Back in the World Quotes

“We didn’t know it then,” Hooper said. “We used to talk about how when we got back in the world we were going to do this and we were going to do that. Back in the world we were going to have it made. But ever since then it’s been nothing but confusion.” Hooper took the cigarette case from his pocket but didn’t open it. He leaned forward on the table.

“Everything was clear,” he said. “You learned what you had to know and you forgot the rest. All this chickenshit. This clutter. You didn’t spend every living minute of the day thinking about your own sorry-ass little self. Am I getting laid enough. What’s wrong with my kid. Should I insulate the fucking house. That’s what does it to you, Porchoff. Thinking about yourself. That’s what kills you in the end.”
― Tobias Wolff, Back in the World: Stories

“We didn’t know it then,' Hooper said. 'We used to talk about how when we got back in the world we were going to do this and we were going to do that. Back in the world we were going to have it made. But ever since then it’s been nothing but confusion.' Hooper took the cigarette case from his pocket but didn’t open it. He leaned forward on the table.

'Everything was clear,' he said. 'You learned what you had to know and you forgot the rest. All this chickenshit. This clutter. You didn’t spend every living minute of the day thinking about your own sorry-ass little self. Am I getting laid enough. What’s wrong with my kid. Should I insulate the fucking house. That’s what does it to you, Porchoff. Thinking about yourself. That’s what kills you in the end.”
― Tobias Wolff, Back in the World: Stories

“The truth was that when you got married you had to give up one thing
after another. It never ended. You had to give up your life—the special one that
you were meant to have—and lead some middle kind of life that went where
neither of you had ever thought of going, or wanted to go. And you never knew
what was happening. You gave up your life and didn’t even know it.”
― Tobias Wolff, Back in the World: Stories

“But if they could
live without each other, and do better without each other, then this could not be
true and must never have been true.
They did not need each other. There was no particular reason for them to be
together. Then what was it all about? They were dragging each other down like
two people who couldn’t swim. If they were lucky, they might keep at it long
enough to grow old in the same house.”
― Tobias Wolff, Back in the World: Stories

“People left one another, and got left, every day. It was a terrible thing. But
it happened and people survived, as they survived worse things.”
― Tobias Wolff, Back in the World: Stories

“And Marty understood that there was never going to be anyone to
tell her these things. She had no idea why this should be so; it was just
something she knew.”
― Tobias Wolff, Back in the World: Stories