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About this quote

What does it mean?
Osborne addresses countrymen who he believes have led his country to ruin.
In plain terms
He writes a hate letter to men who defiled and betrayed the nation.
What can you take from it?
Strong anger toward perceived betrayal of a nation.

Where it applies

  • political speech
  • opinion writing
  • protest

Putting it to work

  • express dissent
  • call out leadership

Questions to consider

  • When is anger justified?
  • Who betrays the nation?

Another view

Accusations can polarize rather than heal.

More from John Osborne

  1. George Dillon: It's easy to answer the ultimate questions - it saves you bothering with the immediate ones.

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  2. Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamppost what it feels about dogs.

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  3. Jimmy Porter: They spend their time mostly looking forward to the past.

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