--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the sense of a small courageous community…" description: "\"“the sense of a small courageous community barely existing above the desert of trees, hemmed in by a sun too fierce to work under and a darkness filled..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/graham-greene-441_africa_the-sense-of-a-small-courageous-communit_174510.jpg" --- # the sense of a small courageous community barely existing… ![“the sense of a small courageous community barely existing above the desert of trees, hemmed in by a sun too fierce to work under and a darkness filled with evil spirits - love was an arm round the neck, a cramped embrace in the smoke, wealth a little pile of palm-nuts, old age sores and leprosy…” quote by Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/graham-greene-441_africa_the-sense-of-a-small-courageous-communit_174510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/graham-greene-441_africa_the-sense-of-a-small-courageous-communit_174510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/graham-greene-441_africa_the-sense-of-a-small-courageous-communit_174510.jpg) > ““the sense of a small courageous community barely existing above the desert of trees, hemmed in by a sun too fierce to work under and a darkness filled with evil spirits - love was an arm round the neck, a cramped embrace in the smoke, wealth a little pile of palm-nuts, old age sores and leprosy, religion a few stones in the centre of the village where the dead chiefs lay, a grove of trees where the rice birds, like yellow and green canaries, built their nests, a man in a mask with raffia skirts dancing at burials. This never varied, only their kindness to strangers, the extent of their poverty and the immediacy of their terrors. Their laughter and their happiness seemed the most courageous things in nature”” [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in harsh, oppressive environments, small acts of love and kindness become profound sources of courage and humanity. **In simple terms:** Kindness shines brightest in difficult places. Key Takeaway Seek compassion amidst adversity. Themes humanity resilience community poverty spirituality courage Mood somber hopeful empathetic Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - rural villages - conflict zones - health crises - refugee camps Key Concepts existentialism social critique anthropology Questions to Reflect On - What simple gestures can foster hope? - How does community support mitigate fear? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering and ignore systemic causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courageous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courageous/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Liberia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberia/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) ## Related quotes > [One isn't born with courage. 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People of all ages are very capable of doing tremendous, courageous things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/everyday-there-are-people-in-our-world-that-do-absolutely-amazing/) [Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/) > [One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-most-courageous-things-you-can-do-is-identify-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Much more surprising things can happen to anyone who, when a disagreeable or discouraged thought comes into his mind, just has the sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/much-more-surprising-things-can-happen-to-anyone-who-when-a-2/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [However great a man's fear of life, suicide remains the courageous act, the clear-headed act of a mathematician. The suicide has judged by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/however-great-a-man-s-fear-of-life-suicide-remains-the-courageous-act/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [In Liberia, the big challenge that remains for us is job creation. We want young people to work or go to school. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/in-liberia-the-big-challenge-that-remains-for-us-is-job-creation-we/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [“Patriotism is love of country. But you can't love your country by loving your tribe or party. You can't love your country by putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-johnson-jr/patriotism-is-love-of-country-but-you-can-t-love-your-country-by/) [Henry Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-johnson-jr/) > [The people of Liberia know what it means to be deprived of clean water, but we also know what it means to see our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/the-people-of-liberia-know-what-it-means-to-be-deprived-of-clean/) [Ellen Johnson Sirleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-johnson-sirleaf/) > [“Put an End to "CHILD" Pedophilia in Liberia. Our Boys and Girls must learn, not be taken advantage off, by men/women, perhaps, "SOME" government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-johnson-jr/put-an-end-to-child-pedophilia-in-liberia-our-boys-and-girls-must/) [Henry Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-johnson-jr/) ## More by Graham Greene > [“Time gives poetry to a battlefield...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/time-gives-poetry-to-a-battlefield/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“What is cowardice in the young is wisdom in the old, but all the same one can be ashamed of wisdom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/what-is-cowardice-in-the-young-is-wisdom-in-the-old-but-all-the-same/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Pity is cruel. 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Damn me, I deserve it, but let her live forever.’ This was the love he should have felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/he-said-oh-god-help-her-damn-me-i-deserve-it-but-let-her-live-forever/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“A police photograph is like a passport photograph: the intelligence which casts a veil over the crude common shape is never recorded by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/a-police-photograph-is-like-a-passport-photograph-the-intelligence/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [ “I tossed up whether I'd see \[the critic\] or not: I knew too well the pompous phrases of his article, the buried significance he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/i-tossed-up-whether-i-d-see-the-critic-or-not-i-knew-too-well-the/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Success is more dangerous than failure, the ripples break over a wider coastline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/success-is-more-dangerous-than-failure-the-ripples-break-over-a-wider/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“But we do not love people for what they do for us. Love happens to us; it isn't created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/but-we-do-not-love-people-for-what-they-do-for-us-love-happens-to-us/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) [Explore all 550 Graham Greene quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. 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