--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: even then that without them, I was…" description: "\"“even then that without them, I was nothing. Not a son or a brother but just a boy—and”\" — David Sedaris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/david-sedaris-333_brother_even-then-that-without-them-i-was-nothin_1906344.png" --- # even then that without them, I was nothing. Not a son or a… ![“even then that without them, I was nothing. Not a son or a brother but just a boy—and” quote by David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/david-sedaris-333_brother_even-then-that-without-them-i-was-nothin_1906344.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/david-sedaris-333_brother_even-then-that-without-them-i-was-nothin_1906344.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ca/david-sedaris-333_brother_even-then-that-without-them-i-was-nothin_1906344.png) > ““even then that without them, I was nothing. Not a son or a brother but just a boy—and”” [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He felt empty without his family, reduced to a solitary boy. **In simple terms:** Family gives identity. Key Takeaway Value relationships. Themes family identity loneliness growth Mood reflective introspective Type literary personal When to use this quote - family gatherings - self‑reflection - mental health counseling Key Concepts Existential emptiness personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What defines you beyond family ties? - Can solitude be productive? A Different Perspective May overstate dependence on family for self‑worth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) ## Related quotes > [Being a son, brother, uncle and brother-in-law is all I care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burke/being-a-son-brother-uncle-and-brother-in-law-is-all-i-care-about/) [Chris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burke/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [“The missing remained missing and the portraits couldn't change that. 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I'm Haven A Child'sHeart Who Cried Seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/i-want-to-say-something-about-me-i-m-not-a-good-son-brother-husband/) Mak\_786 > [“I am Jon-Robert Holden - a basketball player, a son, a brother, a father, a friend, a writer and an Olympian!All these things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-robert-holden/i-am-jon-robert-holden-a-basketball-player-a-son-a-brother-a-father-a/) [Jon-Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-robert-holden/) > [My son, Todd Fisher- he has been such a wonderful son and brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/my-son-todd-fisher-he-has-been-such-a-wonderful-son-and-brother/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [If Bret went in there and stunk the place out, then they probably wouldn't have brought the little brother in. So just by being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hart/if-bret-went-in-there-and-stunk-the-place-out-then-they-probably/) [Owen Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hart/) > [“Everything ok?" "My brother is just being brotherly again. Connor can't stand that I'm out here. I finally had to promise him that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-harper/everything-ok-my-brother-is-just-being-brotherly-again-connor-can-t/) [Dani Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-harper/) > [How could I not love my own brother? I just can't stand to be with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-davies/how-could-i-not-love-my-own-brother-i-just-can-t-stand-to-be-with-him/) [Dave Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-davies/) > [Nature made every fop to plague his brother, Just as one beauty mortifies another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/nature-made-every-fop-to-plague-his-brother-just-as-one-beauty/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [I built a studio in L.A. for me and my brother to just write every single day. And it's been great, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-madden/i-built-a-studio-in-l-a-for-me-and-my-brother-to-just-write-every/) [Joel Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-madden/) > [I think of my brother just out of prison again. He will have spent ten years of the last 30 in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-berrigan/i-think-of-my-brother-just-out-of-prison-again-he-will-have-spent-ten/) [Daniel Berrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-berrigan/) > [“Trust me on this. Whatever Prez wants, he'll get. You take one look at him and you're gonna be a goner just like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-spears/trust-me-on-this-whatever-prez-wants-he-ll-get-you-take-one-look-at/) [Crystal Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-spears/) > [If I was harsh with you, it was because I cannot bear to see you treat yourself as if you are worth nothing. Whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-i-was-harsh-with-you-it-was-because-i-cannot-bear-to-see-you-treat/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More by David Sedaris > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“never fall asleep in a Dumpster, never underestimate a bee, never drive a convertible behind a flatbed truck, never get old, never get drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/never-fall-asleep-in-a-dumpster-never-underestimate-a-bee-never-drive/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“It was a father, one hand resting teapot-style on his hip, and the other - what would be the spout - formed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/it-was-a-father-one-hand-resting-teapot-style-on-his-hip-and-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“A Japanese woman we’d met in Paris came to the apartment yesterday and spent several hours explaining our appliances. The microwave, the water kettle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/a-japanese-woman-we-d-met-in-paris-came-to-the-apartment-yesterday/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [One thing I like about the United States, and I kind of miss about the United States, is there's an election coming up here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/one-thing-i-like-about-the-united-states-and-i-kind-of-miss-about-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [When you read comic material and people aren't laughing how do you know they're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/when-you-read-comic-material-and-people-aren-t-laughing-how-do-you/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“You have how many children in your family?" the teacher would ask. 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Out there with your thumb in the air—not a care in the world, just grabbing whatever you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/you-just-take-and-take-don-t-you-out-there-with-your-thumb-in-the-air/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [In other parts of the country people tried to stay together for the sake of the children. In New York they tried to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-other-parts-of-the-country-people-tried-to-stay-together-for-the/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [My boyfriend got me a computer three years ago. I'll admit it does make things a lot easier. When I was working on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/my-boyfriend-got-me-a-computer-three-years-ago-i-ll-admit-it-does/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I spent months searching for some secret code before I realized that common sense has nothing to do with it. Hysteria, psychosis, torture, depression:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-spent-months-searching-for-some-secret-code-before-i-realized-that/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [I hated leaving a hole in the smoking world, and so I recruited someone to take my place. People have given me a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-hated-leaving-a-hole-in-the-smoking-world-and-so-i-recruited/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Write relentlessly, until you find your voice. Then, use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/write-relentlessly-until-you-find-your-voice-then-use-it/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) [Explore all 667 David Sedaris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) ## More Brother quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) Spencer Moody > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“even then that without them, I was nothing. 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