--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pity the man who has a character to…" description: "\"Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor indeed.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg" --- # Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse… ![“Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor indeed.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg) > “Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor indeed.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person with a strong moral character may feel isolated and poorer than those with many relatives, despite societal expectations. **In simple terms:** Having integrity can feel lonely compared to having many family ties. Key Takeaway Value character over quantity of relationships. Themes integrity loneliness family social expectations poverty Mood reflective somber thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - career decisions - community involvement - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts philosophy ethics social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is it better to be virtuous or socially connected? - How can one cultivate both character and community? A Different Perspective Character alone may not provide material support or social safety nets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Large family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-family/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pity/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [We falsely attribute to men a determined character - putting together all their yesterdays - and averaging them - we presume we know them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-falsely-attribute-to-men-a-determined-character-putting-together/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [So many of you have lost everything. I do not know what to tell you. But surely he knows what to tell you! So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/so-many-of-you-have-lost-everything-i-do-not-know-what-to-tell-you/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [but very little achievement is required in order to pity another man's shortcomings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/but-very-little-achievement-is-required-in-order-to-pity-another-man/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and cry, 'Tis all barren--and so it is; and so is all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/i-pity-the-man-who-can-travel-from-dan-to-beersheba-and-cry-tis-all/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [“Daniel had one more question. He hated asking it, but her answer would be exceedingly important to him. The knot in his throat had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-bailey/daniel-had-one-more-question-he-hated-asking-it-but-her-answer-would/) [Tessa Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-bailey/) > [I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-don-t-pity-any-man-who-does-hard-work-worth-doing-i-admire-him-i/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is noble to pity a man who is cruel because he is weak, but it is idiotic and dangerous to allow him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-horsley/it-is-noble-to-pity-a-man-who-is-cruel-because-he-is-weak-but-it-is/) [Kate Horsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-horsley/) > [Pity the man who has a favorite restaurant, but not a favorite author.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/pity-the-man-who-has-a-favorite-restaurant-but-not-a-favorite-author/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [God pity the man of science who believes in nothing but what he can prove by scientific methods; for if ever a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-holland/god-pity-the-man-of-science-who-believes-in-nothing-but-what-he-can/) [J. G. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-holland/) > [“I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and cry, ‘Tis all barren—and so it is; and so is all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/i-pity-the-man-who-can-travel-from-dan-to-beersheba-and-cry-tis-all-2/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [If a man is tongue-tied, don't laugh at him, but, rather, feel pity for him, as you would for a man with broken legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cahan/if-a-man-is-tongue-tied-don-t-laugh-at-him-but-rather-feel-pity-for/) [Abraham Cahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cahan/) > [I have always had a slight feeling of pity for man who has no knowledge of chess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/i-have-always-had-a-slight-feeling-of-pity-for-man-who-has-no/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [There is no pity for a man who moans about living in one town and does not move to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-talmud/there-is-no-pity-for-a-man-who-moans-about-living-in-one-town-and/) [The Talmud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-talmud/) > [“People are wrong when they think that an unemployed man only worries about losing his wages; on the contrary, an illiterate man, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/people-are-wrong-when-they-think-that-an-unemployed-man-only-worries/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth will starve in the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-harrison/i-pity-the-man-who-wants-a-coat-so-cheap-that-the-man-or-woman-who/) [Benjamin Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-harrison/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor indeed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-support-it-is-worse-than-a-large/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-support-it-is-worse-than-a-large/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/henry-david-thoreau-20_character_pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-supp_907872.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor indeed.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Pity the man who has a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-support-it-is-worse-than-a-large/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/pity-the-man-who-has-a-character-to-support-it-is-worse-than-a-large/#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 } } ] } ```