--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers'…" description: "\"The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to me that there was no neurosis in westerns, or there's a minimal amount of it.\" — Patrick deWitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg" --- # The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to… ![“The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to me that there was no neurosis in westerns, or there's a minimal amount of it.” quote by Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg) > “The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to me that there was no neurosis in westerns, or there's a minimal amount of it.” [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author notes that westerns lack the deep psychological conflict typical of other genres, making them emotionally flat. **In simple terms:** Westerns often miss inner turmoil. Key Takeaway Add complexity to genre storytelling. Themes genre criticism psychology western storytelling Mood reflective analytical Type critical theoretical When to use this quote - film analysis - creative writing - character development - screenwriting - genre studies Key Concepts character depth emotional conflict genre conventions Questions to Reflect On - How can a western portray inner conflict without losing its archetypal style? - What techniques reveal hidden neuroses in action narratives? A Different Perspective Western films can still convey subtle internal struggles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers/) [Sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sisters/) [Westerns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/westerns/) ## Related quotes > ['The Sisters Brothers' has endeared so many prize juries because the Western format has more of a broad appeal and is familiar to readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-sisters-brothers-has-endeared-so-many-prize-juries-because-the/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > ['The Sisters Brothers' started out as a little bit of dialogue between these two men who became Eli and Charlie Sisters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-sisters-brothers-started-out-as-a-little-bit-of-dialogue-between/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I was halfway through a rough draft of 'The Sisters Brothers' when it came time to start the 'Terri' adaptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-was-halfway-through-a-rough-draft-of-the-sisters-brothers-when-it/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I haven't read a lot of Westerns. But I wrote a Western. The influences were all cinematic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-haven-t-read-a-lot-of-westerns-but-i-wrote-a-western-the-influences/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I haven't read hardly any Westerns, to tell you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-haven-t-read-hardly-any-westerns-to-tell-you-the-truth/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I had no plan to write a western novel, and when I realized it was happening, I was pretty surprised by it. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-no-plan-to-write-a-western-novel-and-when-i-realized-it-was/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives the mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-don-t-believe-an-accident-of-birth-makes-people-sisters-or-brothers/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Big sisters and brothers... I am telling you, it never changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/big-sisters-and-brothers-i-am-telling-you-it-never-changes/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Therefore we pledge to bind ourselves to one another, to embrace our lowliest, to keep company with our loneliest, to educate our illiterate, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/therefore-we-pledge-to-bind-ourselves-to-one-another-to-embrace-our/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/dear-sisters-and-brothers-i-am-not-against-anyone/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“It's a commonly expressed and rather nice, romantic notion that we are all "sisters" and "brothers." Let's be real. Fact is, we might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/it-s-a-commonly-expressed-and-rather-nice-romantic-notion-that-we-are/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [AGREE BIG TIME WELL GO AHEAD JUDGE ME MY OTHER MSULIM SISTERS AND BROTHERS BUT TRUST ME NOTHNG WILL HAPPEN TO ME AND THEM!!!!!~~!!!!!~~!!!!~~!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria/agree-big-time-well-go-ahead-judge-me-my-other-msulim-sisters-and/) [Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria/) > [“Our sisters and brothers were picked up in public by local commanders for the purpose of sex and luxury and we could do nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/our-sisters-and-brothers-were-picked-up-in-public-by-local-commanders/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [I think 'Sisters Brothers' is going to go - and my contribution to it, hopefully - will go a long way to opening up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-root/i-think-sisters-brothers-is-going-to-go-and-my-contribution-to-it/) [Rebecca Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-root/) > [For the children and the flowers are my sisters and my brothers, come and stand beside me, we can find a better way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/for-the-children-and-the-flowers-are-my-sisters-and-my-brothers-come/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) ## More by Patrick deWitt > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I come by writing dialogue fairly naturally, I've got a chatty family; I'm a bit of a voyeur, and if I'm ever in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-come-by-writing-dialogue-fairly-naturally-i-ve-got-a-chatty-family/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“Beware of the plygs of Colorado City, Arizona. They have no cups of coffee for the likes of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/beware-of-the-plygs-of-colorado-city-arizona-they-have-no-cups-of/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“When you sleep, your dreams are those of a dullard”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/when-you-sleep-your-dreams-are-those-of-a-dullard/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [The nice thing about writing at home is that it's almost as though I'm doing it already. I get out of bed thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-nice-thing-about-writing-at-home-is-that-it-s-almost-as-though-i/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I am increasingly unimpressed by works of art that require a college degree to understand. I think that art should be for everyone. