--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The jackal with one eye that looks back…" description: "\"“The jackal with one eye that looks back and one that regards the path you consider taking. In his jaws are pieces of the past he delivers to you, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/michael-ondaatje-940_jackal_the-jackal-with-one-eye-that-looks-back_2002945.png" --- # The jackal with one eye that looks back and one that… ![“The jackal with one eye that looks back and one that regards the path you consider taking. In his jaws are pieces of the past he delivers to you, and when all of that time is fully discovered it will prove to have been already known.” quote by Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/michael-ondaatje-940_jackal_the-jackal-with-one-eye-that-looks-back_2002945.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/michael-ondaatje-940_jackal_the-jackal-with-one-eye-that-looks-back_2002945.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f1/michael-ondaatje-940_jackal_the-jackal-with-one-eye-that-looks-back_2002945.png) > ““The jackal with one eye that looks back and one that regards the path you consider taking. In his jaws are pieces of the past he delivers to you, and when all of that time is fully discovered it will prove to have been already known.”” [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The one‑eyed jackal symbolizes past memories that both linger and guide future choices, revealing that what seems new is already known. **In simple terms:** Past experiences shape present decisions. Key Takeaway Recognize recurring patterns in your life. Themes memory choice destiny Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical poetic When to use this quote - personal reflection - decision making - creative projects Key Concepts psychology storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What past lessons are you overlooking? - How does awareness of history influence your path? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on determinism may limit agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eye Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-looks-909779/) [Jackal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jackal/) [Jackal Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jackal-eye-3535084/) [Past Delivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-delivers-3535085/) [Path Consider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path-consider-3535086/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [For the innocent, the past may hold a reward. But for the treacherous, it's only a matter of time before the past delivers what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-the-innocent-the-past-may-hold-a-reward-but-for-the-treacherous/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Any character you play, you're on his side. You do have the third eye that looks at what an appalling creature he is, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/any-character-you-play-you-re-on-his-side-you-do-have-the-third-eye/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [Any eye is an evil eye That looks in on to a mood apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/any-eye-is-an-evil-eye-that-looks-in-on-to-a-mood-apart/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [To the judgmental eye, everything is closed in definitive frames. When the judgmental eye looks out, it sees things in terms of lines and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/to-the-judgmental-eye-everything-is-closed-in-definitive-frames-when/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [I keep makeup really minimal, but I like to explore eye looks. Day-to-day I keep it simple, but for events, I like to jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-kinski-jones/i-keep-makeup-really-minimal-but-i-like-to-explore-eye-looks-day-to/) [Kenya Kinski-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-kinski-jones/) > [One eye looks within, the other eye looks without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-cartier-bresson/one-eye-looks-within-the-other-eye-looks-without/) [Henri Cartier-Bresson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-cartier-bresson/) > [“I see a glint in her eye as she looks at me and it makes me smile. Hold our breath? she seems to say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/i-see-a-glint-in-her-eye-as-she-looks-at-me-and-it-makes-me-smile/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [Our brain accepts what the eyes see and our eye looks for whatever our brain wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/our-brain-accepts-what-the-eyes-see-and-our-eye-looks-for-whatever/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [Much less than a man, a little bit more than a jackal! This is the person without compassion!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/much-less-than-a-man-a-little-bit-more-than-a-jackal-this-is-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Any time you throw pain at a Jackal without a clear present request, within a millisecond he'll jump in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/any-time-you-throw-pain-at-a-jackal-without-a-clear-present-request/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [Business, like a jackal, trotted on the heels of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/business-like-a-jackal-trotted-on-the-heels-of-war/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [“Puppy, I am getting so tired of listening to you whine about this,” he snarled at Zeke. “This isn’t rocket science. If you don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/puppy-i-am-getting-so-tired-of-listening-to-you-whine-about-this-he/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“Anubis – A god with a man’s body and the head of a dog or jackal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-collins/anubis-a-god-with-a-man-s-body-and-the-head-of-a-dog-or-jackal/) [Tim Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-collins/) > [ “This would be so much easier if \[Allie\] hadn't killed the jeep." "For the last time," I growled at \[Jackal\]. "I just pointed out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/this-would-be-so-much-easier-if-allie-hadn-t-killed-the-jeep-for-the/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [One day's life of a lion is preferable to hundred years of a jackal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tipu-sultan/one-day-s-life-of-a-lion-is-preferable-to-hundred-years-of-a-jackal/) [Tipu Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tipu-sultan/) ## More by Michael Ondaatje > [“In spite of this, our table's status on the Oronsay continued to be minimal, while those at the Captain's Table were constantly toasting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/in-spite-of-this-our-table-s-status-on-the-oronsay-continued-to-be/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [He will hear the rain before he feels it, a clicking on the dry grass, on the olive leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/he-will-hear-the-rain-before-he-feels-it-a-clicking-on-the-dry-grass/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“Whenever her father was alone with a dog in a house he would lean over and smell the skin at the base of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/whenever-her-father-was-alone-with-a-dog-in-a-house-he-would-lean/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“...those who had risked everything at a riverbend on a left turn and so discovered a fortune.