Bearing witness Quote by Cole Alpaugh
““Bearing witness from the sides of the room, ten or more lepers shouted at the bizarre scene, “Diable! Diable!” And then chants of some sort, or prayers, followed by more shouts of “Diable!” They were hurling these words at Moreau like stones.””
About This Quote
Source Short Story: “The Leper’s Cry”, 2019
Spectators react violently to a grotesque scene, shouting “Diable!” as a form of collective fear and condemnation.
In simple terms: People shout “Diable!” out of fear.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how fear fuels hostile reactions.
Themes
fear
collective behavior
othering
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
observational
commentary
When to use this quote
- public protests
- media coverage of crises
Key Concepts
social scapegoating
mass hysteria
moral panic
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do crowds turn to aggression in unsettling moments?
- What alternative responses could replace shouts?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex situations.
![“[Naaman] dipped himself," it says, "seven times in Jordan." It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean by means of the sacred water and the invocation of…” quote by Irenaeus of Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9eb/irenaeus-of-lyons-18423_babe_naaman-dipped-himself-it-says-seven-time_627335.jpg)
![“...[Nature] ever bearing witness against man that he has deliberately chosen ugliness instead of beauty...” quote by William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/40a/william-morris-4229_bearing-witness_nature-ever-bearing-witness-against-man_363807.jpg)
