--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A decent woman had been murdered because…" description: "\"“A decent woman had been murdered because she could not bring herself to do the same, to kill in order to protect.”\" — Hugh Howey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png" --- # A decent woman had been murdered because she could not… ![“A decent woman had been murdered because she could not bring herself to do the same, to kill in order to protect.” quote by Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png) > ““A decent woman had been murdered because she could not bring herself to do the same, to kill in order to protect.”” [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woman chose not to kill to protect herself, leading to her death, highlighting moral dilemmas of self‑preservation versus violence. **In simple terms:** She died because she refused to kill for protection. Key Takeaway Consider the cost of moral choices. Themes ethics self‑preservation violence Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - war zones - personal safety - ethical decisions Key Concepts moral dilemma consequences Questions to Reflect On - Is non‑violence always the safest path? - When does self‑defense become harmful? A Different Perspective Violence may seem protective but can cause loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decent woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-woman/) [Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill/) [Murdered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murdered/) [Murdered Bring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murdered-bring-490027/) [Woman Murdered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-murdered-490026/) ## Related quotes > [“Did I murder the old woman? I murdered myself, not her! I crushed myself once for all, for ever...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/did-i-murder-the-old-woman-i-murdered-myself-not-her-i-crushed-myself/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Desiree the child bride, and her sister Miranda, had gone grave-robbing for a wedding gown. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/for-a-quick-moment-i-saw-grandma-as-she-saw-herself-a-decent-woman/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“The men drink a third beer, then a fourth, in preparation for the cold trip crosstown. 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She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/you-say-it-and-i-will-do-it-confusion-played-upon-her-face-what-you/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [Are you decent?" a woman's voice called, pushing the door cautiously ajar. "Nay, but we're clothed," Cian purred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/are-you-decent-a-woman-s-voice-called-pushing-the-door-cautiously/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“My mother wasn’t a psychotic criminal. (Kiara) No. I’m sure she was a wonderful lady who loved you dearly. That she held you when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/my-mother-wasn-t-a-psychotic-criminal-kiara-no-i-m-sure-she-was-a/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“How often since then has she wondered what might have happened if she'd tried to remain with him; if she’d returned Richard's kiss on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/how-often-since-then-has-she-wondered-what-might-have-happened-if-she/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) ## More by Hugh Howey > [“the mind-numbing routine. It was the castration of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/the-mind-numbing-routine-it-was-the-castration-of-thought/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [Even in the darkness, his smile threw shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/even-in-the-darkness-his-smile-threw-shadows/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“The Loud came before the quiet. 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Marck gazed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/i-guess-what-i-m-sayin-is-if-you-want-to-give-jules-a-job-be-very/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [One of the many things that surprised me about 'Wool' is how many of its fans don't consider themselves science fiction readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/one-of-the-many-things-that-surprised-me-about-wool-is-how-many-of/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“We have allowed a dangerous forest to grow as we try to guard against individual trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/we-have-allowed-a-dangerous-forest-to-grow-as-we-try-to-guard-against/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“You’re . . . a rock,” I tell the rock. “The fuck I am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/you-re-a-rock-i-tell-the-rock-the-fuck-i-am/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“I hated Sundays as a kid. From the moment I woke up, I could feel Monday looming,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/i-hated-sundays-as-a-kid-from-the-moment-i-woke-up-i-could-feel/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) [Explore all 351 Hugh Howey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) ## More Decent woman quotes > [“How often since then has she wondered what might have happened if she'd tried to remain with him; if she’d returned Richard's kiss on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cunningham/how-often-since-then-has-she-wondered-what-might-have-happened-if-she/) [Michael Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cunningham/) > [“My mother wasn’t a psychotic criminal. (Kiara) No. I’m sure she was a wonderful lady who loved you dearly. 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"I wish I could meet a decent woman."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cady/the-men-drink-a-third-beer-then-a-fourth-in-preparation-for-the-cold/) [Jack Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cady/) > [“For a quick moment, I saw Grandma as she saw herself: a decent woman whom God, for unfathomable reasons, had chosen to punish. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/for-a-quick-moment-i-saw-grandma-as-she-saw-herself-a-decent-woman/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [She looks at herself in the mirror. The idea is to look sexy again. And for whom exactly? Yourself, of course. 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By the time she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/instinctively-she-tried-to-push-him-away-only-to-find-that-he-was-too/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) [Browse all 18 Decent woman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decent-woman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A decent woman had been murdered because she could not bring herself to do the same, to kill in order to protect.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hugh Howey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because-she-could-not-bring-herself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Decent woman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because-she-could-not-bring-herself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/962/hugh-howey-841_decent-woman_a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because_1631699.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A decent woman had been murdered because she could not bring herself to do the same, to kill in order to…” — Hugh Howey", "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": "Hugh Howey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A decent woman had been murdered...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because-she-could-not-bring-herself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-decent-woman-had-been-murdered-because-she-could-not-bring-herself/#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 } } ] } ```