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/those-who-had-risked-everything-at-a-riverbend-on-a-left-turn-and-so/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“All over the world there must be people like us, Anna had said then, wounded in some way by falling in love - seemingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/all-over-the-world-there-must-be-people-like-us-anna-had-said-then/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [Her father had taught her about hands. About a dog's paws. Whenever her father was alone with a dog in a house he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/her-father-had-taught-her-about-hands-about-a-dog-s-paws-whenever-her/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [What is interesting and important happens mostly in secret, in places where there is no power. Nothing much of lasting value ever happens at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/what-is-interesting-and-important-happens-mostly-in-secret-in-places/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [There's more danger in the violence you don't face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/there-s-more-danger-in-the-violence-you-don-t-face/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [From this point on, she whispered, we will either find or lose our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/from-this-point-on-she-whispered-we-will-either-find-or-lose-our-souls/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“You know it is the most relaxed thing when you when you sit with a best friend and you know there is nothing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/you-know-it-is-the-most-relaxed-thing-when-you-when-you-sit-with-a/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“There was no control except the " mood of his power... and it is for this reason it is good you never heard him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/there-was-no-control-except-the-mood-of-his-power-and-it-is-for-this/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [You're getting everyone's point of view at the same time, which for me, is the perfect state for a novel: a cubist state, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/you-re-getting-everyone-s-point-of-view-at-the-same-time-which-for-me/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [I see the poem or the novel ending with an open door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/i-see-the-poem-or-the-novel-ending-with-an-open-door/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“The Time Around Scars: A girl whom I've not spoken to or shared coffee with for several years writes of an old scar. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/the-time-around-scars-a-girl-whom-i-ve-not-spoken-to-or-shared-coffee/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“- Daca ti-as incredinta viata mea, ai scapa-o pe jos. Nu-i asa?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/daca-ti-as-incredinta-viata-mea-ai-scapa-o-pe-jos-nu-i-asa/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) [Explore all 322 Michael Ondaatje quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) ## More Jackal quotes > [ “This would be so much easier if \[Allie\] hadn't killed the jeep." "For the last time," I growled at \[Jackal\]. "I just pointed out… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/this-would-be-so-much-easier-if-allie-hadn-t-killed-the-jeep-for-the/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“Anubis – A god with a man’s body and the head of a dog or jackal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-collins/anubis-a-god-with-a-man-s-body-and-the-head-of-a-dog-or-jackal/) [Tim Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-collins/) > [“Puppy, I am getting so tired of listening to you whine about this,” he snarled at Zeke. “This isn’t rocket science. If you don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/puppy-i-am-getting-so-tired-of-listening-to-you-whine-about-this-he/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [Business, like a jackal, trotted on the heels of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/business-like-a-jackal-trotted-on-the-heels-of-war/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Much less than a man, a little bit more than a jackal! This is the person without compassion!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/much-less-than-a-man-a-little-bit-more-than-a-jackal-this-is-the/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [One day's life of a lion is preferable to hundred years of a jackal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tipu-sultan/one-day-s-life-of-a-lion-is-preferable-to-hundred-years-of-a-jackal/) [Tipu Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tipu-sultan/) > [Any time you throw pain at a Jackal without a clear present request, within a millisecond he'll jump in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/any-time-you-throw-pain-at-a-jackal-without-a-clear-present-request/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [It is far better to live like a lion for a day then to live like a jackal for hundred years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tipu-sultan/it-is-far-better-to-live-like-a-lion-for-a-day-then-to-live-like-a/) [Tipu Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tipu-sultan/) > [“Now we're going to save a bunch of dirty meatsacks from a bunch of dirty cannibals? Why don't we rescue some orphaned kittens and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/now-we-re-going-to-save-a-bunch-of-dirty-meatsacks-from-a-bunch-of/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“Oh, don't mind me," came an extremely sarcastic voice near the wall. “You two go ahead and make out–I'll just sit here and bleed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/oh-don-t-mind-me-came-an-extremely-sarcastic-voice-near-the-wall-you/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“Oh, isn’t that sweet,” came Jackal’s loud, mocking voice... “Let’s make goo-goo eyes at each other in the middle of a stinking corpse field,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/oh-isn-t-that-sweet-came-jackal-s-loud-mocking-voice-let-s-make-goo/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“I have good news and bad news The good news is that the jeep is still where we left it, and I got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/i-have-good-news-and-bad-news-the-good-news-is-that-the-jeep-is-still/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“This asshole had better open the door,” Jackal growled, spinning his fire ax in a graceful arc as the horde came on. “I didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/this-asshole-had-better-open-the-door-jackal-growled-spinning-his/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [“Why bother helping you at all?” Elias said, his voice lazy. “Why feed you breadcrumbs when I could just stuff the whole loaf in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/why-bother-helping-you-at-all-elias-said-his-voice-lazy-why-feed-you/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“I'd love to see the Iron Jackal's face when he finds out I'm already dead," he said with half a grin. "Now that's irony."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-wooding/i-d-love-to-see-the-iron-jackal-s-face-when-he-finds-out-i-m-already/) [Chris Wooding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-wooding/) [Browse all 51 Jackal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jackal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The jackal with one eye that looks back and one that regards the path you consider taking. 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