"And when I was young, my family was perfectly nice. I write a lot about it, as you noticed. But it was rather limited. I think, I don't think anyone in my family would really feel I'd done them an injustice by saying that. We didn't see many people. There were many books. It was as if I wanted to get away from home"
- Christopher Hitchens
About this Quote
In this quote, Christopher Hitchens assesses his upbringing with a particular wistfulness and clarity, acknowledging both the positive and limiting aspects of his family life. The expression "my household was completely good" recommends a common, maybe even comfy, household. However, the subsequent "but it was rather restricted" indicates a sense of restriction or absence of external engagement within the household environment.
Hitchens' admission that his household probably would not feel he had mistreated them by this description indicates a level of self-awareness and honesty in his evaluation. It likewise suggests that his understanding of the familial constraints is one shared or acknowledged, perhaps tacitly, by his member of the family. The family's isolation is highlighted by the expression "We didn't see many individuals," highlighting a sense of insularity that Hitchens experienced maturing. This environment seems to have been intellectually abundant, though, with "numerous books" providing a window to the outdoors world and serving as tools for exploration beyond the physical constraints of his instant surroundings.
The expression "as if I wished to avoid home" recommends a strong desire for wider experiences and a world bigger than the one he felt confined within. This resonates with the intellectual interest and pursuit of varied point of views that defined Hitchens' later work as a writer and public intellectual. The "niceness" of his household is acknowledged, yet it is clear that it was not completely satisfying for Hitchens, who longed for variety in thought and experience.
This tension between familial safety and individual aspiration is a common theme in the lives of many people who venture into wider worlds of believed in pursuit of understanding, connection, and personal development, recommending that Hitchens' early experiences significantly formed his worldview and profession.