"In every bit of honest writing in the world … there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand

           each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. There are shorter means, many of them. There is writing promoting social change, writing punishing injustice, writing in celebration of  heroism, but always that base theme. Try to understand each other."

  - John Steinbeck, Journal entry (1938)