"I think there's a great difference in consciousness in that same way in that when we're young we read books for the story, for the excitement of the story - and there comes a time when you realise that all stories are more or less the same story"

John McGahern's quote talks to the concept that as we age, our understanding of the world and our place in it changes. As kids, we are mesmerized by the stories we read, and the enjoyment of the unknown. As we age, nevertheless, we concern understand that all stories, in some way, are connected. We begin to comprehend that the exact same themes, characters, and plotlines are repeated in different stories, which the same underlying messages are being conveyed. This shift in consciousness is a natural part of maturing, and it is something that we all experience. It is a tip that, although our lives may be unique, we are all linked in some way.