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-am-increasingly-unimpressed-by-works-of-art-that-require-a-college/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I carry a small spiral notebook with me at all times and have been doing this for many years. There's a shoe box in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-carry-a-small-spiral-notebook-with-me-at-all-times-and-have-been/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > ['The Sisters Brothers' started out as a little bit of dialogue between these two men who became Eli and Charlie Sisters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-sisters-brothers-started-out-as-a-little-bit-of-dialogue-between/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I was halfway through a rough draft of 'The Sisters Brothers' when it came time to start the 'Terri' adaptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-was-halfway-through-a-rough-draft-of-the-sisters-brothers-when-it/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I haven't read hardly any Westerns, to tell you the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-haven-t-read-hardly-any-westerns-to-tell-you-the-truth/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [Lies can be wonderful things, and when a lie is told artfully, if it's done with a degree of craftsmanship, I can't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/lies-can-be-wonderful-things-and-when-a-lie-is-told-artfully-if-it-s/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I'm not an enormous proponent of plot as a reader. It's about other things; my reading has become specialized over the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-m-not-an-enormous-proponent-of-plot-as-a-reader-it-s-about-other/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“You are afraid of hell. But that’s all religion is, really. Fear of a place we’d rather not be, and where there’s no such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/you-are-afraid-of-hell-but-that-s-all-religion-is-really-fear-of-a/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [I've been surprised at how much an unknown like myself can accomplish just by reaching out to people and pleading my case. Quotes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-ve-been-surprised-at-how-much-an-unknown-like-myself-can-accomplish/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“Most people are chained to their own fear and stupidity and haven’t the sense to level a cold eye at just what is wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/most-people-are-chained-to-their-own-fear-and-stupidity-and-haven-t/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) [Explore all 128 Patrick deWitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) ## More Brothers quotes > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“Zed and Sky had stayed behind and were chatting with Will, Sky sitting on Zed's knee as if nothing was going to get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stirling/zed-and-sky-had-stayed-behind-and-were-chatting-with-will-sky-sitting/) [Joss Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stirling/) > [“But if I had to pick another person for her, I'd have to say you, Jess, since I hold you in such high regard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-brendan/but-if-i-had-to-pick-another-person-for-her-i-d-have-to-say-you-jess/) Maggie Brendan > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I would love 'Aankhen 2' to happen. I would have Govinda and I play these two brothers and having kids who can take it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chunky-pandey/i-would-love-aankhen-2-to-happen-i-would-have-govinda-and-i-play/) [Chunky Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chunky-pandey/) > [The Jonas Brothers are all sweet. Theyre so amazing to me. Theyve become really good friends of mine, but Im not dating any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/the-jonas-brothers-are-all-sweet-theyre-so-amazing-to-me-theyve/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [I began with small roles in successful movies like 'No Country For Old Men' by the Coen brothers; but it was 'The Last Exorcism'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/i-began-with-small-roles-in-successful-movies-like-no-country-for-old/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [My brothers and sister and me grew up making fun of each other, the way we'd speak or move. When we get together, everyone's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-domingo/my-brothers-and-sister-and-me-grew-up-making-fun-of-each-other-the/) [Colman Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-domingo/) > [Mr. Peabody is this genetic anomaly. He does have brothers and sisters, all of them non-speaking, not super-smart dogs. He's an outcast, but has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-minkoff/mr-peabody-is-this-genetic-anomaly-he-does-have-brothers-and-sisters/) [Rob Minkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-minkoff/) > [I had six brothers and four sisters and I competed with my brothers every day when I was a kid. If you lost in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-blanda/i-had-six-brothers-and-four-sisters-and-i-competed-with-my-brothers/) [George Blanda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-blanda/) > [On the gallows tree, all men are brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-the-gallows-tree-all-men-are-brothers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Real estate funded our first creative endeavors as teenagers and we were doing what we do long before the show 'Property Brothers' was pitched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-scott/real-estate-funded-our-first-creative-endeavors-as-teenagers-and-we/) [Drew Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-scott/) [Browse all 1,709 Brothers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to me that there was no neurosis in westerns, or there's a minimal amount of it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick deWitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was-it-occurred-to-me-that-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brothers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was-it-occurred-to-me-that-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/993/patrick-dewitt-3545_brothers_the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was_271949.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers' was it occurred to me that there was no neurosis in westerns, or…” — Patrick deWitt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patrick deWitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The impetus for 'The Sisters Brothers'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was-it-occurred-to-me-that-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-impetus-for-the-sisters-brothers-was-it-occurred-to-me-that-there/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```