Death Quote by Ernest Hemingway
““Thou askest me to take things seriously? After what thou didst last night? When thou needest to kill a man and instead did what you did? You were supposed to kill one, not make one! When we have just seen the sky full of airplanes of a quantity to kill us back to our grandfathers and forward to all unborn grandsons including all cats, goats and bedbugs. Airplanes making a noise to curdle the milk in your mother's breasts as they pass over darkening the sky and roaring like lions and you ask me to take things seriously. I take them too seriously already.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Farewell to Arms, 1929
The speaker mocks the demand for seriousness amid absurd, chaotic war and existential threats, highlighting the futility of earnestness in a world of absurdity.
In simple terms: Seriousness feels absurd in chaotic war.
Key Takeaway
Embrace absurdity, question expectations.
Themes
war
absurdity
existential
humor
critique
Mood
cynical
reflective
darkly humorous
Type
literary
philosophical
satirical
When to use this quote
- battlefields
- political satire
- personal reflection
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
existentialism
absurdist literature
war trauma
Questions to Reflect On
- How does absurdity affect your perception of conflict?
- When is seriousness appropriate?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize war’s chaos, ignoring real suffering.
