--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a reason these boys were still…" description: "\"There was a reason these boys were still alive, though. Something made them stronger than the other kids, the ones who had died in the early days, who ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/charlie-higson-20839_alive_there-was-a-reason-these-boys-were-still_19368.jpg" --- # There was a reason these boys were still alive, though… ![“There was a reason these boys were still alive, though. Something made them stronger than the other kids, the ones who had died in the early days, who had simply lain down and given up, unable to cope with the terrible things that were happening in the world. These boys were survivors. The will to…” quote by Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/charlie-higson-20839_alive_there-was-a-reason-these-boys-were-still_19368.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/charlie-higson-20839_alive_there-was-a-reason-these-boys-were-still_19368.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/021/charlie-higson-20839_alive_there-was-a-reason-these-boys-were-still_19368.jpg) > “There was a reason these boys were still alive, though. Something made them stronger than the other kids, the ones who had died in the early days, who had simply lain down and given up, unable to cope with the terrible things that were happening in the world. These boys were survivors. The will to live was stronger than any other feelings.” [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that resilience and a strong will to survive can enable some individuals to endure extreme hardship while others succumb to despair. **In simple terms:** Resilience fuels survival. Key Takeaway Willpower can outweigh fear. Themes Resilience Survival Human Spirit Adversity Psychology Mood Determined Hopeful Somber Type Narrative Philosophical When to use this quote - War zones - Pandemic lockdowns - Natural disaster aftermath - Personal trauma recovery Key Concepts Will to live Coping mechanisms Survival instinct Practical Applications - Motivational speaking - Therapeutic counseling Questions to Reflect On - What internal resources sustain people in crisis? - How does societal support influence survival? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Boys Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys-alive-392229/) [Boys Survivors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys-survivors-392227/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-up/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Ones Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ones-died-387276/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stronger/) [Survivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivor/) [Survivors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivors/) [Survivors Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survivors-live-392228/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Will to live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will-to-live/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [But I think this: that whatever prices I've paid, whatever sorrows I shoulder, well, I have blessings, too. Not just my family now, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/but-i-think-this-that-whatever-prices-i-ve-paid-whatever-sorrows-i/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [All the civil rights leaders and people who died, black and white, you know, Mexican, Chinese, black, you name it, all the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-king/all-the-civil-rights-leaders-and-people-who-died-black-and-white-you/) [Rodney King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-king/) > [“That's how it went, the gentle ones died quiet while the mean ones thrived. Sickened me unto death all my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/that-s-how-it-went-the-gentle-ones-died-quiet-while-the-mean-ones/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [9/11 is the day we all will remember and never forget the ones who died in the attack always in our hearts never forgotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/9-11-is-the-day-we-all-will-remember-and-never-forget-the-ones-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Design the life you want to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-roy/design-the-life-you-want-to-live/) [Rachel Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-roy/) > [Many a man has decided to stay alive not because of the will to live but because of the determination not to give assorted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-behan/many-a-man-has-decided-to-stay-alive-not-because-of-the-will-to-live/) [Brendan Behan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-behan/) > [There's always a tension in me between my urge to destroy and my will to live... Every morning I wake up with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingmar-bergman/there-s-always-a-tension-in-me-between-my-urge-to-destroy-and-my-will/) [Ingmar Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingmar-bergman/) > [“It will generally be found that, as soon as the terrors of life reach the point at which they outweigh the terrors of death,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/it-will-generally-be-found-that-as-soon-as-the-terrors-of-life-reach/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [They hadn’t counted on the highly controlled jabberjay having the brains to adapt to the wild, to pass on its genetic code, to thrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/they-hadn-t-counted-on-the-highly-controlled-jabberjay-having-the/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [To affirm life is to deepen, to make more inward, and to exalt the will-to-life. At the same time the man who has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/to-affirm-life-is-to-deepen-to-make-more-inward-and-to-exalt-the-will/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [What keeps us playing our parts and going round and round the three lower worlds is not a Divine