--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first blind man had begun by…" description: "\"“The first blind man had begun by declaring that his wife would not be subjected to the shame of giving her body to strangers in exchange for whatever,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/jos-saramago-208_blind-man_the-first-blind-man-had-begun-by-declari_450258.jpg" --- # The first blind man had begun by declaring that his wife… ![“The first blind man had begun by declaring that his wife would not be subjected to the shame of giving her body to strangers in exchange for whatever, she had no desire to do so nor would he permit it, for dignity has no price, that when someone starts making small concessions, in the end live…” quote by Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/jos-saramago-208_blind-man_the-first-blind-man-had-begun-by-declari_450258.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/jos-saramago-208_blind-man_the-first-blind-man-had-begun-by-declari_450258.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/290/jos-saramago-208_blind-man_the-first-blind-man-had-begun-by-declari_450258.jpg) > ““The first blind man had begun by declaring that his wife would not be subjected to the shame of giving her body to strangers in exchange for whatever, she had no desire to do so nor would he permit it, for dignity has no price, that when someone starts making small concessions, in the end live loses all meaning. The doctor then asked him what meaning he saw in the situation in which all of them there found themselves, starving, covered in filth up to their ears, ridden with lice, eaten by bedbugs, bitten by fleas, I, too, would prefer my wife not to go, but what I want serves no purpose, ... I know that my manly pride, this thing we call male pride, if after so many humiliations, we still preserve something worthy of that name, I know that it will suffer, it already is, I cannot avoid it, but it is probably the only solution, if we want to live.”” [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man clings to pride and moral rigidity, fearing loss of dignity, even as dire circumstances demand compromise for survival. **In simple terms:** Pride blocks compromise in crisis. Key Takeaway Balance dignity with practicality. Themes pride morality survival humanity compromise Mood despair hopeful Type philosophical dramatic When to use this quote - war zones - refugee camps - family crises - medical emergencies Key Concepts existentialism ethical dilemmas human dignity Questions to Reflect On - What values are worth sacrificing? - How can dignity be preserved without harming others? A Different Perspective Rigid ideals can cause suffering when flexibility is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [We mean business, George Bush, ... and we're going to go to Congress and we're going to ask them, 'How many more of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/we-mean-business-george-bush-and-we-re-going-to-go-to-congress-and-we/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [There's no shame in failing. 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After an initial rush of male pride they quickly recognise the minor role that nature had assigned them in the drama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/pregnancy-humbles-husbands-after-an-initial-rush-of-male-pride-they/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“Say to a blind man, you’re free, open the door that was separating him from the world, Go, you are free, we tell him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/say-to-a-blind-man-you-re-free-open-the-door-that-was-separating-him/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [The beginning is never the clear, precise end of a thread, the beginning is a long, painfully slow process that requires time and patience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-beginning-is-never-the-clear-precise-end-of-a-thread-the/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [ “The object \[Duchamp's Fountain\] was rejected , giving Duchamp the opportunity of issuing a statement, which he published in a review, The Blind Man.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-weston/the-object-duchamp-s-fountain-was-rejected-giving-duchamp-the/) [Neville Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-weston/) > [“Once, I sang colors to a blind man. 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For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [He looked at her... like a Blind Man seeing the Sun for the very First Time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-looked-at-her-like-a-blind-man-seeing-the-sun-for-the-very-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jose Saramago > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [One can show no greater respect than to weep for a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/one-can-show-no-greater-respect-than-to-weep-for-a-stranger/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I am not a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-am-not-a-prophet/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [With the passage of time, as well as the social evolution and genetic exchange, we ended up putting our conscience in the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/with-the-passage-of-time-as-well-as-the-social-evolution-and-genetic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Al día siguiente no murió nadie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/al-d-a-siguiente-no-muri-nadie/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“E se as histórias para crianças passassem a ser de leitura obrigatória para os adultos? Seriam eles capazes de aprender realmente o que há…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/e-se-as-hist-rias-para-crian-as-passassem-a-ser-de-leitura-obrigat/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [In a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/in-a-king-modesty-would-be-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“the inmates of the second ward in the right wing have decided, at long last, to bury their dead, at least we shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-inmates-of-the-second-ward-in-the-right-wing-have-decided-at-long/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Stretching one arm behind him, the man passed his hand over the horse's coat, his own skin transformed, or skin which had transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/stretching-one-arm-behind-him-the-man-passed-his-hand-over-the-horse/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-we-are-blind-blind-people-who-can-see-but-do-not-see/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/you-have-to-leave-the-island-in-order-to-see-the-island-that-we-can-t/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [anyone who gets up early by inclination or has been forced to rise early out of necessity finds it intolerable that others should go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/anyone-who-gets-up-early-by-inclination-or-has-been-forced-to-rise/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“... aborrece os odores nocturnos, aquelas expansões do corpo a que nem poetas escapam".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/aborrece-os-odores-nocturnos-aquelas-expans-es-do-corpo-a-que-nem/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) [Explore all 487 Jose Saramago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More Blind man quotes > [He looked at her... like a Blind Man seeing the Sun for the very First Time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-looked-at-her-like-a-blind-man-seeing-the-sun-for-the-very-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“People had always amazed him, he began. 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Seven hours I played, but at the end he said he saw them, green and red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/once-i-sang-colors-to-a-blind-man-seven-hours-i-played-but-at-the-end/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ “The object \[Duchamp's Fountain\] was rejected , giving Duchamp the opportunity of issuing a statement, which he published in a review, The Blind Man.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-weston/the-object-duchamp-s-fountain-was-rejected-giving-duchamp-the/) [Neville Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-weston/) > [A blind man can see his mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-blind-man-can-see-his-mouth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Then he picks up the first book and holds it so Peter can read the title. I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/then-he-picks-up-the-first-book-and-holds-it-so-peter-can-read-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Mostly, I straddle reality and the imagination. My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/mostly-i-straddle-reality-and-the-imagination-my-reality-needs/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [A blind man walks into a bar...and a table...and a chair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-blind-man-walks-into-a-bar-and-a-table-and-a-chair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What's the condition of America like, spiritually, tonight? Zero. Why? Because we've got blind men coming out of seminaries. Men there don't teach them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/what-s-the-condition-of-america-like-spiritually-tonight-zero-why/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [A new civilization is emerging in our lives, and blind men everywhere are trying to suppress it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/a-new-civilization-is-emerging-in-our-lives-and-blind-men-everywhere/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. (Matthew 15:14)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/if-a-blind-man-leads-a-blind-man-both-will-fall-into-a-pit-matthew-15/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [A statesman who confines himself to popular legislation - or, for the matter of that, a playwright who confines himself to popular plays -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-statesman-who-confines-himself-to-popular-legislation-or-for-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) Browse all 295 Blind man quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The first blind man had begun by declaring that his wife would not be subjected to the shame of giving her body to strangers in exchange for whatever, she had no desire to do so nor would he permit it, for dignity has no price, that when someone starts making small concessions, in the end live loses all meaning. The doctor then asked him what meaning he saw in the situation in which all of them there found themselves, starving, covered in filth up to their ears, ridden with lice, eaten by bedbugs, bitten by fleas, I, too, would prefer my wife not to go, but what I want serves no purpose, ... 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