Skip to content

This is death. I don't want it to tarry awhile so I can…

“This is death. I don't want it to tarry awhile so I can write a monograph. I want it to go away for seventy or eighty years.” quote by Don DeLillo
Download Open image
““This is death. I don't want it to tarry awhile so I can write a monograph. I want it to go away for seventy or eighty years.””

Don DeLillo

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker wishes death to be delayed so he can finish his scholarly work, reflecting a desire to postpone mortality for intellectual pursuits.

In simple terms: He wants to postpone death to finish writing.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize living over endless work.

Themes

mortality intellectual ambition urgency

Mood

reflective somber

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • academic deadlines
  • creative projects
  • life planning
  • health decisions

Key Concepts

existentialism time perception

Questions to Reflect On

  • What would you sacrifice to finish a project?
  • How does fear of death affect your work?
A Different Perspective

Life cannot be postponed indefinitely; death will occur regardless.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Don DeLillo

Explore all 699 Don DeLillo quotes

More Death quotes

Browse all 39,127 Death quotes