--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He lights a cigarette off a candle. These…" description: "\"“He lights a cigarette off a candle. These death-tubes, these little crutches or fuses: useful for getting through all sorts of things you don't want t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/garth-risk-hallberg-7516_candle_he-lights-a-cigarette-off-a-candle-these_144618.jpg" --- # He lights a cigarette off a candle. These death-tubes… ![“He lights a cigarette off a candle. These death-tubes, these little crutches or fuses: useful for getting through all sorts of things you don't want to get through.” quote by Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/garth-risk-hallberg-7516_candle_he-lights-a-cigarette-off-a-candle-these_144618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/garth-risk-hallberg-7516_candle_he-lights-a-cigarette-off-a-candle-these_144618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a9/garth-risk-hallberg-7516_candle_he-lights-a-cigarette-off-a-candle-these_144618.jpg) > ““He lights a cigarette off a candle. These death-tubes, these little crutches or fuses: useful for getting through all sorts of things you don't want to get through.”” [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A cigarette lit by a candle illustrates how harmful habits become crutches that help us endure unwanted tasks. **In simple terms:** Bad habits act as tools for coping with unpleasant duties. Key Takeaway Recognize and replace harmful coping mechanisms. Themes addiction coping danger habit survival Mood cautious reflective Type advice health When to use this quote - Stress management - daily routines - health decisions Key Concepts Psychology health self‑care Questions to Reflect On - What “crutches” do you rely on? - Can you find healthier alternatives? A Different Perspective Reliance on harmful tools can cause long‑term damage. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candle/) [Candle Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candle-death-1625230/) [Cigarette Candle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette-candle-1625229/) [Cigarettes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarettes/) [City-on-fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city-on-fire/) [Coping-mechanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coping-mechanism/) [Crutches Fuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crutches-fuses-1625231/) [Death Tubes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-tubes-1625232/) [Garth-risk-hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garth-risk-hallberg/) [Lights Cigarette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lights-cigarette-1625228/) [Smoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoking/) ## Related quotes > [I was only kidding about the hundred," she says. oh," I say, "what will it cost me?" she lights her cigarette with my lighter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-only-kidding-about-the-hundred-she-says-oh-i-say-what-will-it/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Jim lights a cigarette and leans indolently back on his elbow smiling at Laura with a warmth and charm which lights her inwardly with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/jim-lights-a-cigarette-and-leans-indolently-back-on-his-elbow-smiling/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [“More panic. 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Ronald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-d-ronald/) > [“You might imagine that a person would resort to self-mutilation only under extremes of duress, but once I'd crossed that line the first time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kettlewell/you-might-imagine-that-a-person-would-resort-to-self-mutilation-only/) [Caroline Kettlewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kettlewell/) > [“When you wake up today to realize that the problem is still there, do not go back to sleep and do not cry. Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/when-you-wake-up-today-to-realize-that-the-problem-is-still-there-do/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [“If feeling yourself up had been an Olympic event, I'd have taken home the gold medal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-diehl/if-feeling-yourself-up-had-been-an-olympic-event-i-d-have-taken-home/) [Beverly Diehl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-diehl/) ## More by Garth Risk Hallberg > [“Despite which, Charlie seems doomed to stumble around in the dark, clutching pieces of a puzzle he still can't see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/despite-which-charlie-seems-doomed-to-stumble-around-in-the-dark/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [“He’d wanted it to be about losing, about the things we’re born into loving and then lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/he-d-wanted-it-to-be-about-losing-about-the-things-we-re-born-into/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [“Though what could anyone really say these days with one hundred percent certainty?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/though-what-could-anyone-really-say-these-days-with-one-hundred/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [“Detonations crash in from nearby like walls she's a void at the center of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/detonations-crash-in-from-nearby-like-walls-she-s-a-void-at-the/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [“Because if every moment of a life is present in every other, so is every old self you've ever tried to outrun. 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Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Two ways to be a light for all, is to be a flaming candle or the mirror that reflects it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/two-ways-to-be-a-light-for-all-is-to-be-a-flaming-candle-or-the/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [“Some will see your flame and want to blow it out...others will approach with a candle...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenita-vangellis/some-will-see-your-flame-and-want-to-blow-it-out-others-will-approach/) [Lenita Vangellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenita-vangellis/) > [So here I sit in the early candle-light of old age-I and my book-casting backward glances over out travel'd road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/so-here-i-sit-in-the-early-candle-light-of-old-age-i-and-my-book/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I was eating beans by candle light for a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-andre/i-was-eating-beans-by-candle-light-for-a-decade/) [Eric Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-andre/) > [The stars begin to fade like guttering candles and are snuffed out one by one. 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