--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I sometimes think that the American story…" description: "\"I sometimes think that the American story is the one about the reading of the will.\" — Lewis H. Lapham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/lewis-h-lapham-7190_america_i-sometimes-think-that-the-american-stor_1190904.jpg" --- # I sometimes think that the American story is the one about… ![“I sometimes think that the American story is the one about the reading of the will.” quote by Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/lewis-h-lapham-7190_america_i-sometimes-think-that-the-american-stor_1190904.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/lewis-h-lapham-7190_america_i-sometimes-think-that-the-american-stor_1190904.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c7/lewis-h-lapham-7190_america_i-sometimes-think-that-the-american-stor_1190904.jpg) > “I sometimes think that the American story is the one about the reading of the will.” [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The American narrative is shaped by how people interpret and act upon the intentions of others **In simple terms:** America's story is about interpreting wills Key Takeaway Consider the impact of willful actions on national identity Themes history interpretation identity Mood analytical thoughtful Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - legal decisions - political campaigns - media framing - public discourse Key Concepts political theory cultural studies Questions to Reflect On - How do individual wills shape collective history? - What other factors influence the American story? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on will may ignore structural forces ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think the name of the show, 'This American Life' - we named it that just because it seemed like it made the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-think-the-name-of-the-show-this-american-life-we-named-it-that-just/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [“Don't be afraid to write and share your story with the reading world! Find your courage! It is a fact that some will love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-to-write-and-share-your-story-with-the-reading-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You can’t know someone’s story without reading the pages of their book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-moore/you-can-t-know-someone-s-story-without-reading-the-pages-of-their-book/) [Portia Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-moore/) > [It took a lot to understand that the interest in both writing a story and reading it is not in the objective dangers someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/it-took-a-lot-to-understand-that-the-interest-in-both-writing-a-story/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [I think the American people, with some justification, think that most politicians live in la-la land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/i-think-the-american-people-with-some-justification-think-that-most/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [I think everyone has some sort of connection to Gatsby as a character... he's created himself according to his own emotions and dreams and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-think-everyone-has-some-sort-of-connection-to-gatsby-as-a-character/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I always say African American history is the quintessential American story. It's about perseverance and resilience - something everyone can relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-freelon/i-always-say-african-american-history-is-the-quintessential-american/) [Philip Freelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-freelon/) > [We will remember that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation and together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-will-remember-that-we-are-not-as-divided-as-our-politics-suggests/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [You know Americans are obsessed with life and death and rebirth, that's the American Cycle. You know, awakening, tragic, horrible death and then Phoenix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/you-know-americans-are-obsessed-with-life-and-death-and-rebirth-that/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [“It was a very American story, somehow. 'Lost.' Each community had such stories. Possibly, each family.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/it-was-a-very-american-story-somehow-lost-each-community-had-such/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-rockwell/without-thinking-too-much-about-it-in-specific-terms-i-was-showing/) [Norman Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-rockwell/) > [We believe that every single child has boundless promise, no matter who they are, where they come from, or how much money their parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-believe-that-every-single-child-has-boundless-promise-no-matter/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The producers, the creators, and the cast, we recognize that 'Hamilton' is an inherently American story told by the definition of an American community;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-victor-dixon/the-producers-the-creators-and-the-cast-we-recognize-that-hamilton-is/) [Brandon Victor Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-victor-dixon/) > [Frankly, Django is an American story that needs to be told, when you think of slavery existing in this country for 245 years. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/frankly-django-is-an-american-story-that-needs-to-be-told-when-you/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [To me, 'Blue Like Jazz' is a quintessential American story. So many people are just like Don - raised Christian and go off to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-allman/to-me-blue-like-jazz-is-a-quintessential-american-story-so-many/) [Marshall Allman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-allman/) ## More by Lewis H. Lapham > [The figure of the enthusiast who has just discovered jogging or a new way to fix tofu can be said to stand or, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-figure-of-the-enthusiast-who-has-just-discovered-jogging-or-a-new/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [The future turns out to be something that you make instead of find. It isn't waiting for your arrival, either with an arrest warrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-future-turns-out-to-be-something-that-you-make-instead-of-find-it/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [The genius of capitalism consists precisely in its lack of morality. Unless he is rich enough to hire his own choir, a capitalist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-genius-of-capitalism-consists-precisely-in-its-lack-of-morality/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [If you wear a suit, you can talk to anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/if-you-wear-a-suit-you-can-talk-to-anybody/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [We might make a public moan in the newspapers about the decay of conscience, but in private conversation, no matter what crimes a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/we-might-make-a-public-moan-in-the-newspapers-about-the-decay-of/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [ \[For American consumer society\], the country's reserves of ignorance constitute a natural resource as precious as the Mississippi River or the long-lost herds of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/for-american-consumer-society-the-country-s-reserves-of-ignorance/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [A certain kind of rich man afflicted with the symptoms of moral dandyism sooner or later comes to the conclusion that it isn't enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-certain-kind-of-rich-man-afflicted-with-the-symptoms-of-moral/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [His administration apparently means to define itself as a television program instead of a government...I don't know if it can please both its sponsors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/his-administration-apparently-means-to-define-itself-as-a-television/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [In the garden of tabloid delight, there is always a clean towel and another song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/in-the-garden-of-tabloid-delight-there-is-always-a-clean-towel-and/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [To the United States the Third World often takes the form of a black woman who has been made pregnant in a moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/to-the-united-states-the-third-world-often-takes-the-form-of-a-black/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [About the presence of death and dying I don't remember the society in the 1950s being so skittish as it has since become. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/about-the-presence-of-death-and-dying-i-don-t-remember-the-society-in/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [Nobody suffers the pain of birth or the anguish of loving a child in order for presidents to make wars, for governments to feed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/nobody-suffers-the-pain-of-birth-or-the-anguish-of-loving-a-child-in/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [The leading cause of death is birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/the-leading-cause-of-death-is-birth/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [Power broken into a thousand pieces can be hidden and disowned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/power-broken-into-a-thousand-pieces-can-be-hidden-and-disowned/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) [Explore all 93 Lewis H. Lapham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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