one as much as I love Homer Wells. 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