An unnamed elderly writer who only appears in the novel’s introductory story. The writer has a prophetic vision of disturbing figures whom he writes about in “The Book of the Grotesque.” In this book, the writer warns that becoming possessed by a singular truth will in turn make that truth meaningless and lead to the destruction of the individual. This is a fate that ironically befalls many of the characters throughout the novel such as Wing Biddlebaum, Doctor Reefy, and Wash Williams, who all cling to preconceived notions with a conviction that erodes any sense of happiness and fulfillment.
The Writer Quotes in Winesburg, Ohio
The Winesburg, Ohio quotes below are all either spoken by The Writer or refer to The Writer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
1. The Book of the Grotesque
Quotes
It was the truths that made the people grotesques. The old man had quite an elaborate theory concerning the matter. It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a falsehood.
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The Writer Quotes in Winesburg, Ohio
The Winesburg, Ohio quotes below are all either spoken by The Writer or refer to The Writer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
1. The Book of the Grotesque
Quotes
It was the truths that made the people grotesques. The old man had quite an elaborate theory concerning the matter. It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a falsehood.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
