--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only those who still have hope can…" description: "\"Only those who still have hope can benefit from tears. When they finish, they feel better. But to those without hope, whose anguish is basic and perman..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/nathanael-west-11471_anguish_only-those-who-still-have-hope-can-benef_722677.png" --- # Only those who still have hope can benefit from tears… ![“Only those who still have hope can benefit from tears. When they finish, they feel better. But to those without hope, whose anguish is basic and permanent, no good comes from crying. Nothing changes for them. They usually know this, but still can’t help crying.” quote by Nathanael West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/nathanael-west-11471_anguish_only-those-who-still-have-hope-can-benef_722677.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/nathanael-west-11471_anguish_only-those-who-still-have-hope-can-benef_722677.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/nathanael-west-11471_anguish_only-those-who-still-have-hope-can-benef_722677.png) > “Only those who still have hope can benefit from tears. When they finish, they feel better. But to those without hope, whose anguish is basic and permanent, no good comes from crying. