Assumption Quote by Wallace Stegner
““In general the assumption of all of us, child or adult, was that this was a new country and that a new country had no history. History was something that applied to other places.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Spectator Bird, 1976
People often think new places lack history, but every place has a past that shapes identity
In simple terms: Every land has a history, even if unseen
Key Takeaway
Seek and acknowledge local histories
Themes
history
identity
colonialism
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- education curricula
- community heritage projects
Key Concepts
myth of tabula rasa
cultural continuity
Questions to Reflect On
- What histories are omitted in our narratives?
- How does recognizing past shape present identity?
A Different Perspective
History can be contested and incomplete
![“[Y]ou were too alert to the figurative possibilities of words not to see the phrase [angle of repose] as descriptive of human as well as detrital rest. As you said, it was too good for mere dirt; you tried to apply it to your own wandering and uneasy life ... I wonder if you ever reached it.” quote by Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7b2/wallace-stegner-1352_life_y-ou-were-too-alert-to-the-figurative-po_96500.jpg)
