East of Eden

But I think that because they trusted themselves and respected themselves as individuals, because they knew beyond doubt that they were valuable and potentially moral units—because of this they could give God their own courage and dignity and then receive it back. Such things have disappeared perhaps because men do not trust themselves any more, an

And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way.

You can boast about anything if it’s all you have. Maybe the less you have, the more you are required to boast.

It is one of the triumphs of the human that he can know a thing and still not believe it.