Our Town Life, Consciousness, and Existence Quotes
How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Act.Line). Every time a character talks counts as one line, even if what they say turns into a long monologue.
Quote #1
Nobody very remarkable ever come out of it, s’far as we know (I.40).
The Stage Manager emphasizes the ordinary nature of Grover’s Corners. This sentence also shows that he’s not completely omniscient.
Quote #2
Only it seems to me that once in your life before you die you ought to see a country where they don’t talk in English and don’t even want to (I.192).
Mrs. Gibbs hopes to one day explore life outside of Grover’s Corners.
Quote #3
And let that be a lesson to you, George, never to ask advice on personal matters (II.152).
Mr. Webb suggests that each man’s life lessons pertain specifically to his personal experience. One must live life for oneself.
Quote #4
I’d forgotten all about that. My, wasn’t life awful – With a sigh. and wonderful (III.82-84).
A dead Mrs. Soames points out that life is both difficult and wonderful. In a word, complex.
Quote #5
From morning till night, that’s all they are – troubled (III.91).
When Emily sees the living, she is struck by their lack of appreciation for life.
Quote #6
They’ll have a lot of troubles, I suppose, but that’s none of our business. Everybody has a right to their own troubles (II.83).
Doc Gibbs reassures Mrs. Gibbs that George and Emily will have a wonderful life. His philosophy is that personal troubles are private.
Quote #7
That’s what it was to be alive. To move about in a cloud of ignorance; to go up and down trampling on the feelings of those…of those about you…Now you know – that’s the happy existence you wanted to go back to. Ignorance and blindness (III.263).
Simon argues that one person’s topic of gossip is another person’s sorrow.
Quote #8
George has just been elected President of the Junior Class, and as it’s June, that means he’ll be President of the Senior Class all next year. And Emily’s just been elected Secretary and Treasurer. I don’t have to tell you how important that is. (II.176-8)
Although these are minor, mundane triumphs that occur in a minor, mundane town, the Stage Manager emphasizes their importance.
Quote #9
But, Mother Gibbs, how can I ever forget that life? It’s all I know. It’s all I had. (III.152)
Emily has difficulty accepting that she must forget her old life.
Quote #10
EMILY: Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? – every, every minute? STAGE MANAGER: No. (III.251-2)
People do not appreciate life while they are alive.
Quote #11
There are the stars – doing their old, old crisscross journeys in the sky. Scholars haven’t settled the matter yet, but they seem to think there are no living beings up there. Just chalk…or fire. Only this one is straining away, straining away all the time to make something of itself. The strain’s so bad that every sixteen hours everybody lies down and gets a rest. (III.285)
Human beings are the only beings in the universe who strive toward some end goal. This striving is so exhausting that sleep is essential.