--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On my way out I was even going to shake…" description: "\"On my way out I was even going to shake his hand, but I remembered just in time that I'd killed a man.\" — Albert Camus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/albert-camus-47_hands_on-my-way-out-i-was-even-going-to-shake_2171056.jpg" --- # On my way out I was even going to shake his hand, but I… ![“On my way out I was even going to shake his hand, but I remembered just in time that I'd killed a man.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/albert-camus-47_hands_on-my-way-out-i-was-even-going-to-shake_2171056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/albert-camus-47_hands_on-my-way-out-i-was-even-going-to-shake_2171056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/albert-camus-47_hands_on-my-way-out-i-was-even-going-to-shake_2171056.jpg) > “On my way out I was even going to shake his hand, but I remembered just in time that I'd killed a man.” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator recalls a moment of restraint before realizing he had killed a man, highlighting moral conflict. **In simple terms:** A moment of restraint before confronting a grave act. Key Takeaway Reflect on moral choices. Themes morality guilt reflection Mood somber thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - literature - personal crisis - philosophical inquiry Key Concepts existentialism ethical dilemma Questions to Reflect On - What drives the narrator’s hesitation? - How does guilt shape identity? A Different Perspective The recollection may be unreliable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“On my way out I was even going to shake his hand, but just in time, I remembered that I had killed a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/on-my-way-out-i-was-even-going-to-shake-his-hand-but-just-in-time-i/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“I knew then what I had done. I had killed a man. I had killed a man to get a woman. I had put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/i-knew-then-what-i-had-done-i-had-killed-a-man-i-had-killed-a-man-to/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [“...it was absurd to have killed a man for nothing...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-absurd-to-have-killed-a-man-for-nothing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can hardly open a newspaper without seeing that a woman has been killed by a man for clearly gender-related reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/you-can-hardly-open-a-newspaper-without-seeing-that-a-woman-has-been/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I never killed a man who didn't need it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-allison/i-never-killed-a-man-who-didn-t-need-it/) Clay Allison > [“It’s been fifteen years since I’ve killed a man. At least a man against whom I held a grudge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-martin/it-s-been-fifteen-years-since-i-ve-killed-a-man-at-least-a-man/) L.J. Martin > [“I married the man who killed my man!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-a-david/i-married-the-man-who-killed-my-man/) [S. A. David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-a-david/) > [He was killed by a man with a switchblade knife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-jr/he-was-killed-by-a-man-with-a-switchblade-knife/) [Hank Williams Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-jr/) > [“Nausea and panic rose in my throat. I had killed a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-b-shepherd/nausea-and-panic-rose-in-my-throat-i-had-killed-a-man/) [A.B. Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-b-shepherd/) > [“Really?” Mister Sun said. “You killed a man with the same knife you use to make brunch, and you’re suddenly squeamish about a hammer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/really-mister-sun-said-you-killed-a-man-with-the-same-knife-you-use/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [“He spat into the ocean and said, “Eat that, galanos. And make a dream you’ve killed a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/he-spat-into-the-ocean-and-said-eat-that-galanos-and-make-a-dream-you/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I never killed a man I didn't have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-never-killed-a-man-i-didn-t-have-to/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [“I killed a man with a Yeti.” Bernice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-p-smith/i-killed-a-man-with-a-yeti-bernice/) [C.P. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-p-smith/) > [Last good pratfall I did, I broke bones in both hands. I still feel it when people shake my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chevy-chase/last-good-pratfall-i-did-i-broke-bones-in-both-hands-i-still-feel-it/) [Chevy Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chevy-chase/) > [Guys are OK... shake their hand... Women are special. You can hug 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bon-scott/guys-are-ok-shake-their-hand-women-are-special-you-can-hug-em/) [Bon Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bon-scott/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. 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As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. 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Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) > [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/) [Eric Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bentley/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. 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