--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My brother need not be idealized, or…" description: "\"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg" --- # My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death… ![“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.” quote by Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg) > “My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.” [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Remember the deceased for their moral character and actions, not mythic exaggeration. **In simple terms:** Honor real virtues, not legends. Key Takeaway Focus on genuine qualities. Themes memory humility legacy Mood solemn respectful Type memorial ethical When to use this quote - eulogies - family gatherings - public memorials Key Concepts ethical remembrance family values history Questions to Reflect On - What values define a good person? - How to keep memories honest? A Different Perspective Idealizing can distort truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enlarged-in-death-beyond-what-he/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [If you see your brother in need, it doesn't matter if you already gave somewhere else. You should be open to the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/if-you-see-your-brother-in-need-it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-already-gave/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Brother, I miss you! I wish you were here, Brother I need you! But you live so far away... One day, just One day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/brother-i-miss-you-i-wish-you-were-here-brother-i-need-you-but-you/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [If I could do anything in my life and be remembered for anything, I would like to be remembered for helping the world see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wertheim/if-i-could-do-anything-in-my-life-and-be-remembered-for-anything-i/) [Margaret Wertheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wertheim/) > [President Ford was a devoted, decent man of impeccable integrity who put service to his country before his own self interest. He helped heal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-udall/president-ford-was-a-devoted-decent-man-of-impeccable-integrity-who/) [Mark Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-udall/) > [Every decent man of our age must be a coward and a slave. That is his normal condition. Of that I am firmly persuaded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-decent-man-of-our-age-must-be-a-coward-and-a-slave-that-is-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A person may be totally unimaginative and have the social vision of a mole, and we still call him a decent man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-halsey/a-person-may-be-totally-unimaginative-and-have-the-social-vision-of-a/) [Margaret Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-halsey/) > [But what can a decent man speak of with most pleasure? Answer: Of himself. Well, so I will talk about myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-what-can-a-decent-man-speak-of-with-most-pleasure-answer-of-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Instead of recognizing the State as ‘the common enemy of all well-disposed, industrious and decent men,’ the run of mankind, with rare exceptions, regards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/instead-of-recognizing-the-state-as-the-common-enemy-of-all-well-2/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [Has it ever struck you that trout bite best on the Sabbath? God's critters tempting decent men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-barrie/has-it-ever-struck-you-that-trout-bite-best-on-the-sabbath-god-s/) [James M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-barrie/) > [Randy Edsall is a good, strong, decent man who is working his tail off on behalf of the University of Maryland. And there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-plank/randy-edsall-is-a-good-strong-decent-man-who-is-working-his-tail-off/) [Kevin Plank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-plank/) > [A cultivated and decent man cannot be vain without setting a fearfully high standard for himself, and without despising and almost hating himself at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-cultivated-and-decent-man-cannot-be-vain-without-setting-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Donald Trump is way worse than George W. Bush. George W. Bush is a fundamentally decent man of limited intelligence who surrounded himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/donald-trump-is-way-worse-than-george-w-bush-george-w-bush-is-a/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [My dad died when I was young. He was a good and decent man. There are a few things he would say that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/my-dad-died-when-i-was-young-he-was-a-good-and-decent-man-there-are-a/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [You weren't a decent man and you didn't do your best. We none of us were and none of us did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-weren-t-a-decent-man-and-you-didn-t-do-your-best-we-none-of-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Edward Kennedy > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Sometimes a party must sail against the wind. We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The torture and other sadistic abuses of prisoners in Iraq have done immense damage already to America's reputation in the world, and the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-torture-and-other-sadistic-abuses-of-prisoners-in-iraq-have-done/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The great adventures which our opponents offer is a voyage into the past. Progress is our heritage, not theirs. What is right for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-great-adventures-which-our-opponents-offer-is-a-voyage-into-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Justice Lewis Powell spoke for all of us when he said: Equal justice under law is perhaps the most inspiring idea of our society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/justice-lewis-powell-spoke-for-all-of-us-when-he-said-equal-justice/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Frankly, I don't mind not being President. I just mind that someone else is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/frankly-i-don-t-mind-not-being-president-i-just-mind-that-someone/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ \[W\]ords are fine, but it has to be what a generation reads into those words. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/w-ords-are-fine-but-it-has-to-be-what-a-generation-reads-into-those/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Earlier this week ... scientists announced the completion of a task that once seemed unimaginable; and that is, the deciphering of the entire DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/earlier-this-week-scientists-announced-the-completion-of-a-task-that/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [She's a wonderful, wonderful person, and we're looking to a happy and wonderful night - ah, life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/she-s-a-wonderful-wonderful-person-and-we-re-looking-to-a-happy-and/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [I applaud the fact that the president has reached out to the members of Judiciary Committee. And I applaud. the fact that he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/i-applaud-the-fact-that-the-president-has-reached-out-to-the-members/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ur struggle is not with some monarch named George who inherited the crown - although it often seems that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/ur-struggle-is-not-with-some-monarch-named-george-who-inherited-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [We are giving assurance to the American families that help is on its way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/we-are-giving-assurance-to-the-american-families-that-help-is-on-its/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The AMA puts the lives and well being of the American citizens well below it's own special interest...It deserves to be ignored, rejected, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-ama-puts-the-lives-and-well-being-of-the-american-citizens-well/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [I won't yield to anyone about guns in our society. I know enough about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/i-won-t-yield-to-anyone-about-guns-in-our-society-i-know-enough-about/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [From the windows of my office in Boston ... I can see the Golden Stairs from Boston Harbor where all eight of my great-grandparents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/from-the-windows-of-my-office-in-boston-i-can-see-the-golden-stairs/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) [Explore all 131 Edward Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) ## 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": "My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Kennedy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enlarged-in-death-beyond-what-he-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brother" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enlarged-in-death-beyond-what-he-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/500/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_2764220.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply…” — Edward Kennedy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward Kennedy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My brother need not be idealized,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enlarged-in-death-beyond-what-he-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enlarged-in-death-beyond-what-he-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```