--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today he became a killer, or else a corpse." description: "\"“Today he became a killer, or else a corpse.”\" — Eoin Colfer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png" --- # Today he became a killer, or else a corpse. ![“Today he became a killer, or else a corpse.” quote by Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png) > ““Today he became a killer, or else a corpse.”” [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person faces a stark choice between becoming a murderer or a dead body, highlighting fatal consequences. **In simple terms:** Choice between killing or dying. Key Takeaway Consider the gravity of violent paths. Themes morality choice danger Mood grim tense Type dramatic philosophical When to use this quote - crime fiction - character development - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts ethics psychology conflict Questions to Reflect On - What drives someone to such extremes? - How can alternatives be presented? A Different Perspective Simplifies complex moral scenarios to extremes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Killer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killer/) [Killer Corpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killer-corpse-4420579/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today Killer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-killer-4420578/) ## Related quotes > [“Sitting in the shadows, with a killer, in an empty building, gazing at the corpse of another killer. When had her life grown so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-buroker/sitting-in-the-shadows-with-a-killer-in-an-empty-building-gazing-at/) [Lindsay Buroker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-buroker/) > [“Now, feel free to call me what I am-call me a corpse, call me dead, call me a killer if you want. I've killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-habel/now-feel-free-to-call-me-what-i-am-call-me-a-corpse-call-me-dead-call/) [Lia Habel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-habel/) > [“What if the killer was here? He or she could be standing behind Laurel at this very moment. Laurel shivered again. She better hurry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tayler-marie-brooks/what-if-the-killer-was-here-he-or-she-could-be-standing-behind-laurel/) [Tayler Marie Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tayler-marie-brooks/) > [The aim of torture is to destroy a person as a human being, to destroy their identity and soul. It is more evil than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inge-genefke/the-aim-of-torture-is-to-destroy-a-person-as-a-human-being-to-destroy/) [Inge Genefke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inge-genefke/) > [“Bagpipe Music' It's no go the merrygoround, it's no go the rickshaw, All we want is a limousine and a ticket for the peepshow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-macneice/bagpipe-music-it-s-no-go-the-merrygoround-it-s-no-go-the-rickshaw-all/) [Louis MacNeice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-macneice/) > [Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-my-friend-this-earth-will-one-day-be-that-cold-corpse-it-will/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [Alas, poor Yorick! How surprised he would be to see how his counterpart of today is whisked off to a funeral parlor and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mitford/alas-poor-yorick-how-surprised-he-would-be-to-see-how-his-counterpart/) [Jessica Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mitford/) > [“You and I are victims of the same disease. We're fighting the same war, just different battles in different theaters, and it's way too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/you-and-i-are-victims-of-the-same-disease-we-re-fighting-the-same-war/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [I never change, I'm like a corpse in a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/i-never-change-i-m-like-a-corpse-in-a-coffin/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [The government increasingly resembles somebody who is trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/the-government-increasingly-resembles-somebody-who-is-trying-to-give/) [Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/) > [“She was dry, dry inside like a ten-thousand-year-old tomb, with the last of her life barely dampening the dirt underneath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-rosenfield/she-was-dry-dry-inside-like-a-ten-thousand-year-old-tomb-with-the/) [Kat Rosenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-rosenfield/) > [“such is their image of man’s nature: the battleground of a struggle between a corpse and a ghost,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/such-is-their-image-of-man-s-nature-the-battleground-of-a-struggle/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [ René of Anjou \[(1409-80)\] painted a picture of his mistress's corpse as he found it eaten by worms on having it \[her tomb\] openedon… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/ren-of-anjou-1409-80-painted-a-picture-of-his-mistress-s-corpse-as-he/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“WORDS ARE TEETH. AND THEY EAT ME ALIVE. FEED ON MY CORPSE INSTEAD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/words-are-teeth-and-they-eat-me-alive-feed-on-my-corpse-instead/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) ## More by Eoin Colfer > [There’s always time for babbling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/there-s-always-time-for-babbling/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [And I will not be beaten by that jackass." "Jackass?" said Foaly, wounded. "My favorite uncle is a jackass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/and-i-will-not-be-beaten-by-that-jackass-jackass-said-foaly-wounded/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Thankfully the rest of the world assumed that the Irish were crazy, a theory that the Irish themselves did nothing to debunk. They had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/thankfully-the-rest-of-the-world-assumed-that-the-irish-were-crazy-a/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [The craft's occupants clutched their armrests, and more than one of them closed their eyes. But not Artemis. He couldn't. There was something morbidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/the-craft-s-occupants-clutched-their-armrests-and-more-than-one-of/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Tea? At the beach? No time for luxuries, Holly. There is important work to be done.” He winked at Butler. “Are you sure you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/tea-at-the-beach-no-time-for-luxuries-holly-there-is-important-work/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Wait," said Butler. "Just wait, Holly. Artemis has a plan." He squinted through the green dome. "What is your plan, Artemis?" All Artemis could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/wait-said-butler-just-wait-holly-artemis-has-a-plan-he-squinted/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Holly is alive,' thought Foaly 'My princess lives,'exulted Orion. 