--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting…" description: "\"“And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting, juggling with dismal thoughts— I, too, was In the way . Fortunately, I didn’t feel it, although I realized it, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png" --- # And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting, juggling with… ![“And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting, juggling with dismal thoughts— I, too, was In the way . Fortunately, I didn’t feel it, although I realized it, but I was uncomfortable because I was afraid of feeling it (even now I am afraid— afraid that it might catch me behind my head and lift me up like a…” quote by Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png) > ““And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting, juggling with dismal thoughts— I, too, was In the way . Fortunately, I didn’t feel it, although I realized it, but I was uncomfortable because I was afraid of feeling it (even now I am afraid— afraid that it might catch me behind my head and lift me up like a wave). I dreamed vaguely of killing myself to wipe out at least one of these superfluous lives. But even my death would have been In the way . In the way , my corpse, my blood on these stones, between these plants, at the back of this smiling garden. And the decomposed flesh would have been In the way in the earth which would receive my bones, at last, cleaned, stripped, peeled, proper and clean as teeth, it would have been In the way : I was In the way for eternity.”” [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Existence feels burdensome; the self perceives itself as an obstacle, leading to despair and thoughts of death. **In simple terms:** Life can feel like a heavy burden, causing dread. Key Takeaway Seek meaning beyond self‑imposed obstacles. Themes existential angst self‑obstruction despair death thoughts Mood philosophical introspective Type existential psychological When to use this quote - therapy - creative writing - philosophical study - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism absurdity psychological introspection Questions to Reflect On - What does “being in the way” mean for you? - How can you transform self‑obstruction into growth? A Different Perspective Risk of nihilism if not balanced with purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Decomposed Flesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decomposed-flesh-488135/) [Dreamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamed/) [Dreamed Vaguely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamed-vaguely-488133/) [Flesh Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flesh-way-1338507/) [Killing myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-myself/) [Way Corpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-corpse-488134/) ## Related quotes > [“I dreamed vaguely of killing myself to wipe out at least one of these superfluous lives. But even my death would have been In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-dreamed-vaguely-of-killing-myself-to-wipe-out-at-least-one-of-these/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“gentlemen, you are, as i am, in search of a woman who, must have passed this way, for i see a corpse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dumas-alexandre/gentlemen-you-are-as-i-am-in-search-of-a-woman-who-must-have-passed/) [Dumas, Alexandre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dumas-alexandre/) > [Boys mystified me, although I dreamed vaguely of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-kostova/boys-mystified-me-although-i-dreamed-vaguely-of-men/) [Elizabeth Kostova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-kostova/) > [What would it take for me to eat human flesh? If that was the only way to stay alive, I would. I would eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-monaghan/what-would-it-take-for-me-to-eat-human-flesh-if-that-was-the-only-way/) [Dominic Monaghan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-monaghan/) > [“for we are doers of deeds, he and I, and as such lose parts of our flesh along the way, and can only pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndsay-faye/for-we-are-doers-of-deeds-he-and-i-and-as-such-lose-parts-of-our/) [Lyndsay Faye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndsay-faye/) > [“flesh is the way we program our minds and actions to get our God-given needs met apart from Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jaynes/flesh-is-the-way-we-program-our-minds-and-actions-to-get-our-god/) [Sharon Jaynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jaynes/) > [I had dreamed my life for nearly fifty years (I am about to be fifty-nine). But, you see, there are two tones in Les…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-had-dreamed-my-life-for-nearly-fifty-years-i-am-about-to-be-fifty/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“After getting dressed at warp speed, I actually managed to drive all the way to high school before I realized I'd forgotten my morning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/after-getting-dressed-at-warp-speed-i-actually-managed-to-drive-all/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [ \[I\] have fantasies of killing myself and thus being the powerful one not the powerless one. