--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He it is still and yet it is not he any…" description: "\"“He it is still and yet it is not he any longer. His features have become uncertain and faint, like a photographic plate from which two pictures have b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/965/erich-maria-remarque-568_quote_he-it-is-still-and-yet-it-is-not-he-any_1214923.jpg" --- # He it is still and yet it is not he any longer. His… ![“He it is still and yet it is not he any longer. His features have become uncertain and faint, like a photographic plate from which two pictures have been taken. Even his voice sounds like ashes.” quote by Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/965/erich-maria-remarque-568_quote_he-it-is-still-and-yet-it-is-not-he-any_1214923.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/965/erich-maria-remarque-568_quote_he-it-is-still-and-yet-it-is-not-he-any_1214923.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/965/erich-maria-remarque-568_quote_he-it-is-still-and-yet-it-is-not-he-any_1214923.jpg) > ““He it is still and yet it is not he any longer. His features have become uncertain and faint, like a photographic plate from which two pictures have been taken. Even his voice sounds like ashes.”” [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A soldier feels his identity dissolve after trauma, becoming a vague, hollow echo of his former self. **In simple terms:** He feels empty and uncertain after war. Key Takeaway Acknowledge loss and seek healing. Themes identity trauma war memory Mood melancholy reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - veteran counseling - support groups - personal reflection - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism psychological decay post‑war alienation Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when you are losing yourself? - What steps can help you reclaim a sense of identity? A Different Perspective Healing takes time and may not fully restore the original self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) ## Related quotes > [There is nothing quite like an Ashes trip Down Under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/there-is-nothing-quite-like-an-ashes-trip-down-under/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [“From that day on, the school was closed, and without school, life is like ashes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabio-geda/from-that-day-on-the-school-was-closed-and-without-school-life-is/) [Fabio Geda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabio-geda/) > [When the race is ended, and the play is either won or lost, and ye are in the utmost circle and border of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-rutherford/when-the-race-is-ended-and-the-play-is-either-won-or-lost-and-ye-are/) [Samuel Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-rutherford/) > [“Regrets were ugly, but they scattered like ashes soon enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-mckenna/regrets-were-ugly-but-they-scattered-like-ashes-soon-enough/) [Cara McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-mckenna/) > [“where do dreams after they die? Do they scatter like ashes or live another life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasey-jones/where-do-dreams-after-they-die-do-they-scatter-like-ashes-or-live/) Kasey Jones > [“. . . Like ashes of gold in a cinnamon-flame, My youthful desires have been burnt with the years– And tonight in the chilling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haoran-meng/like-ashes-of-gold-in-a-cinnamon-flame-my-youthful-desires-have-been/) Haoran Meng > [Fashion is like the ashes left behind by the uniquely shaped flames of the fire, the trace alone revealing that a fire actually took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-de-man/fashion-is-like-the-ashes-left-behind-by-the-uniquely-shaped-flames/) [Paul de Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-de-man/) > [I don't mind a bit of cricket, but it has to be something massive like the Ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/i-don-t-mind-a-bit-of-cricket-but-it-has-to-be-something-massive-like/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [“The memories were like ashes. No fire. Not even a spark. No other sex in my life had touched this level of eroticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-pierce/the-memories-were-like-ashes-no-fire-not-even-a-spark-no-other-sex-in/) [M. Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-pierce/) > [“The mist was like a faint perfume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/the-mist-was-like-a-faint-perfume/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“Okay, stand outa the way. Sometimes when I go to exertin' myself I use up all the air nearby and grown men faint from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/okay-stand-outa-the-way-sometimes-when-i-go-to-exertin-myself-i-use/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When death claim me, no doubt I would walk along by that faint light in the brief instant before being flung once again into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-death-claim-me-no-doubt-i-would-walk-along-by-that-faint-light/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [The same faint song is heard in everything: "Behold yourself".