--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But it was mortality that made them what…" description: "\"But it was mortality that made them what they were, the flame that blazed brighter for it's flickering\" — Cassandra Clare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg" --- # But it was mortality that made them what they were, the… ![“But it was mortality that made them what they were, the flame that blazed brighter for it's flickering” quote by Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg) > “But it was mortality that made them what they were, the flame that blazed brighter for it's flickering” [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mortality gives life meaning, intensifying passion and purpose. **In simple terms:** Death makes life vivid. Key Takeaway Embrace mortality to live fully. Themes mortality purpose intensity Mood reflective intense Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - creative pursuits - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism human condition Questions to Reflect On - How does awareness of death shape your choices? - What passions ignite when you feel time is limited? A Different Perspective Ignoring mortality can lead to complacency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Flame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flame/) [Mortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mortality/) ## Related quotes > [“If you have a soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. Whatever the color, the shape, the design of the shade that conceals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-you-have-a-soul-of-a-warrior-you-are-a-warrior-whatever-the-color/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Even the girl he'd danced with had thought it was some marvelous trick. She had been enveloped in real, bright fire and she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/even-the-girl-he-d-danced-with-had-thought-it-was-some-marvelous/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Whatever you are physically,' he said, 'Male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy -- all those things matter less than what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/whatever-you-are-physically-he-said-male-or-female-strong-or-weak-ill/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Mortality, behold, and fear, What a change of flesh is here! Think how many royal bones Sleep within this heap of stones,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/mortality-behold-and-fear-what-a-change-of-flesh-is-here-think-how/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“If you devote yourself to God, then He in turn will continually stay with you, as an eternal candle flame stays with a wick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/if-you-devote-yourself-to-god-then-he-in-turn-will-continually-stay/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Fire Flame, Flame, Fire Flame Spitters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdman/fire-flame-flame-fire-flame-spitters/) Birdman > [Most startups flame out or just muddle along. Your chances of spotting a unicorn, pre-horn, are incalculably small. But if, knowing that, you still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/most-startups-flame-out-or-just-muddle-along-your-chances-of-spotting/) [Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/) > [Love ... like a lamp, it needs to be fed out of the oil of another's heart, or its flame burns low.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laine/love-like-a-lamp-it-needs-to-be-fed-out-of-the-oil-of-another-s-heart/) [Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laine/) > [“The word is a flame burning in a dark glass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-watson/the-word-is-a-flame-burning-in-a-dark-glass/) Sheila Watson > [“Some will see your flame and want to blow it out...others will approach with a candle...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenita-vangellis/some-will-see-your-flame-and-want-to-blow-it-out-others-will-approach/) [Lenita Vangellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenita-vangellis/) > [She was drawn to damaged souls like a moth to a flame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-mcpartlin/she-was-drawn-to-damaged-souls-like-a-moth-to-a-flame/) [Anna McPartlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-mcpartlin/) > [“Rise and demand; you are a burning flame. You are sure to conquer there where the final horizon Becomes a drop of blood, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rise-and-demand-you-are-a-burning-flame-you-are-sure-to-conquer-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The fire inside people is like a match; the way to ignite that flame is initially through friction, then other matches are lit through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/the-fire-inside-people-is-like-a-match-the-way-to-ignite-that-flame/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [A real flame of love is a subtle thing. It burns as a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing onward to fairy lands of delight. It roars as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/a-real-flame-of-love-is-a-subtle-thing-it-burns-as-a-will-o-the-wisp/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [I'm a candle flame that sways in currents of air you can't see. You need to be the one who steadies me to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-m-a-candle-flame-that-sways-in-currents-of-air-you-can-t-see-you/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) ## More by Cassandra Clare > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you." "Who's Magnus?" Max inquired. "He's a warlock," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-you-re-texting-magnus-to-say-i-think-u-r-kewl-i-m-going-to-kill/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“We work through this together, remember? No shutting me out. No epic sulks.” “I was figuring I could sulk for Idris in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-work-through-this-together-remember-no-shutting-me-out-no-epic/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Lex malla, lex nulla,” said Julian with a regretful wave of his hand. It was the Blackthorn family motto: A bad law is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/lex-malla-lex-nulla-said-julian-with-a-regretful-wave-of-his-hand-it/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm memorable, its true." -Magnus, pg.229-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-m-memorable-its-true-magnus-pg-229/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“There is more to living than not dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-is-more-to-living-than-not-dying/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Unless there was a reason for me to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/unless-there-was-a-reason-for-me-to-stay/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Love didn't make you weak, it made you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/love-didn-t-make-you-weak-it-made-you-stronger/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I wasn’t just worried about him; I was worried about you, too. There’s something so . . . reassuring about you. And Jace is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-wasn-t-just-worried-about-him-i-was-worried-about-you-too-there-s/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) [Explore all 4,049 Cassandra Clare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But it was mortality that made them what they were, the flame that blazed brighter for it's flickering", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cassandra Clare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what-they-were-the-flame-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what-they-were-the-flame-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/cassandra-clare-9_death_but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what_2457529.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But it was mortality that made them what they were, the flame that blazed brighter for it's flickering” — Cassandra Clare", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cassandra Clare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But it was mortality that made...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what-they-were-the-flame-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/but-it-was-mortality-that-made-them-what-they-were-the-flame-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```