'And we're chasing a dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/holly-is-alive-thought-foaly-my-princess-lives-exulted-orion-and-we/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [“There were only two men on the planet better educated in the various martial arts than Butler, and he was related to one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/there-were-only-two-men-on-the-planet-better-educated-in-the-various/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [If Elmore Leonard met Jim Thompson down a dark alley at midnight they might emerge a week later with thick beards, bloodshot eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/if-elmore-leonard-met-jim-thompson-down-a-dark-alley-at-midnight-they/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Sig Sauer. Nine millimetres. Thirteen in the magazine. Big bullets. One of these hits you and it could blow your head off; something even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/sig-sauer-nine-millimetres-thirteen-in-the-magazine-big-bullets-one/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [“I feel him near in the twist of me guts. It's something I've always been able to do. --The Reluctant Assassin”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/i-feel-him-near-in-the-twist-of-me-guts-it-s-something-i-ve-always/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Onscreen, Foaly rubbed his eyelids with his index fingers. "Yeah, yeah. Here we go. Captain Short goes rogue once more. Hands up who's surprised.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/onscreen-foaly-rubbed-his-eyelids-with-his-index-fingers-yeah-yeah/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [(about his terrible attempt at making a sandwich) It's more difficult than it looks. (Artemis Fowl)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/about-his-terrible-attempt-at-making-a-sandwich-it-s-more-difficult/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [Play along, the wink said. I'll get you out of this. At least Artemis hoped this was what his wink communicated and not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/play-along-the-wink-said-i-ll-get-you-out-of-this-at-least-artemis/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [“ It's now or never , thought Otto. Now, now! thought Witmeyer. And so Ram kissed Thundercat, and suddenly neither bed of roses nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/it-s-now-or-never-thought-otto-now-now-thought-witmeyer-and-so-ram/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) [Explore all 371 Eoin Colfer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) ## More Corpse quotes > [“WORDS ARE TEETH. AND THEY EAT ME ALIVE. FEED ON MY CORPSE INSTEAD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/words-are-teeth-and-they-eat-me-alive-feed-on-my-corpse-instead/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [ René of Anjou \[(1409-80)\] painted a picture of his mistress's corpse as he found it eaten by worms on having it \[her tomb\] openedon… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-walpole/ren-of-anjou-1409-80-painted-a-picture-of-his-mistress-s-corpse-as-he/) [Horace Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-walpole/) > [“such is their image of man’s nature: the battleground of a struggle between a corpse and a ghost,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/such-is-their-image-of-man-s-nature-the-battleground-of-a-struggle/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“She was dry, dry inside like a ten-thousand-year-old tomb, with the last of her life barely dampening the dirt underneath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-rosenfield/she-was-dry-dry-inside-like-a-ten-thousand-year-old-tomb-with-the/) [Kat Rosenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-rosenfield/) > [The government increasingly resembles somebody who is trying to give the kiss of life to a corpse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/the-government-increasingly-resembles-somebody-who-is-trying-to-give/) [Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/) > [I never change, I'm like a corpse in a coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole/i-never-change-i-m-like-a-corpse-in-a-coffin/) [J Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole/) > [“You and I are victims of the same disease. We're fighting the same war, just different battles in different theaters, and it's way too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/you-and-i-are-victims-of-the-same-disease-we-re-fighting-the-same-war/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [Alas, poor Yorick! How surprised he would be to see how his counterpart of today is whisked off to a funeral parlor and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mitford/alas-poor-yorick-how-surprised-he-would-be-to-see-how-his-counterpart/) [Jessica Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mitford/) > [Well, my friend, this earth will one day be that cold corpse; it will become uninhabitable and uninhabited like the moon, which has long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/well-my-friend-this-earth-will-one-day-be-that-cold-corpse-it-will/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [“Bagpipe Music' It's no go the merrygoround, it's no go the rickshaw, All we want is a limousine and a ticket for the peepshow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-macneice/bagpipe-music-it-s-no-go-the-merrygoround-it-s-no-go-the-rickshaw-all/) [Louis MacNeice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-macneice/) > [“Now, feel free to call me what I am-call me a corpse, call me dead, call me a killer if you want. I've killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia-habel/now-feel-free-to-call-me-what-i-am-call-me-a-corpse-call-me-dead-call/) [Lia Habel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia-habel/) > [“I’ve heard that sometimes a version of you must die before another more enlightened version can be born. I think that’s true after watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-flygare/i-ve-heard-that-sometimes-a-version-of-you-must-die-before-another/) [Julie Flygare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-flygare/) > [“In some warped way, having an embalmed body with us made perfect sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/in-some-warped-way-having-an-embalmed-body-with-us-made-perfect-sense/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [Memory heaps dead leaves on corpse-like deeds, from under which they do but vaguely offend the sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/memory-heaps-dead-leaves-on-corpse-like-deeds-from-under-which-they/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) [Browse all 240 Corpse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Today he became a killer, or else a corpse.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eoin Colfer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corpse/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Corpse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corpse/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/eoin-colfer-736_corpse_today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corps_1323873.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Today he became a killer, or else a corpse.” — Eoin Colfer", "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": "Eoin Colfer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Today he became a killer, or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corpse/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/today-he-became-a-killer-or-else-a-corpse/#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 } } ] } ```