---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had an attack of the gout two days…"
description: "\"I had an attack of the gout two days before pulling out, and I went limping off to the war instead of coming limping back from it.\" — A. J. Liebling"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/a-j-liebling-15045_gout_i-had-an-attack-of-the-gout-two-days-bef_918972.png"
---

#  I had an attack of the gout two days before pulling out…

![“I had an attack of the gout two days before pulling out, and I went limping off to the war instead of coming limping back from it.” quote by A. J. Liebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/a-j-liebling-15045_gout_i-had-an-attack-of-the-gout-two-days-bef_918972.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/a-j-liebling-15045_gout_i-had-an-attack-of-the-gout-two-days-bef_918972.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/610/a-j-liebling-15045_gout_i-had-an-attack-of-the-gout-two-days-bef_918972.png)

> “I had an attack of the gout two days before pulling out, and I went limping off to the war instead of coming limping back from it.”

[A. J. Liebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-liebling/)

## About This Quote

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

He humorously contrasts his gout‑induced limp with the absurdity of war, highlighting the irony of suffering while fighting.

**In simple terms:** He jokes about his pain and war.

Key Takeaway

Find humor in hardship.

Themes

irony war personal struggle

Mood

wry reflective

Type

anecdotal humorous

When to use this quote

- military service
- personal health crises
- historical memoirs

Key Concepts

human frailty absurdity combat

Questions to Reflect On

- How does humor change perception of pain?
- When is irony inappropriate?

A Different Perspective

The joke may downplay serious suffering.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Attack Gout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attack-gout-1407483/) [Coming Limping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-limping-1407486/) [Gout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gout/) [Gout Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gout-days-1407484/) [Limping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limping/) [Limping War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limping-war-1407487/) [Pulling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pulling/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-days/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Went Limping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-limping-1407485/)

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