Brothers Quote by Charles Dickens
““...and were sacred to the memory of five little brothers of mine, who gave up trying to get a living, exceedingly early in that universal struggle. I am indebted for a belief I religiously entertained that they all had been born on their back with their hands in their trouser-pockets, and had never taken them out of existence.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Great Expectations, Charles Dickens, 1861
The narrator reflects on his brothers' early deaths, seeing them as symbolically bound to struggle, and feels a deep, almost religious belief in their passive fate.
In simple terms: He feels a religious-like belief about his brothers' passive deaths.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge loss and seek active purpose.
Themes
grief
family
existentialism
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal loss
- family history
- reflection on mortality
Key Concepts
fatalism
symbolism
memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this belief shape your actions?
- Can you find agency beyond tragedy?
A Different Perspective
The view may romanticize suffering, ignoring agency.
