He can kill anything for need but he could not even hurt a feeling for pleasure.
Hazel grew up - did four years in grammar school, four years in reform school, and didn't learn a thing in either place. Reform schools are supposed to teach viciousness and criminality but Hazel didn...
George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before. 'Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no fam...
For there are two possible reactions to social ostracism - either a man emerges determined to be better, purer, and kindlier or he goes bad, challenges the world and does even worse things. The last i...
Fella in business got to lie an' cheat, but he calls it somepin else. That's what's important. You go steal that tire an' you're a thief, but he tried to steal your four dollars for a busted tire. The...
Failure is a state of mind. It's like one of those sand traps an ant lion digs. You keep sliding back. Takes one hell of a jump to get out of it.
Evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves. The shade climbed up the hills toward the top. On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray, sculptured stones.
During the dry years, the people forgot about the rich years, and when the wet years returned, they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.
Doc tips his hat to dogs as he drives by and the dogs look up and smile at him.
Dessie's friends were good and loyal but they were human, and humans love to feel good and they hate to feel bad.
Dear Pat,You came upon me carving some kind of little figure out of wood and you said, ‘Why don’t you make something for me?’I asked you what you wanted, and you said, ‘A box.’‘What for?’‘To put thing...
But you must give him some sign, some sign that you love him... or he'll never be a man. All his life he'll feel guilty and alone unless you release him.
But think of the glory of the choice! That makes a man a man. A cat has no choice, a bee must make honey. There's no godliness there.
But George sat stiffly on the bank and looked at his right hand that had thrown the gun away. The group burst into the clearing, and Curley was ahead. He saw Lennie lying on the sand. Got him, by God....
Being at ease with himself put him at ease with the world.
Any man of reasonable intelligence can make money if that's what he wants. Mostly it's women or clothes or admiration he really wants and they deflect him.
And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes,...
And then I saw what I was to see so many times on the journey—a look of longing. Lord! I wish I could go.Don’t you like it here?Sure. It’s all right, but I wish I could go.You don’t even know where I’...
Ah, the prayers of the millions, how they must fight and destroy each other on their way to the throne of God.
Ah!' said Lee. 'I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time. I even anticipated your questions and I am well prepared. Any writing which has influenced the thinking and the lives of innumerable peopl...