---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On a ruinous wall I came upon a poster…"
description: "\"On a ruinous wall I came upon a poster dating from the previous year and announcing that ‘six handsome bulls’ would be killed in the arena on such and ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/george-orwell-57_all-the-best_on-a-ruinous-wall-i-came-upon-a-poster-d_137021.jpg"
---

#  On a ruinous wall I came upon a poster dating from the…

![“On a ruinous wall I came upon a poster dating from the previous year and announcing that ‘six handsome bulls’ would be killed in the arena on such and such a date. How forlorn its faded colours looked. Where were the handsome bulls and the handsome bull-fighters now? It appeared that even in…” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/george-orwell-57_all-the-best_on-a-ruinous-wall-i-came-upon-a-poster-d_137021.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/george-orwell-57_all-the-best_on-a-ruinous-wall-i-came-upon-a-poster-d_137021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/george-orwell-57_all-the-best_on-a-ruinous-wall-i-came-upon-a-poster-d_137021.jpg)

> “On a ruinous wall I came upon a poster dating from the previous year and announcing that ‘six handsome bulls’ would be killed in the arena on such and such a date. How forlorn its faded colours looked. Where were the handsome bulls and the handsome bull-fighters now? It appeared that even in Barcelona there were hardly any bullfights nowadays - for some reason all the best matadors were Fascists.”

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote reflects on the loss of tradition and the disappearance of cultural spectacles, using bullfighting as a metaphor for broader societal change and the fading of heroic figures.

**In simple terms:** Traditions fade and heroes disappear.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and preserve cultural heritage.

Themes

culture tradition change politics nostalgia

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

observational philosophical

When to use this quote

- urban observation
- historical reflection
- political analysis

Key Concepts

symbolism historical critique social commentary

Questions to Reflect On

- What cultural practices are disappearing today?
- How can we balance progress with tradition?

A Different Perspective

Modern societies may prioritize different values, leading to loss of certain customs.

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[Barcelona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barcelona/) [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Dating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dating/) [Fascists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascists/) [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Forlorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forlorn/) [Matadors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matadors/) [Previous years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/previous-years/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/)

## Related quotes

> [“It appeared that even in Barcelona there were hardly any bullfights nowadays; for some reason all the best matadors were Fascists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/it-appeared-that-even-in-barcelona-there-were-hardly-any-bullfights/)

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