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Charlie Watson
Billy and Emmett’s mother left them and their father Charlie before the start of the story. Emmett remembers her as a deeply unhappy woman. On an Independence Day in Emmett’s youth, Billy and Emmett’s mother is inspired to leave her unhappy life behind and pursue fulfillment on her own. After she leaves, she writes postcards to her sons, but Charlie hides the cards from the boys. Billy longs to reunite with his mother, and he has plotted out a route to California along the Lincoln Highway in hopes of finding her.
Billy and Emmett’s Mother Quotes in The Lincoln Highway
The The Lincoln Highway quotes below are all either spoken by Billy and Emmett’s Mother or refer to Billy and Emmett’s Mother. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
8. Emmett (2)
Quotes
But what weighed on his father the most […] was the realization that when Emmett’s mother had gripped her husband’s hand as the fireworks began, it hadn’t been in gratitude for his persistence, for his fealty and support, it had been in gratitude that by gently coaxing her from her malaise in order to witness this magical display, he had reminded her of what joy could be, if only she were willing to leave her daily life behind.
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3. Sally
Quotes
So, if the will to move is as old as mankind […], what happens to a man like my father? What switch is flicked […] that takes the God-given will for motion and transforms it into the will for staying put?
[…] If you asked them what brought about the change, they will cloak it in the language of virtue. They will tell you that the American Dream is to settle down, raise a family, make an honest living. […] But maybe the will to stay put stems not from a man’s virtues but from his vices. […] I do believe that the Good Lord has a mission for each and every one of us […]. But maybe […] what He hopes for us is that––like His only begotten son––we will go out into the world and find it for ourselves.
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Billy and Emmett’s Mother Quotes in The Lincoln Highway
The The Lincoln Highway quotes below are all either spoken by Billy and Emmett’s Mother or refer to Billy and Emmett’s Mother. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
8. Emmett (2)
Quotes
But what weighed on his father the most […] was the realization that when Emmett’s mother had gripped her husband’s hand as the fireworks began, it hadn’t been in gratitude for his persistence, for his fealty and support, it had been in gratitude that by gently coaxing her from her malaise in order to witness this magical display, he had reminded her of what joy could be, if only she were willing to leave her daily life behind.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
3. Sally
Quotes
So, if the will to move is as old as mankind […], what happens to a man like my father? What switch is flicked […] that takes the God-given will for motion and transforms it into the will for staying put?
[…] If you asked them what brought about the change, they will cloak it in the language of virtue. They will tell you that the American Dream is to settle down, raise a family, make an honest living. […] But maybe the will to stay put stems not from a man’s virtues but from his vices. […] I do believe that the Good Lord has a mission for each and every one of us […]. But maybe […] what He hopes for us is that––like His only begotten son––we will go out into the world and find it for ourselves.
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