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Don't you believe it. I'll tell you what life is. It's…

“Don't you believe it. I'll tell you what life is. It's gaol, it's not knowing where to get some money. Worms and cataract, cancer. You hear 'em shrieking from the upper windows- children being born. It's dying slowly.” quote by Graham Greene
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““Don't you believe it. I'll tell you what life is. It's gaol, it's not knowing where to get some money. Worms and cataract, cancer. You hear 'em shrieking from the upper windows- children being born. It's dying slowly.””

Graham Greene

About This Quote

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

Life is portrayed as a bleak, imprisoning existence filled with uncertainty, suffering, and slow death.

In simple terms: Life feels like a painful, endless struggle.

Key Takeaway

Accept hardship, seek meaning despite suffering.

Themes

suffering existence uncertainty mortality despair

Mood

somber reflective melancholic

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • poverty
  • illness
  • death
  • childbirth
  • urban decay

Key Concepts

nihilism existential dread social critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you find purpose in suffering?
  • What small acts bring light to darkness?
A Different Perspective

Hope can emerge through connection and purpose despite bleakness.

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