...children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.
Ishmael BeahRead
How many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety?" he asked. He waited a few minutes, but the three of us didn't say anything. He continued: "Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me dies. Very soon I will completely die and all that will be left is my empty body walking with you. It will be quieter than I am.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the internal struggle and acceptance of death faced by those in constant danger, illustrating a loss of vitality with each confrontation.
Ishmael Beah's quote touches on the heavy psychological burden experienced by individuals who face life-threatening situations repeatedly. The speaker expresses the toll that repeated encounters with death take on a person's spirit, as each acceptance of mortality chips away at their will to live. This metaphorical death results in a sense of emptiness, highlighting the emotional and mental decay that comes with constant fear and danger, ultimately leading to a poignant observation about survival devoid of true life.
Themes
DeathAcceptanceStruggleSurvivalEmptiness
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion on the psychological effects of war and violence.
More from Ishmael Beah
All quotes →When I was young, my father used to say, ‘If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die.’ I thought about these words during my journey, and they kept me moving even when I didn’t know where I was going. Those words became the vehicle that drove my spirit forward and made it stay alive.
Ishmael BeahRead
This is one of the consequences of the civil war. People stop trusting each other, and every stranger becomes an enemy.
Ishmael BeahRead
Some people tried to hurt us to protect themselves, their family and communities...This was one of the consequences of civil war. People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew you became extremely careful about how they related or spoke to you.
Ishmael BeahRead
Similar quotes
My mission is to support our service members. They're volunteers, and if they're going to go to a hostile place like Afghanistan, I think we owe it to them to back them up and try to help them get through it.
Gary SiniseRead
No onslaught more fierce was ever seen in the savage world of beasts, where some desperate small creature armed with little teeth, alone, will spring upon a tower of horn and hide that stands above its fallen mate.
J. R. R. TolkienRead
I always felt really lucky that I only lost my legs, because it could've been so much worse.
Amy PurdyRead
There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.
Howard SchultzRead
Acting is really about having the courage to fail in front of people.
Adam DriverRead
The #MeToo movement doesn't belong to Republicans or the Democrats. The #MeToo movement belongs to women who are having the courage to come forward and say this is wrong. People should be protected. We want that for all of our daughters and all of our sisters. We also want there to be rights for the accused.
Ben SasseRead