Death Quote by Ernest Hemingway
““This was the greatest gift that he had, the talent that fitted him for war; that ability not to ignore but to despise whatever bad ending there could be. This quality was destroyed by too much responsibility for others or the necessity of undertaking something ill planned or badly conceived. For in such things the bad ending, failure, could not be ignored. It was not simply a possibility of harm to one's self, which could be ignored. He knew he himself was nothing, and he knew death was nothing. He knew that truly, as truly as he knew anything. In the last few days he had learned that he himself, with another person, could be everything. But inside himself he knew that this was the exception. That we have had, he thought. In that I have been most fortunate. That was given to me, perhaps, because I never asked for it. That cannot be taken away nor lost. But that is over and done with now on this morning and what there is to do now is our work.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, 1926
A character wrestles with the tension between personal talent for war and the burden of responsibility, recognizing both the limits and possibilities of self‑identity.
In simple terms: War talent clashes with duty and self‑knowledge.
Balance skill with responsibility.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- military service
- leadership roles
- ethical dilemmas
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities define you?
- Can talent exist without purpose?
The view may romanticize war.