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Three times in my life I have been captured: by the orphanage, by school, and by the Army. I was four years in the orphanage, seven or eight in school, and three in the Army. Each seemed forever, though. But I'm mistaken. The fact is I was captured only once, when I was born, only that capture is also setting free, which is what this is actually all about. The free prisoner.

William Saroyan#153

LifePhilosophyFreedom

About this quote

What does it mean?
Captivity like school or army feels eternal but birth itself is the true capture that also frees.
In plain terms
I felt trapped many times, but birth was the real capture.
What can you take from it?
See life as both trapped and free.

Where it applies

  • life reflection
  • personal struggle
  • philosophical thought

Putting it to work

  • reflect on constraints
  • accept paradox
  • redefine freedom

Questions to consider

  • What captures you?
  • How do you find freedom?

Another view

Birth as capture may be abstract.

More from William Saroyan

  1. I am an estranged man, said the liar: estranged from myself, from my family, my fellow man, my country, my world, my time, and my culture. I am not estranged f…

    Permalink to quote #152
  2. I was never interested in the obvious, or in the details one takes for granted, and everybody seemed to be addicted to the obvious, being astonished by it, and…

    Permalink to quote #154
  3. In order to write all a man needs is paper and a pencil. Furthermore, when a thing has been written, it is written forever. When it is printed, nothing can sto…

    Permalink to quote #151

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