When I used to teach creative writing, I would tell the students to make their characters want something right away - even if it's only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time.

“Many years ago I was so innocent I still considered it possible that we could b…”

“Well, here we are Mr.Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no …”

“Reading and writing are in themselves subversive acts. What they subvert is the…”

“One of the main effects of war, after all, is that people are discouraged from …”