--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The absent are like children, helpless to…" description: "\"The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.\" — Charles Reade" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg" --- # The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves. ![“The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.” quote by Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg) > “The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.” [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The vulnerable are powerless and need protection, much like children who cannot defend themselves. **In simple terms:** The powerless need help. Key Takeaway Protect the defenseless. Themes vulnerability protection innocence Mood empathetic concerned Type ethical advocacy When to use this quote - child welfare - elder care - legal advocacy Key Concepts dependence rights social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do we identify those who cannot protect themselves? - What responsibilities do we have toward the vulnerable? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ## Related quotes > [The answers were maddeningly absent—it was like trying to remember a song that you knew made you feel a certain way, without a title,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/the-answers-were-maddeningly-absent-it-was-like-trying-to-remember-a/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [The friendlies were South Vietnamese women and children, helpless victims in a war they did not understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whitehead/the-friendlies-were-south-vietnamese-women-and-children-helpless/) [John Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-whitehead/) > [“There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/there-are-always-those-who-take-it-upon-themselves-to-defend-god-as/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [It's Simon, he's missing." Ahh." said Magnus delicately "Missing what exactly?" Missing!" Jace repeated "As in gone, absent, notable for his lack of presence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-s-simon-he-s-missing-ahh-said-magnus-delicately-missing-what/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [... if we are ashamed to imitate our Lord's sufferings, which He endured for us, and to suffer as He suffered, it is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/if-we-are-ashamed-to-imitate-our-lord-s-sufferings-which-he-endured/) [Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/) > [“You may not appreciate the presence of good health, but you will definitely regret the absence of good health, because health is happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-may-not-appreciate-the-presence-of-good-health-but-you-will/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... 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They seek each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/they-are-enthusiasts-devotees-addicts-something-about-the-circus/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Charles Reade > [The joys we expect are not so bright, nor the troubles so dark as we fancy they will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/the-joys-we-expect-are-not-so-bright-nor-the-troubles-so-dark-as-we/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [Judicious absence is a weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/judicious-absence-is-a-weapon/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [A wife is essential to great longevity; she is the receptacle of half a man's cares, and two-thirds of his ill-humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/a-wife-is-essential-to-great-longevity-she-is-the-receptacle-of-half/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [“Example is contagious behavior.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/example-is-contagious-behavior/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [Sow an act and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/sow-an-act-and-you-reap-a-habit-sow-a-habit-and-you-reap-a-character/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [Make 'em laugh; make 'em cry; make 'em wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/make-em-laugh-make-em-cry-make-em-wait/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words and suffer noble sorrows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/not-a-day-passes-over-the-earth-but-men-and-women-of-no-note-do-great/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) > [“I mean to take a good look at any man ere I leap into his arms.' Then look your fill, and leap away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/i-mean-to-take-a-good-look-at-any-man-ere-i-leap-into-his-arms-then/) [Charles Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) [Explore all 9 Charles Reade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/) ## More Absent quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. 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Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“You may not appreciate the presence of good health, but you will definitely regret the absence of good health, because health is happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-may-not-appreciate-the-presence-of-good-health-but-you-will/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [... if we are ashamed to imitate our Lord's sufferings, which He endured for us, and to suffer as He suffered, it is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/if-we-are-ashamed-to-imitate-our-lord-s-sufferings-which-he-endured/) [Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/) > [It's Simon, he's missing." Ahh." said Magnus delicately "Missing what exactly?" Missing!" 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The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Religion has always been a matter of community building; a matter of building precisely those relations of compassion, fellow feeling and - I dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/religion-has-always-been-a-matter-of-community-building-a-matter-of/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [A FRIEND IS A PERSON . . . With whom you can be sincere. . . . To whom you never need to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-armand-montapert/a-friend-is-a-person-with-whom-you-can-be-sincere-to-whom-you-never/) [Alfred Armand Montapert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-armand-montapert/) > [The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering. And the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalia-crane/the-very-serpents-bite-their-tails-the-bees-forget-to-sting-for-a/) [Nathalia Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalia-crane/) Browse all 490 Absent quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Reade" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to-defend-themselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to-defend-themselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/charles-reade-43422_absent_the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to_2842876.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The absent are like children, helpless to defend themselves.” — Charles Reade", "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": "Charles Reade", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-reade/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The absent are like children, helpless...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to-defend-themselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-reade/the-absent-are-like-children-helpless-to-defend-themselves/#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 } } ] } ```