--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The last clear definite function of…" description: "\"“The last clear definite function of man—muscles aching to work, minds aching to create beyond the single need—this is man…For man, unlike any other th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/john-steinbeck-71_concept_the-last-clear-definite-function-of-man_2258504.jpg" --- # The last clear definite function of man—muscles aching to… ![“The last clear definite function of man—muscles aching to work, minds aching to create beyond the single need—this is man…For man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments. This you…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/john-steinbeck-71_concept_the-last-clear-definite-function-of-man_2258504.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/john-steinbeck-71_concept_the-last-clear-definite-function-of-man_2258504.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/john-steinbeck-71_concept_the-last-clear-definite-function-of-man_2258504.jpg) > ““The last clear definite function of man—muscles aching to work, minds aching to create beyond the single need—this is man…For man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments. This you may say of man—when theories change and crash, when schools, philosophies, when narrow dark alleys of thought, national, religious, economic, grow and disintegrate, man reaches, stumbles forward, painfully, mistakenly sometimes. Having stepped forward, he may slip back, but only half a step, never the full step back. This you may say and know it and know it. This you may know when the bombs plummet out of the black planes on the market place, when prisoners are stuck like pigs, when the crushed bodies drain filthily in the dust. You may know it in this way. If the step were not being taken, if the stumbling-forward ache were not alive, the bombs would not fall, the throats would not be cut. Fear the time when the bombs stop falling while the bombers live—for every bomb is proof that the spirit has not died. And fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live—for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken. And this you can know—fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this one quality is man, distinctive in the universe.”” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress is a painful, imperfect climb beyond current achievements, driven by creative and physical striving, even amid chaos and suffering. **In simple terms:** Man constantly pushes forward despite setbacks and suffering. Key Takeaway Embrace struggle as sign of growth. Themes progress struggle human nature resilience creativity Mood determined reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - war - social upheaval - personal development - creative work - political activism Key Concepts existentialism dialectical materialism humanism Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to keep moving forward despite hardship? - How do you recognize the value of struggle in your life? A Different Perspective Even when forward motion stalls, the desire to improve can be suppressed by complacency or oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Man Theories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-theories-2962794/) [Manself Suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manself-suffer-3244527/) [Philosophies Narrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophies-narrow-2962795/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [The-grapes-of-wrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-grapes-of-wrath-186819/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Time Manself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-manself-3244528/) ## Related quotes > [This you may say of man - when theories change and crash, when schools, philosophies, when narrow dark alleys of thought, national, religious, economic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/this-you-may-say-of-man-when-theories-change-and-crash-when-schools/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“For man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/for-man-unlike-any-other-thing-organic-or-inorganic-in-the-universe/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/fear-the-time-when-manself-will-not-suffer-and-die-for-a-concept-for/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Fear the time when the bombs stop falling while the bombers live - for every bomb is proof that the spirit has not died...And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/fear-the-time-when-the-bombs-stop-falling-while-the-bombers-live-for/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [And this you can know- fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-this-you-can-know-fear-the-time-when-manself-will-not-suffer-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“We'll start over. 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Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. 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This you may say and know it and know it. This you may know when the bombs plummet out of the black planes on the market place, when prisoners are stuck like pigs, when the crushed bodies drain filthily in the dust. You may know it in this way. If the step were not being taken, if the stumbling-forward ache were not alive, the bombs would not fall, the throats would not be cut. Fear the time when the bombs stop falling while the bombers live—for every bomb is proof that the spirit has not died. And fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live—for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken. 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