Ernest-hemingway Quote by Ernest Hemingway
““I hope I am not for the killing, Anselmo was thinking. I think that after the war there will have to be some great penance done for the killing. If we no longer have religion after the war then I think there must be some form of civic penance organized that all may be cleansed from the killing or else we will never have a true and human basis for living. The killing is necessary, I know, but still the doing of it is very bad for a man and I think that, after all this is over and we have won the war, there must be a penance of some kind for the cleansing of us all.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, 1940
War inflicts deep moral wounds; after conflict, societies need collective rituals to heal guilt and restore humanity.
In simple terms: War leaves guilt; we need shared healing.
Key Takeaway
Create communal rites to process trauma.
Themes
war
guilt
healing
morality
society
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- veterans returning home
- national truth ceremonies
- community therapy groups
- peacebuilding initiatives
Key Concepts
collective penance
post‑war reconciliation
psychological cleansing
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance individual and collective responsibility after war?
- What forms of penance foster genuine reconciliation?
A Different Perspective
Healing rituals may not fully erase personal trauma and can be politicized.