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/i-have-fantasies-of-killing-myself-and-thus-being-the-powerful-one/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [I thought of killing myself but soon decided that I could always try MIT and then kill myself later if it was that bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-gell-mann/i-thought-of-killing-myself-but-soon-decided-that-i-could-always-try/) [Murray Gell-Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-gell-mann/) > [If I died today would you notice? Would you care? Would you weep in despair? Would you wonder at all, If my body hung…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-died-today-would-you-notice-would-you-care-would-you-weep-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Kill myself? Killing myself is the last thing I'd ever do. Now I have a purpose, a reason to live. I don't care who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-castellaneta/kill-myself-killing-myself-is-the-last-thing-i-d-ever-do-now-i-have-a/) [Dan Castellaneta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-castellaneta/) > [I have been a hundred times on the point of killing myself, but still was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/i-have-been-a-hundred-times-on-the-point-of-killing-myself-but-still/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Harry: I supposed getting married wouldn't be any worse than killing myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caryl-churchill/harry-i-supposed-getting-married-wouldn-t-be-any-worse-than-killing/) [Caryl Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caryl-churchill/) > [I can easily cut 10 to 15 pounds without feeling like I'm killing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-jedrzejczyk/i-can-easily-cut-10-to-15-pounds-without-feeling-like-i-m-killing/) [Joanna Jedrzejczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-jedrzejczyk/) ## More by Jean-Paul Sartre > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“she has suddenly emptied herself of me, and all other consciousness in the world has also emptied itself of me. It seems funny. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/she-has-suddenly-emptied-herself-of-me-and-all-other-consciousness-in/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [ \[Stéphane Mallarmé\] theory of the hermetic is a mistake, but he can be only difficult to read when he has difficult things to say. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/st-phane-mallarm-theory-of-the-hermetic-is-a-mistake-but-he-can-be/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [I can always choose, but I ought to know that if I do not choose, I am still choosing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-can-always-choose-but-i-ought-to-know-that-if-i-do-not-choose-i-am/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [When the rich wage war, it's the poor who die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/when-the-rich-wage-war-it-s-the-poor-who-die/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“She smiled. First I lost the memory of her eyes, then the memory of her long body. I kept her smile as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/she-smiled-first-i-lost-the-memory-of-her-eyes-then-the-memory-of-her/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Life is a useless passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/life-is-a-useless-passion/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The more one is absorbed in fighting evil, the less one is tempted to place the good in question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/the-more-one-is-absorbed-in-fighting-evil-the-less-one-is-tempted-to/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [This is what I thought: for the most banal even to become an adventure, you must (and this is enough) begin to recount it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/this-is-what-i-thought-for-the-most-banal-even-to-become-an-adventure/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“I am free: there is absolutely no more reason for living, all the ones I have tried have given way and I can’t imagine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-am-free-there-is-absolutely-no-more-reason-for-living-all-the-ones/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“If I am not mistaken, if all the signs which have been amassed are precursors of a new overthrow in my life, well then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/if-i-am-not-mistaken-if-all-the-signs-which-have-been-amassed-are/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“I want to leave, go to some place where I will be really in my own niche, where I will fit in. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-want-to-leave-go-to-some-place-where-i-will-be-really-in-my-own/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The best work is not what is most difficult for you; it is what you do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/the-best-work-is-not-what-is-most-difficult-for-you-it-is-what-you-do/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) [Explore all 728 Jean-Paul Sartre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting, juggling with dismal thoughts— I, too, was In the way . Fortunately, I didn’t feel it, although I realized it, but I was uncomfortable because I was afraid of feeling it (even now I am afraid— afraid that it might catch me behind my head and lift me up like a wave). I dreamed vaguely of killing myself to wipe out at least one of these superfluous lives. But even my death would have been In the way . In the way , my corpse, my blood on these stones, between these plants, at the back of this smiling garden. And the decomposed flesh would have been In the way in the earth which would receive my bones, at last, cleaned, stripped, peeled, proper and clean as teeth, it would have been In the way : I was In the way for eternity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Paul Sartre" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggling-with-dismal-thoughts-i-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggling-with-dismal-thoughts-i-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce1/jean-paul-sartre-220_death_and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggli_2682503.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting, juggling with dismal thoughts— I, too, was In the way . Fortunately…” — Jean-Paul Sartre", "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": "Jean-Paul Sartre", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And I— soft, weak, obscene, digesting,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggling-with-dismal-thoughts-i-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/and-i-soft-weak-obscene-digesting-juggling-with-dismal-thoughts-i-too/#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 } } ] } ```