--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The things a man has to have are hope and…" description: "\"The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds... And he must be ready to choose death before dishonor without making too..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/clark-gable-17010_against-the-odds_the-things-a-man-has-to-have-are-hope-an_1195650.png" --- # The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in… ![“The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds... And he must be ready to choose death before dishonor without making too much song and dance about it.” quote by Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/clark-gable-17010_against-the-odds_the-things-a-man-has-to-have-are-hope-an_1195650.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/clark-gable-17010_against-the-odds_the-things-a-man-has-to-have-are-hope-an_1195650.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/clark-gable-17010_against-the-odds_the-things-a-man-has-to-have-are-hope-an_1195650.png) > “The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds... And he must be ready to choose death before dishonor without making too much song and dance about it.” [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man must possess hope, self‑confidence, and be ready to die rather than dishonor, without fuss. **In simple terms:** Courage and self‑belief outweigh fear of disgrace. Key Takeaway Stand firm in honor, even at great cost. Themes courage honor self‑belief masculinity Mood serious reflective Type cinematic philosophical When to use this quote - wartime - personal crisis - ethical dilemma Key Concepts existential choice integrity stoicism Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for honor? - Is dying preferable to dishonor? A Different Perspective Honor may demand impractical sacrifice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against the odds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-the-odds/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dishonor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonor/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Odds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odds/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song and dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-and-dance/) ## Related quotes > [The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds, and sometimes he needs somebody, his pal or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/the-things-a-man-has-to-have-are-hope-and-confidence-in-himself-3/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [The things a man has to have are hope and confidence in himself against odds, and sometimes he needs somebody, his pal or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/the-things-a-man-has-to-have-are-hope-and-confidence-in-himself/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [Love is everything it's cracked up to be. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/love-is-everything-it-s-cracked-up-to-be-it-really-is-worth-fighting/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing well. If it is worth having, it is worth waiting for. If it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-a-thing-is-worth-doing-it-is-worth-doing-well-if-it-is-worth/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [If you don't risk anything you risk everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/if-you-don-t-risk-anything-you-risk-everything/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [We've been blessed with the opportunity to stand for something - for liberty and freedom and fairness. And these are things worth fighting for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/we-ve-been-blessed-with-the-opportunity-to-stand-for-something-for/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Misery is the only thing in the world that has no end or edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-stone/misery-is-the-only-thing-in-the-world-that-has-no-end-or-edge/) [Irving Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-stone/) > [There are things worth fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/there-are-things-worth-fighting-for/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [I hear people saying we don't need this war, I say there's some things worth fighting for. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Hope and optimism are different. Optimism tends to be based on the notion that there's enough evidence out there to believe things are gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/hope-and-optimism-are-different-optimism-tends-to-be-based-on-the/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [The bravest sight in all this world is a man fighting against odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-knight-lane/the-bravest-sight-in-all-this-world-is-a-man-fighting-against-odds/) [Franklin Knight Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-knight-lane/) ## More by Clark Gable > [Method actors are like hams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/method-actors-are-like-hams/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [Disagreeing with the fervent patriotism of the Confederates: "I think it's hard winning a war with words, gentlemen. . . . I'm saying very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/disagreeing-with-the-fervent-patriotism-of-the-confederates-i-think/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [If any child of mine becomes an actor I will turn in my grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/if-any-child-of-mine-becomes-an-actor-i-will-turn-in-my-grave/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [I never laugh until I've had my coffee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/i-never-laugh-until-i-ve-had-my-coffee/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [I don't discuss women at all with anyone. There are good qualities in all women. 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If all of the thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/it-s-a-chain-of-accidents-when-you-step-into-hollywood-you-wind/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) [Explore all 38 Clark Gable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) ## More Against the odds quotes > [The bravest sight in all this world is a man fighting against odds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-knight-lane/the-bravest-sight-in-all-this-world-is-a-man-fighting-against-odds/) [Franklin Knight Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-knight-lane/) > [Hope and optimism are different. 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I'm not afraid to be lonely at the top. With me, it's just the satisfaction of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/i-like-to-be-against-the-odds-i-m-not-afraid-to-be-lonely-at-the-top/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [Nothing is more inspiring than a person with seemingly mediocre talent rising against the odds to become a champion by way of hard work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/nothing-is-more-inspiring-than-a-person-with-seemingly-mediocre/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Like a flash of lightning and in an instant the truth was revealed. 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