Deserters Quote by Jon E. Lewis
““On the other side of the river and the shattered ammunition dump swarmed the hundreds of men who had taken refuge weeks before in holes in the river banks in order to avoid the fighting, and whom Langlais compared to the crabs on tropical coasts. Dregs of humanity, deserters – Langlais could not find words sufficiently contemptuous for them.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Longest Night, 2005
The passage depicts soldiers as dehumanized, comparing them to crabs, highlighting contempt for deserters.
In simple terms: Deserters are likened to lowly creatures, showing disdain.
Key Takeaway
Recognize humanity even in those who flee.
Themes
war
dehumanization
contempt
Mood
critical
grim
Type
analytical
historical
When to use this quote
- military history
- ethical debates
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
morality
psychology of conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- Why does the narrator use such vivid metaphor?
- What are the moral implications of labeling?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex motivations of deserters.
![“[W]e cease to be soldiers in the army of the upright; we become deserters. They march to battle. We float with the sticks on the stream; helter-skelter with the dead leaves on the lawn, irresponsible and disinterested and able, perhaps for the first time for years, to look round, to look up—to…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/188/virginia-woolf-49_first-time_w-e-cease-to-be-soldiers-in-the-army-of_496724.jpg)
![“[Deserters], they've given up everything. Oaths. Families. When you desert, it breaks you. It leaves you willing to do anything, because you've already given away everything you could have cared about losing.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/574/brandon-sanderson-112_desert_deserters-they-ve-given-up-everything-oa_1625218.jpg)
