---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here's a strange fact: murder a man, and…"
description: "\"Here's a strange fact: murder a man, and you feel responsible for his life - ''possessive'', even. You know more about him than his father and mother; ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/aravind-adiga-4424_aravind-adiga_here-s-a-strange-fact-murder-a-man-and-y_659410.jpg"
---

#  Here's a strange fact: murder a man, and you feel…

![“Here's a strange fact: murder a man, and you feel responsible for his life - ''possessive'', even. You know more about him than his father and mother; they knew his fetus, but you know his corpse. Only you can complete the story of his life, only you know why his body has to be pushed into the…” quote by Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/aravind-adiga-4424_aravind-adiga_here-s-a-strange-fact-murder-a-man-and-y_659410.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/aravind-adiga-4424_aravind-adiga_here-s-a-strange-fact-murder-a-man-and-y_659410.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa8/aravind-adiga-4424_aravind-adiga_here-s-a-strange-fact-murder-a-man-and-y_659410.jpg)

> “Here's a strange fact: murder a man, and you feel responsible for his life - ''possessive'', even. You know more about him than his father and mother; they knew his fetus, but you know his corpse. Only you can complete the story of his life, only you know why his body has to be pushed into the fire before its time, and why his toes curl up and fight for another hour on earth.”

[Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/)

## 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 feels an unsettling ownership over a murder victim’s life, knowing intimate details that even the victim’s family lacks, and contemplates the lingering struggle of the dying body.

**In simple terms:** A killer feels oddly responsible for the victim’s life and death.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the moral weight of responsibility.

Themes

guilt ownership mortality power empathy

Mood

disturbing reflective

Type

philosophical ethical literary

When to use this quote

- crime investigation
- courtroom testimony
- journalistic reporting
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology ethical dilemma

Questions to Reflect On

- How does assuming ownership affect justice?
- What responsibilities arise from intimate knowledge of another’s death?

A Different Perspective

The perspective may overlook the victim’s agency and broader social factors.

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[June Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-hunt/)

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[Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/)

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## More by Aravind Adiga

> [Columbia University, where I went to study in 1993, insisted its undergraduates learn a foreign language, so I discovered French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/columbia-university-where-i-went-to-study-in-1993-insisted-its/)

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[Explore all 111 Aravind Adiga quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/)

## More Aravind-adiga quotes

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Browse all 5 Aravind-adiga quotes

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