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-same-faint-song-is-heard-in-everything-behold-yourself/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Neither faint nor fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/neither-faint-nor-fear/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) ## More by Erich Maria Remarque > [There was only the broad square with the scattered dim moons of the street lamps and with the monumental stone arch which receded into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/there-was-only-the-broad-square-with-the-scattered-dim-moons-of-the/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom. But the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/the-idea-of-authority-which-they-represented-was-associated-in-our/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“It was a long time since I had been in a theatre. And I would not have come now had Pat not wanted it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/it-was-a-long-time-since-i-had-been-in-a-theatre-and-i-would-not-have/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“Besides,” continued Gottfried, “you’re coming now to the time when the difference between a bourgeois and a cavalier begins to show. A bourgeois always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/besides-continued-gottfried-you-re-coming-now-to-the-time-when-the/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“They are wearing new uniforms and greatcoats; their boots are water-tight and fit well; their rifles are good and their pouches full of ammunition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/they-are-wearing-new-uniforms-and-greatcoats-their-boots-are-water/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“Shortly after the war Valentin had come into a little money, and had been drinking it ever since. He considered it his duty to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/shortly-after-the-war-valentin-had-come-into-a-little-money-and-had/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“A man has to have something he can put faith in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/a-man-has-to-have-something-he-can-put-faith-in/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“It is very queer that the unhappiness of the world is so often brought on by small men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/it-is-very-queer-that-the-unhappiness-of-the-world-is-so-often/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [I, too, am going to go away soon,' she says, 'I am weary and weary of my weariness. Everything is beginning to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/i-too-am-going-to-go-away-soon-she-says-i-am-weary-and-weary-of-my/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“One is never too young. Only always too old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/one-is-never-too-young-only-always-too-old/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [You take it from me, we are losing the war because we can salute too well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/you-take-it-from-me-we-are-losing-the-war-because-we-can-salute-too/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“It keeps them going, staves off the evil day when they will be alone. And to be alone, really alone, without illusion, that way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/it-keeps-them-going-staves-off-the-evil-day-when-they-will-be-alone/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“Suddenly he knew all the things he should have said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/suddenly-he-knew-all-the-things-he-should-have-said/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“To hell with it. What was the use trying to make safe and sure our little life? Sooner or later the great wave must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/to-hell-with-it-what-was-the-use-trying-to-make-safe-and-sure-our/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“I glance at my boots. They are big and clumsy, the breeches are tucked into them, and standing up one looks well-built and powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/i-glance-at-my-boots-they-are-big-and-clumsy-the-breeches-are-tucked/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) [Explore all 360 Erich Maria Remarque quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) ## More Ashes quotes > [You can flush my ashes down the toilet, for all I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-flush-my-ashes-down-the-toilet-for-all-i-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter-not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to have a gravestone. I want to have all my friends burn me and then snort the ashes. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-don-t-want-to-have-a-gravestone-i-want-to-have-all-my-friends-burn/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [He said that he will never let you cry,he will always be there for you no matter how hard the situation is,that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhra/he-said-that-he-will-never-let-you-cry-he-will-always-be-there-for/) Zhra > [“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-past-is-to-be-learned-from-but-not-lived-in-we-look-back-to-claim/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [When any civilization is dust and ashes," he said, "art is all that's left over. Images, words, music. Imaginative structures. Meaning—human meaning, that is—is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-any-civilization-is-dust-and-ashes-he-said-art-is-all-that-s/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There is nothing quite like an Ashes trip Down Under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/there-is-nothing-quite-like-an-ashes-trip-down-under/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [I think momentum is huge in sport, especially in a series like the Ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stokes/i-think-momentum-is-huge-in-sport-especially-in-a-series-like-the/) [Ben Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stokes/) > [Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/mark-how-fleeting-and-paltry-is-the-estate-of-man-yesterday-in-embryo/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“When you burn a bridge, you have to be prepared to live with some ashes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coppernoll/when-you-burn-a-bridge-you-have-to-be-prepared-to-live-with-some-ashes/) [Chris Coppernoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coppernoll/) > [I would rather be ashes than dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/i-would-rather-be-ashes-than-dust/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) [Browse all 900 Ashes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He it is still and yet it is not he any longer. 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