Greene says that younger generations wish to change the world, and older ones struggle to stay in touch once changes are made. He encourages the reader to understand their generation and use that understanding to bring change. He then tells the story of Georges-Jacques Danton, a member of the King’s Court who soon became one of the leaders of the French Revolution. He was taught by liberal priests and wrote an essay on Louis XVI’s coronation, winning a prize, before joining the French royal court. Danton noticed the French people’s anger at their high taxes and the high costs of food growing. He thus joined the French Revolution and helped the people take control of the country and end the monarchy. 

After Louis XVI was beheaded, Danton noticed the revolutionary tribunal under Maximilien Robespierre becoming increasingly brutal and expressed his displeasure. Robespierre accused him of having monarchist ideas and had him beheaded. The French people, however, soon became tired of the Reign of Terror and beheaded Robespierre. Greene says that unlike Louis XVI, who clung to France’s monarchist past, Danton understood the cultural climate of France and was able to contribute to the Revolution, though he took a stand against Robespierre too early and died for it.

Greene states that each generation impacts a person, even if they do not feel like they fit that generation’s ideals and styles. He also states that contrary to what many people think, the present is not more evolved or morally superior to the past. Generations also tend to follow universal patterns, with younger generations wishing to make changes and finding their parents’ and grandparents’ values and styles outdated, whereas older generations struggle to keep up and may consider younger generations soft and unprepared to deal with the world. Greene says one can recognize their generation by the music, literature, film, art, and fashion that define it and encourages the reader to play with the current generation’s styles while remaining true to their own tastes and styles.

Greene asserts that while humans naturally avoid the topic of death, they must think about it because it unites all humans, reminding people to live with a purpose and empathize with others. He then tells the story of Southern American writer Flannery O’Connor, who focused on writing after her father’s death. She began writing Southern gothic short stories and novels and soon became a respected author. However, while living in Connecticut, she fell ill and suffered severe joint pain, weakness, fevers, and hair loss. She was told that she had rheumatoid arthritis but learned from a friend that she actually had lupus—a fact that her mother and doctors kept from her. 

Realizing she would likely die early, O’Connor went to live on her mother’s farm in Georgia and dedicated herself to writing. She published her first novel Wise Blood, continued to gain praise and respect as a writer, and started forming friendships with her fans, whom she supported without judgment. She also briefly fell in love with a Danish salesman named Erik Langkjaier, with whom she shared a kiss. O’Connor wrote a short story inspired by him and, after learning he was engaged to someone else, chose again to focus on her writing. In 1963, she fainted and was diagnosed with anemia and on July 31, 1964, she collapsed, dying three days later.

Greene states that O’Connor’s lupus diagnosis helped her grow in empathy for others, showing her the lack of purpose many people have. It also showed her how precious her life was, leading her to dedicate the rest of her life to writing stories. O’Connor also combatted the racism her mother raised her with and expressed support for Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement. Greene states that while humans are afraid of death and wish to avoid it, they must accept that they could die at any point, as this allows them to connect with others and focus on their goals. He encourages the reader to be aware of their mortality and short life and to accept and embrace suffering as something to learn and grow from.