"I have a feeling that you're riding for some terrible, terrible fall. But I don't honestly know what kind. This fall I think you're riding for-it's a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn't permitted to feel or hear himself hit the bottom. He just keeps falling. The whole arrangement's designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn't supply them with. Or they thought their own environment couldn't supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really even got started..."

Warning, Loss, Alienation, Longing, Existence

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"I have a feeling that you're riding for some terrible, terrible fall. But I don't honestly know what kind. This fall I think you're riding for-it's a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn't permitted to feel or hear himself hit the bottom. He just keeps falling. The whole arrangement's designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn't supply them with. Or they thought their own environment couldn't supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really even got started..."

Exlpore more Warning quotes

"The complacent the self-indulgent the soft societies are about to be swept away with the debris of history."

John F. Kennedy, American President

Warning, History, Society, Fate

"When the knees are not often bent the feet soon slide."

Anonymous, Unknown Unknown

Warning, Feet, Balance, Fall

"You shouldn't do that," said Laura. "You could set yourself on fire."

Margaret Atwood, Canadian Novelist

Warning, Fire, Danger, Risk

"It happened that a fire broke out backstage in a theater. The clown came out to inform the public. They thought it was a jest and applauded. He repeated his warning. They shouted even louder. So I think the world will come to an end amid the general applause from all the wits who believe that it is a joke."

Soren Kierkegaard, Danish Philosopher

Warning, Irony, Denial, Humor

"He that lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas."

Anonymous, Unknown Unknown

Warning, Dogs, Lie, Consequence

"You know that when a group of utility workers are withholding their customer service identification cards, they are likely engaging in some form of illegal activity at your home."

Steven Magee, British Author

Warning, Suspicion, Law, Justice

"The doom of destruction is the snare of sin."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Warning, Destruction, Snare, Sin

"It is fatal to forget the heavenly Father."

Lailah Gifty Akita, Ghanaian Author

Warning, Father, Heaven, Forget, Faith

"They're like chickens who get out of the henhouse, and they're so proud of themselves, and so puffed up from being able to eat all the worms and beetles and caterpillars they want, that they never think about foxes."

Neil Gaiman, British Author

Warning, Pride, Danger, Ignorance, Metaphor

"If something bad smells in the basement, it will eventually make its way to the attic."

Anthony Liccione, American Author

Warning, Problem, Consequence, Truth

Explore more quotes by J.D. Salinger

"I always pick a gorgeous time to fall over a suitcase or something."

Humor

"She gave me a pain in the ass, but she was very good looking."

Desire

"I'm not trying to tell you," he said, "that only educated and scholarly men are able to contribute something valuable to the world. It's not so. But I do say that educated and scholarly men, if they're brilliant and creative to begin with - which, unfortunately, is rarely the case-tend to leave infinitely more valuable records behind them than men do who are merely brilliant and creative. They tend to express themselves more clearly, and they usually have a passion for following their thoughts through to the end. And--most important-nine times out of ten they have more humility than the unscholarly thinker."

Knowledge

"I say that the true artist-seer, the heavenly fool who can and does produce beauty, is mainly dazzled to death by his own scruples, the blinding shapes and colors of his own sacred human consciousness."

Art

"Who wants flowers when youre dead? nobody."

Death

"Look at 'em,' he said. 'Goddam fools.' 'Who?' said Ginnie. 'I don't know. Anybody."

Judgment

"I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like it. In the first place, I'm sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for most of the other stuff in the Bible. Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me, if you want to know the truth. They were all right after Jesus was dead and all, but while He was alive, they were about as much use to Him as a hole in the head. All they did was keep letting Him down."

Doubt

"Why's it so sunny?" she repeated.Zooey observed her rather narrowly. "I bring the sun wherever I go, buddy," he said."

Humor

"She was around ten minutes late, as a matter of fact. I didn't give a damn, though. All that crap they have in cartoons in the Saturday Evening Post and all, showing guys on street corners looking sore as hell because their dates are late - that's bunk. If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she's late? Nobody."

Social

"I was half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls. Jesus Christ. They can drive you crazy. They really can."

Love