When I arrived at the house in the suburbs that night I…
““When I arrived at the house in the suburbs that night I seriously contemplated suicide for the first time in my life. But as I thought about it, the idea became exceedingly tiresome, and I finally decided it would be a ludicrous business. I had an inherent dislike of admitting defeat. Moreover, I told myself, there's no need for me to take such decisive action myself, not when I'm surrounded by such a bountiful harvest of death—death in an air raid, death at one's post of duty, death in the military service, death on the battlefield, death from being run over, death from disease—surely my name has already been entered in the list for one of these: a criminal who has been sentenced to death does not commit suicide. No—no matter how I considered, the season was not auspicious for suicide. Instead I was waiting for something to do me the favor of killing me. And this, in the final analysis, is the same as to say that I was waiting for something to do me the favor of keeping me alive.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Suicide contemplation is thwarted by a sense of destiny and the absurdity of choosing death over inevitable loss.
In simple terms: Life feels absurd when death is inevitable.
Key Takeaway
Find purpose beyond despair.
Themes
existentialism
war
suicide
Mood
melancholic
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- wartime trauma
- mental health counseling
- philosophical reflection
Key Concepts
philosophy
absurdism
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives meaning in hopeless moments?
- How does societal context affect suicidal thoughts?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing death can glorify suffering.