--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They can't give a Nobel to someone who's…" description: "\"They can't give a Nobel to someone who's dead so I think they were probably thinking they had better give it to me now.\" — Doris Lessing" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/doris-lessing-501_giving_they-can-t-give-a-nobel-to-someone-who-s_2514583.png" --- # They can't give a Nobel to someone who's dead so I think… ![“They can't give a Nobel to someone who's dead so I think they were probably thinking they had better give it to me now.” quote by Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/doris-lessing-501_giving_they-can-t-give-a-nobel-to-someone-who-s_2514583.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/doris-lessing-501_giving_they-can-t-give-a-nobel-to-someone-who-s_2514583.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/926/doris-lessing-501_giving_they-can-t-give-a-nobel-to-someone-who-s_2514583.png) > “They can't give a Nobel to someone who's dead so I think they were probably thinking they had better give it to me now.” [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker sarcastically claims that a deceased person cannot receive a Nobel, implying that the award should go to the living, perhaps themselves, highlighting absurdity in award timing. **In simple terms:** Dead can’t win; living should. Key Takeaway Question the timing of honors. Themes humor critique legacy Mood satirical critical Type humorous contemplative When to use this quote - academic recognition - career milestones - public speaking - media commentary Key Concepts award politics mortality self‑importance Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about how we value achievements? - How does timing affect recognition? A Different Perspective It may be taken as flippant or disrespectful to actual laureates. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Nobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobel/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [They can't give a Nobel to someone who's dead so I think they were probably thinking they had better give it to me now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/they-can-t-give-a-nobel-to-someone-who-s-dead-so-i-think-they-were/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I just try not to think too much about how I'm perceived. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-can-guess-what-you-think-about-her-and-i-d-probably-be-thinking-the/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“I can't say I'm overwhelmed with surprise. I'm 88 years old and they can't give the Nobel to someone who's dead, so I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-can-t-say-i-m-overwhelmed-with-surprise-i-m-88-years-old-and-they/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [As soon as I got the Nobel Prize my back collapsed and I was in hospital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/as-soon-as-i-got-the-nobel-prize-my-back-collapsed-and-i-was-in/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [It's lovely to have money to give away - that's the bonus of winning the Nobel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/it-s-lovely-to-have-money-to-give-away-that-s-the-bonus-of-winning/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The Nobel Prize is run by a self-perpetuated committee. 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I raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-stood-there-listening-the-wind-blew-snow-from-the-branches-snow/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## More by Doris Lessing > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“In the morning, when she wishes me to wake, she crouches on my chest, and pats my face with her paw. Or, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/in-the-morning-when-she-wishes-me-to-wake-she-crouches-on-my-chest/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [You know, whenever women make imaginary female kingdoms in literature, they are always very permissive, to use the jargon word, and easy and generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/you-know-whenever-women-make-imaginary-female-kingdoms-in-literature/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-is-only-one-real-sin-and-that-is-to-persuade-oneself-that-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“She was using the water as she had used the fruit earlier—to calm herself, to assure herself of the possibility of normality. Yet all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/she-was-using-the-water-as-she-had-used-the-fruit-earlier-to-calm/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I remember World War II when there were very few books, very little paper available. For me to walk into a shop or look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-remember-world-war-ii-when-there-were-very-few-books-very-little/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [They can't give a Nobel to someone who's dead so I think they were probably thinking they had better give it to me now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/they-can-t-give-a-nobel-to-someone-who-s-dead-so-i-think-they-were/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“While she strode rapidly through the ward to the door at the other end, she was able to see that every bed or cot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/while-she-strode-rapidly-through-the-ward-to-the-door-at-the-other/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I do not think that marriage is one of my talents. I've been much happier unmarried than married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-do-not-think-that-marriage-is-one-of-my-talents-i-ve-been-much/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I haven't got the energy to write now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-haven-t-got-the-energy-to-write-now/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [What really fascinates me is this need that is so strong now that if you read a work of the imagination you instantly have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-really-fascinates-me-is-this-need-that-is-so-strong-now-that-if/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“The charge that the United Nations are using bacteriological warfare in Korea cannot be dismissed merely because it would be insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-charge-that-the-united-nations-are-using-bacteriological-warfare/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [What I did have, which others perhaps didn't, was a capacity for sticking at it, which really is the point, not the talent at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-i-did-have-which-others-perhaps-didn-t-was-a-capacity-for/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The human community is evolving... . We can survive anything you care to mention. We are supremely equipped to survive, to adapt and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-human-community-is-evolving-we-can-survive-anything-you-care-to/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [So love is rest? The cosy corner? The little nook? Sometimes it ought to be. Sometimes it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/so-love-is-rest-the-cosy-corner-the-little-nook-sometimes-it-ought-to/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) [Explore all 508 Doris Lessing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## More Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. 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You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [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 received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. 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