--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Survival here means simply an incomplete…" description: "\"“Survival here means simply an incomplete death, not a partial life -- to be trapped in a gap between the living and the dead. If I had a thousand tong..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/matthew-pearl-17732_death_survival-here-means-simply-an-incomplete_1532882.jpg" --- # Survival here means simply an incomplete death, not a… ![“Survival here means simply an incomplete death, not a partial life -- to be trapped in a gap between the living and the dead. If I had a thousand tongues, I would not try to describe the agony!” quote by Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/matthew-pearl-17732_death_survival-here-means-simply-an-incomplete_1532882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/matthew-pearl-17732_death_survival-here-means-simply-an-incomplete_1532882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3c/matthew-pearl-17732_death_survival-here-means-simply-an-incomplete_1532882.jpg) > ““Survival here means simply an incomplete death, not a partial life -- to be trapped in a gap between the living and the dead. If I had a thousand tongues, I would not try to describe the agony!”” [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes a state of being neither fully alive nor dead, a painful limbo that feels like an incomplete death. **In simple terms:** Living in a painful in between life and death. Key Takeaway Recognize and address unresolved suffering. Themes mortality existence pain Mood somber introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - terminal illness support - spiritual reflection Key Concepts philosophy psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with feeling trapped between states? - What does “incomplete death” suggest about meaning? A Different Perspective The metaphor may be exaggerated for dramatic effect; not all suffering feels like a death. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [“As far as immortality went, that was obviously not any sort of good at all. Who had ever met death without some partial measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-polansky/as-far-as-immortality-went-that-was-obviously-not-any-sort-of-good-at/) [Daniel Polansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-polansky/) > [The only victory that really counts in prison is survival. But survival means more than simply being alive. It's not just the body that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/the-only-victory-that-really-counts-in-prison-is-survival-but/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [“But survival means more than simply being alive. 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On the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howe-gelb/i-think-the-notion-of-success-is-fairly-destructive-you-can-see/) Howe Gelb > [Gale and I were thrown together by a mutual need to survive. Peeta and I know the other's survival means our own death. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/gale-and-i-were-thrown-together-by-a-mutual-need-to-survive-peeta-and/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Does Rupert like me? I think so, but it doesn't matter. When I go up to the magic room in the sky every three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/does-rupert-like-me-i-think-so-but-it-doesn-t-matter-when-i-go-up-to/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [You spend your whole life trapped inside your body. Everything you know about the world comes to you through your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-henson/you-spend-your-whole-life-trapped-inside-your-body-everything-you/) [Bill Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-henson/) > [“If only I could cry. I am beyond that. The light, the light, lending itself to empty downtown Saturday, but still the stupid insensate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryse-holder/if-only-i-could-cry-i-am-beyond-that-the-light-the-light-lending/) [Maryse Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryse-holder/) > [The story of a mother's life: Trapped between a scream and a hug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/the-story-of-a-mother-s-life-trapped-between-a-scream-and-a-hug/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) > [“And "sharing the work of survival," therefore, means resisting every temptation towards independence, towards personal liberty, towards "doing your own thing". This takes s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/and-sharing-the-work-of-survival-therefore-means-resisting-every/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [“One is forced to examine one's life when trapped in the wall by a Murphy bed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-mckay/one-is-forced-to-examine-one-s-life-when-trapped-in-the-wall-by-a/) Cheryl McKay > [It's like every day is the worst day of your life. And you're trapped and you're scared and you have to portray those emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/it-s-like-every-day-is-the-worst-day-of-your-life-and-you-re-trapped/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [Survival means the survival of human kind as a whole, not just a part of it. If the South cannot survive, then the North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/survival-means-the-survival-of-human-kind-as-a-whole-not-just-a-part/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) ## More by Matthew Pearl > [“Money is good, but it is not all about a man. You will have successes and reversals, but remember it is your reaction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/money-is-good-but-it-is-not-all-about-a-man-you-will-have-successes/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Though a woman tempted man to eat, my dear Longfellow," said Holmes, "you never hear of Eve having to do with his drinking, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/though-a-woman-tempted-man-to-eat-my-dear-longfellow-said-holmes-you/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“We never like the smell of our own vices in other people, Holmes. Ah, let's steer here for a drink or two," Lowell suggested.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/we-never-like-the-smell-of-our-own-vices-in-other-people-holmes-ah/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [He was outwardly calm but inwardly bleeding to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/he-was-outwardly-calm-but-inwardly-bleeding-to-death/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Shakespeare brings us to know ourselves. Dante, with his dissection of all others, bids us to know one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/shakespeare-brings-us-to-know-ourselves-dante-with-his-dissection-of/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Remember that there are two things in this life that are never worth crying about: what can be cured and what cannot be cured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/remember-that-there-are-two-things-in-this-life-that-are-never-worth/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“Believe that when I am at once a man's friend I am always so-nor is it so very hard to bring me to it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/believe-that-when-i-am-at-once-a-man-s-friend-i-am-always-so-nor-is/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“On the trees were no longer only leaves but brown fruits, on the bushes no longer blossoms but clusters of red berries. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/on-the-trees-were-no-longer-only-leaves-but-brown-fruits-on-the/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [Books do pretend ...but squeezed in between is even more that is true—without what you may call the lies, the pages would be too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/books-do-pretend-but-squeezed-in-between-is-even-more-that-is-true/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“No, never mind, I didn't think so. Mead, Dante's theme is man-not a man.' Lowell said finally with a mild patience that he reserved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/no-never-mind-i-didn-t-think-so-mead-dante-s-theme-is-man-not-a-man/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“There was still the temptation to believe the world was a mere trap for human sin. But sin, the way he saw it, was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/there-was-still-the-temptation-to-believe-the-world-was-a-mere-trap/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“The force of Dante's poetry resonated most in those who did not confess the Catholic faith, for believers would inevitably have quibbles with Dante's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/the-force-of-dante-s-poetry-resonated-most-in-those-who-did-not/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“...It is the one time Dante calls such explicit attention to the idea of contrapasso-a word for which we have no exact translation, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/it-is-the-one-time-dante-calls-such-explicit-attention-to-the-idea-of/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [...and luckily I have enough in my head to balance what is wanting in my back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/and-luckily-i-have-enough-in-my-head-to-balance-what-is-wanting-in-my/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) > [“Remember that only when past genius is transmitted into a present power shall we meet the first truly american poet. And somewhere, born to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-pearl/remember-that-only-when-past-genius-is-transmitted-into-a-present/) [Matthew Pearl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) [Explore all 35 Matthew Pearl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-pearl/) ## 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 > [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 > [“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": "“Survival here means simply an incomplete death, not a partial life -- to be trapped in a gap between the living and the dead. 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