How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The nation slid imperceptibly toward war, frightened and at the same time attracted. People had not felt the shaking emotion of war in nearly sixty years. The Spanish affair was more nearly an expedition than a war. (41.1.1)
Time also tends to make people forget. Sixty years is a lot of generations, which means a lot of generations who have no actual experience with war whatsoever. And without any hard experience to say otherwise, war can seem pretty exciting from a historical distance. This is called not learning from previous mistakes, and we don't recommend it.
Quote #8
Somehow we didn't connect Germans with Mexicans. We went right back to our myths. One American was as good as twenty Germans. This being true, we had only to act in a stern manner to bring the Kaiser to heel. He wouldn't dare interfere with our trade—but he did. (42.1.3)
It's like the whole point of the past, which is to make sure that things are better in the future, just doesn't manage to manifest. And then we, as people, are surprised when we do the same thing and get the same result. Weird, huh? Take note: the past has a lot to show us about the present (though only if you don't idealize it, as we talked about earlier in this theme).
Quote #9
He just stood there sobbing. And do you know?—Mary and I turned around and walked stiffly across the street and into our front yard. We felt horrible. I still do when I think of it. (46.1.19)
You guys, don't be jerks—because then you'll have to live with yourself afterward, and it's a pretty major bummer. Steinbeck here is clearly trying to make up a little for his past unpleasant deeds with Mr. Fenchel, though at the time, he and his sister were just mimicking what everyone else in Salinas was doing to German-Americans. But the thing about the present is that it can be really easy to lose perspective. Sometimes, it takes the distance of hindsight to realize what things really meant. So this is yet another way of looking at the past.