---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bad enough when the dead come walking,\"he…"
description: "\"“Bad enough when the dead come walking,\"he said (Dolorous Edd) to Jon, \"now the Old Bear wants them talking as well? No good will come of that, I'll wa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/george-r-r-martin-48_dead-people_bad-enough-when-the-dead-come-walking-he_303631.jpg"
---

#  Bad enough when the dead come walking,"he said (Dolorous…

![“Bad enough when the dead come walking,&quot;he said (Dolorous Edd) to Jon, &quot;now the Old Bear wants them talking as well? No good will come of that, I'll warrant. And who's to say the bones wouldn't lie? Why should death make a man truthful, or even clever? The dead are likely dull fellows, full of…” quote by George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/george-r-r-martin-48_dead-people_bad-enough-when-the-dead-come-walking-he_303631.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/george-r-r-martin-48_dead-people_bad-enough-when-the-dead-come-walking-he_303631.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/george-r-r-martin-48_dead-people_bad-enough-when-the-dead-come-walking-he_303631.jpg)

> ““Bad enough when the dead come walking,"he said (Dolorous Edd) to Jon, "now the Old Bear wants them talking as well? No good will come of that, I'll warrant. And who's to say the bones wouldn't lie? Why should death make a man truthful, or even clever? The dead are likely dull fellows, full of tedious complaints-the ground's too cold, my gravestone should be larger, why does he get more worms than I do. . . .””

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

## 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 idea that death does not guarantee honesty or wisdom, and that the dead may be as petty and self‑absorbed as the living.

**In simple terms:** Death doesn’t make people truthful or smart.

Key Takeaway

Don’t assume the dead are wiser.

Themes

mortality truth human nature skepticism

Mood

cynical reflective darkly humorous

Type

literary philosophical humorous

When to use this quote

- grief counseling
- creative writing
- philosophical debate
- historical analysis

Key Concepts

existentialism irony humor

Questions to Reflect On

- What assumptions do we make about the dead’s honesty?
- How does humor affect our perception of mortality?

A Different Perspective

The speaker’s sarcasm may downplay genuine sorrow or the value of remembering the dead.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bones Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bones-wouldn-2895529/) [Cold Gravestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-gravestone-2895531/) [Dead Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-come-1141014/) [Dead people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-people/) [Lie Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lie-death-745496/) [Say Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-bones-2895530/)

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