dictate, but ourselves, our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilakanta-sri-ram/what-keeps-us-playing-our-parts-and-going-round-and-round-the-three/) [Nilakanta Sri Ram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilakanta-sri-ram/) > [On the quality of life: #1. Realize that each human being has a built-in capacity for recuperation and repair. #2. Recognize that the quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/on-the-quality-of-life-1-realize-that-each-human-being-has-a-built-in/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Manic depression distorts moods and thoughts, incites dreadful behaviors, destroys the basis of rational thought, and too often erodes the desire and will to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/manic-depression-distorts-moods-and-thoughts-incites-dreadful/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [It's necessary to have an energy that carries you forward. You need the will to live, to have a great curiosity. To look for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/it-s-necessary-to-have-an-energy-that-carries-you-forward-you-need/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [When it becomes really impossible to get away and sleep, then the will to live evaporates of its own accord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/when-it-becomes-really-impossible-to-get-away-and-sleep-then-the-will/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## More by Charlie Higson > [You got to harden yourself. Make, like, a shell around you. But not everyone can do it. If they got nothing to hang on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/you-got-to-harden-yourself-make-like-a-shell-around-you-but-not/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“Remember what I done for you here today,' he shouted and passed out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/remember-what-i-done-for-you-here-today-he-shouted-and-passed-out/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [Standing in the corridor was a large plastic bin on wheels. He looked inside. Empty tins of dog food. That explained the spaghetti with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/standing-in-the-corridor-was-a-large-plastic-bin-on-wheels-he-looked/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [But I'll never see any of those fish," said Maxie."Or those whales. Or any lions or tigers. I'm never going to set foot in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/but-i-ll-never-see-any-of-those-fish-said-maxie-or-those-whales-or/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [Tea? Good God, no. It's mud. How the British ever built an empire drinking the filthy stuff is beyond me. And if we carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/tea-good-god-no-it-s-mud-how-the-british-ever-built-an-empire/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“Sod this,’ said Kyle and he swung his axe. Charlotte watched amazed, unable to look away, as the blade sliced clean through the father’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/sod-this-said-kyle-and-he-swung-his-axe-charlotte-watched-amazed/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“Ed held his sword tight in both hands and went slowly and carefully down. There was the unmistakable smell of sicko down here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/ed-held-his-sword-tight-in-both-hands-and-went-slowly-and-carefully/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [No such word as can't. No such word as babagoozle neither!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/no-such-word-as-can-t-no-such-word-as-babagoozle-neither/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“Get off! Get off me, ‘Felix sobbed, sounding like a little kid. Marco kicked at the sickos, slashing with his knife. It was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/get-off-get-off-me-felix-sobbed-sounding-like-a-little-kid-marco/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“He turned to see three kids at his side. Tish and the two little boys. He had to admit the boys looked pretty normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/he-turned-to-see-three-kids-at-his-side-tish-and-the-two-little-boys/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“But I sure do love to whack a grown-up in the morning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/but-i-sure-do-love-to-whack-a-grown-up-in-the-morning/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“The first drops of rain started to fall. 'God's policemen,' said Jester. 'You what?' 'The police always used to pray for rain before any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/the-first-drops-of-rain-started-to-fall-god-s-policemen-said-jester/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“...the smell that came out of the lorry was disgusting. Sour and rotten. 'Jesus, who's died?" he said. 'About four-fifth's of the population of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/the-smell-that-came-out-of-the-lorry-was-disgusting-sour-and-rotten/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [There is no getting around the fact that the moment you are at your very best is the moment you begin to become worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/there-is-no-getting-around-the-fact-that-the-moment-you-are-at-your/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“Now Lewis joined in. 'A sicko walks into a bar,' he said. 'WHAM! And then i hit him with the bar again, an iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/now-lewis-joined-in-a-sicko-walks-into-a-bar-he-said-wham-and-then-i/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) [Explore all 30 Charlie Higson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a reason these boys were still alive, though. Something made them stronger than the other kids, the ones who had died in the early days, who had simply lain down and given up, unable to cope with the terrible things that were happening in the world. These boys were survivors. 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