Dead man Quote by Erich Maria Remarque
““This dead man is bound up with my life, therefore I must do everything, promise everything in order to save myself; I swear blindly that I mean to live only for his sake and his family, with wet lips I try to placate him--and deep down in me lies the hope that I may buy myself off in this way and perhaps even get out of this; it is a little stratagem: if only I am allowed to escape, then I will see to it. So I open the book and read slowly:--Gerard Duval, compositor. With the dead man's pencil write the address on an envelope, then swiftly thrust everything back into his tunic. I have killed the printer, Gerard Duval. I must be a printer, I think confusedly, be a printer, printer...””
About This Quote
Source Novel: All Quiet on the Western Front, 1929 (paraphrased excerpt)
A narrator feels compelled to sacrifice everything for a dead man, hoping it will free him, revealing desperation and self‑deception.
In simple terms: Desperation leads to self‑sacrifice for redemption.
Key Takeaway
Recognize unhealthy self‑sacrifice motives.
Themes
guilt
redemption
self‑deception
war trauma
Mood
somber
introspective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- war zones
- personal crises
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
Sacrifice
identity
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives someone to sacrifice for the dead?
- Can self‑sacrifice ever be healthy?
A Different Perspective
The logic is flawed; sacrifice may not bring freedom.
