Quotes From the Book
"When we find inspiration, we need to take action for ourselves and for our communities. Even if it means making a hard choice, or cutting out something and leaving it in your past." -127
This quote takes the events in the book and makes them into words. It is saying that he had a tough choice of cutting off his dominate arm and leaving it in the canyon to be one armed the rest of his life. I think this quote is important because the idea of moving on is highly expressed in this book.
“It's me. I chose this. I chose all of this — this rock has been waiting for me my entire life. I've been moving towards it my whole life.” -168
What this quote is saying is that every move you make and every decision you choose leads you somewhere. By saying that "the rock has been waiting for me my entire life" he is saying that you cannot predict your future and that everyone has an event in their life that is waiting to become reality. I chose this quote because the idea of it has a very deep meaning that everyone has to accept.
“My disbelief paralyzes me temporarily as I stare at the sight of my arm vanishing into an implausibly small gap between the fallen boulder and the canyon wall. Within moments, my nervous system’s pain response overcomes the initial shock. Good Christ, my hand... My mind commands my body, “Get your hand out of there!” I yank my arm three times in a naive attempt to pull it out. But I’m stuck.” -56
This quote comes from the climax of the book. When he first gets stuck. At this point he must have been in complete and utter shock. Since this book is about getting his hand stuck, I thought this quote would be appropriate.
“A crystalline moment shatters, and the world is a different place. Where there was confinement, now there is release. Recoiling from my sudden liberation, my left arm flings downcanyon, opening my shoulders to the south, and I fall back against the northern wall of the canyon, my mind is surfing on euphoria. As I stare at the wall where not twelve hours ago I etched “RIP OCT 75 ARON APR 03,” a voice shouts in my head: I AM FREE!” -177
This quote is very important because it is the most exciting and relieving part of the book. In this part, he finally breaks free. Right when he thought his life was close to ending, he becomes free from the rock. The rush of adrenalin and the feeling of "I'm going to get out of here" after being trapped for 127 hours is something that i could only imagine. I chose this quote because him breaking free is what the whole book leads up too and is the moment everyone waits for to happen.
“dum spiro, spero -Part of the official state motto of South Carolina. Literally, "While I breathe, I hope" Or more loosely, "Where there is life, there is hope.” -201
The point of this quote is to never give up. Even though Ralston was sure he wasn't going to die in the canyon, he resorted to the one and only thing left to do in order to save his life: cutting off his own arm. There is always hope in every situation if you are living. This quote is truly inspirational and is something that everyone should take to heart.
This quote takes the events in the book and makes them into words. It is saying that he had a tough choice of cutting off his dominate arm and leaving it in the canyon to be one armed the rest of his life. I think this quote is important because the idea of moving on is highly expressed in this book.
“It's me. I chose this. I chose all of this — this rock has been waiting for me my entire life. I've been moving towards it my whole life.” -168
What this quote is saying is that every move you make and every decision you choose leads you somewhere. By saying that "the rock has been waiting for me my entire life" he is saying that you cannot predict your future and that everyone has an event in their life that is waiting to become reality. I chose this quote because the idea of it has a very deep meaning that everyone has to accept.
“My disbelief paralyzes me temporarily as I stare at the sight of my arm vanishing into an implausibly small gap between the fallen boulder and the canyon wall. Within moments, my nervous system’s pain response overcomes the initial shock. Good Christ, my hand... My mind commands my body, “Get your hand out of there!” I yank my arm three times in a naive attempt to pull it out. But I’m stuck.” -56
This quote comes from the climax of the book. When he first gets stuck. At this point he must have been in complete and utter shock. Since this book is about getting his hand stuck, I thought this quote would be appropriate.
“A crystalline moment shatters, and the world is a different place. Where there was confinement, now there is release. Recoiling from my sudden liberation, my left arm flings downcanyon, opening my shoulders to the south, and I fall back against the northern wall of the canyon, my mind is surfing on euphoria. As I stare at the wall where not twelve hours ago I etched “RIP OCT 75 ARON APR 03,” a voice shouts in my head: I AM FREE!” -177
This quote is very important because it is the most exciting and relieving part of the book. In this part, he finally breaks free. Right when he thought his life was close to ending, he becomes free from the rock. The rush of adrenalin and the feeling of "I'm going to get out of here" after being trapped for 127 hours is something that i could only imagine. I chose this quote because him breaking free is what the whole book leads up too and is the moment everyone waits for to happen.
“dum spiro, spero -Part of the official state motto of South Carolina. Literally, "While I breathe, I hope" Or more loosely, "Where there is life, there is hope.” -201
The point of this quote is to never give up. Even though Ralston was sure he wasn't going to die in the canyon, he resorted to the one and only thing left to do in order to save his life: cutting off his own arm. There is always hope in every situation if you are living. This quote is truly inspirational and is something that everyone should take to heart.