In apartments and cottages, on the street and in the train... I listen... More and more, I turn into one large ear, always turning to another person.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
Ten to 15 of my childhood friends from Minsk died of cancer. Chernobyl kills.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the tragic impact of the Chernobyl disaster on people's lives, particularly in relation to health issues like cancer.
Svetlana Alexievich's quote highlights the profound effects of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on the lives of those in affected areas, especially children and young adults who suffered from cancer as a consequence of exposure to radiation. It emphasizes not only the personal loss she experienced with the deaths of childhood friends but also serves as a chilling reminder of the long-term health impacts of environmental catastrophes and the invisible toll they take on communities.
Themes
ChernobylCancerLossFriendshipChildhoodTragedy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the dangers of nuclear power, one might quote Svetlana Alexievich to highlight personal stories of loss.
More from Svetlana Alexievich
All quotes βThe subjects I wanted to write about - the mystery of the human soul, evil - didn't interest newspapers, and news reporting bored me.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
'Women's' war has its own colors, its own smells, its own lighting, and its own range of feelings. There are no heroes and incredible feats; there are simply people who are busy doing inhumanly human things.
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There is no need to give in to the compromise that totalitarian regimes always count on.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
I've been searching for a genre that would be most adequate to my vision of the world to convey how my ear hears and my eyes see life. I tried this and that, and finally, I chose a genre where human voices speak for themselves. But I don't just record a dry history of events and facts; I'm writing a history of human feelings.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
From the point of view of art, the butcher and the victim are equal as people. You need to see the people.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
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