--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was times like these when I thought my…" description: "\"It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.\" — Harper Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg" --- # It was times like these when I thought my father, who… ![“It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.” quote by Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg) > “It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.” [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man who avoids war yet despises guns can embody profound courage, showing bravery through conviction rather than combat. **In simple terms:** Non‑combatants can be the bravest. Key Takeaway Value moral courage over physical force. Themes courage family principles Mood respectful inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - parent‑child dynamics - war discussions - ethical debates Key Concepts ethical integrity personal conviction Questions to Reflect On - How do you define true bravery? - What does courage look like in everyday life? A Different Perspective Society often equates bravery with violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The bravest man in the universe Is the one who has forgiven first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-womack/the-bravest-man-in-the-universe-is-the-one-who-has-forgiven-first/) [Bobby Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-womack/) > [In this world, the greatest courage is to drop the mind aside. The bravest man is who can see the world without the barrier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/in-this-world-the-greatest-courage-is-to-drop-the-mind-aside-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The bravest man may walk on fire. The wisest man may walk with prestige. The fearless man may walk where no steps have walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bravest-man-may-walk-on-fire-the-wisest-man-may-walk-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [but the bravest man among us is afraid of himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/but-the-bravest-man-among-us-is-afraid-of-himself/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [My father hated radio and could not wait for television to be invented so he could hate that too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-de-vries/my-father-hated-radio-and-could-not-wait-for-television-to-be/) [Peter De Vries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-de-vries/) > [“I believe that if one man were to live out his life fully and completely, were to give form to every feeling, expression to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-believe-that-if-one-man-were-to-live-out-his-life-fully-and-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The bravest man feels an anxiety 'circa praecordia' as he enters the battle; but he dreads disgrace yet more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/the-bravest-man-feels-an-anxiety-circa-praecordia-as-he-enters-the/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [“I knew your father. I hated him." "That surprises me your Majesty." Loki smiled broadly at her. "My father was a stone-cold jerk. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/i-knew-your-father-i-hated-him-that-surprises-me-your-majesty-loki/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [My mom loved rock 'n roll. My father hated it. We couldn't play it when he was around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-mom-loved-rock-n-roll-my-father-hated-it-we-couldn-t-play-it-when/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [“The question that arises is this: had father hated the people on the ship, just as she now hates the motorcyclist and the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-question-that-arises-is-this-had-father-hated-the-people-on-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I resemble the father I once hated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-de-st-phalle/i-resemble-the-father-i-once-hated/) [Niki de St. Phalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-de-st-phalle/) > [My father hated rock and roll - hated it. My first real argument with my father was over the Rolling Stones. And he never,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/my-father-hated-rock-and-roll-hated-it-my-first-real-argument-with-my/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [I always thought my father hated his job so much, but I was wrong. He loved being with his friends and comrades, and also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robson-green/i-always-thought-my-father-hated-his-job-so-much-but-i-was-wrong-he/) [Robson Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robson-green/) > [My decision to become a lawyer was irrevocably sealed when I realized my father hated the legal profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/my-decision-to-become-a-lawyer-was-irrevocably-sealed-when-i-realized/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [“My father hated people who preached about morality. We're all good when it suits us, he used to say: that doesn't count. It's when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/my-father-hated-people-who-preached-about-morality-we-re-all-good/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## More by Harper Lee > [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/that-proves-something-that-a-gang-of-wild-animals-can-be-stopped/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “...\[Summer\] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape...” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/summer-was-a-thousand-colors-in-a-parched-landscape/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-s-never-an-insult-to-be-called-what-somebody-thinks-is-a-bad-name/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin' after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wonder-how-much-of-the-day-i-spend-just-callin-after-you/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence that the crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/to-begin-with-this-case-should-never-have-come-to-trial-the-state-has/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Naw, Jem. I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks." Jen turned and punched his pillow. WHen he settle back his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/naw-jem-i-think-that-there-is-just-one-kind-of-folks-folks-jen-turned/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The course of English Literature would have been decidedly different had Mr. Wordsworth owned a power mower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-course-of-english-literature-would-have-been-decidedly-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I would like to be the chronicler of something that I think is going down the drain very swiftly, and that is small-town, middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-would-like-to-be-the-chronicler-of-something-that-i-think-is-going/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-gum-looked-fresh-i-sniffed-it-and-it-smelled-all-right-i-licked/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I just thought you'd like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin' I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-just-thought-you-d-like-to-know-i-can-read-you-got-anything-needs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) [Explore all 494 Harper Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More Bravery quotes > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [“How could we explain that standing on a stage and speaking someone else's words as if they are your own is less an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-rio/how-could-we-explain-that-standing-on-a-stage-and-speaking-someone/) [M.L. Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-rio/) > [There are those that say, if you do the uncomfortable thing long enough, it will become comfortable. But we are really not encouragers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/there-are-those-that-say-if-you-do-the-uncomfortable-thing-long/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Courage is the skill of being the only one who knows your scared to death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-the-skill-of-being-the-only-one-who-knows-your-scared-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Fearing our confrontations is one thing... facing them unarmed is a completely different matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer-2/fearing-our-confrontations-is-one-thing-facing-them-unarmed-is-a/) [Mark W. Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer-2/) > [Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bravery-is-the-capacity-to-perform-properly-even-when-scared-half-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Every person has the power to change their fate if they are brave enough to fight for what they desire more than anything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/every-person-has-the-power-to-change-their-fate-if-they-are-brave/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [All the world's bravery that delights our eyes is but thy several liveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cowley/all-the-world-s-bravery-that-delights-our-eyes-is-but-thy-several/) [Abraham Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cowley/) > [“We were taught to be good, and we were taught to be careful. But in this world, sometimes, I do not think we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-bennett/we-were-taught-to-be-good-and-we-were-taught-to-be-careful-but-in/) Marguerite Bennett > [Fortune helps the brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence/fortune-helps-the-brave/) [Terence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence/) > [“A ‘good’ father will tenderly cultivate his children. But a ‘good’ father who is also a ‘brave’ father will let the children without cultivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/a-good-father-will-tenderly-cultivate-his-children-but-a-good-father/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [These are the men who, without virtue, labour, or hazard, are growing rich, as their country is impoverished; they rejoice, when obstinacy or ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/these-are-the-men-who-without-virtue-labour-or-hazard-are-growing/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Now I have the bravery to do fine things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-sabatini/now-i-have-the-bravery-to-do-fine-things/) [Gabriela Sabatini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-sabatini/) [Browse all 1,663 Bravery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harper Lee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-my-father-who-hated-guns-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bravery" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-my-father-who-hated-guns-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/805/harper-lee-451_bravery_it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-m_2647771.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the…” — Harper Lee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harper Lee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It was times like these when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-my-father-who-hated-guns-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-was-times-like-these-when-i-thought-my-father-who-hated-guns-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```