“During that time, everyone did need one another, but it didn’t make them better people or better Christians, when all is said and done. A very contracted nature and an abiding jealousy was part and parcel of the peasant class. And while I think jealousy is not a defect known only to peasants, to peasants who really are bright, energetic and hard workers but who can’t climb out of that pit of misery because of economics, it gnarls them.”
Americans don’t generally understand this about peasant societies, all peasant societies. By the way, what part of GREECE did you say your people were from? :)
In whatever part they gather around the table to eat together, shout together and weep together.
Indeed. My great grandfather fled Germany to come here with his older brother (why he ended up in Nebraska I will never know!), and some of his earlier life made an impression on him that found its way to my grandfather. Because of that, my Grandpa and Dad were very happy about life, even when things were very bad. Because they knew that things could get better.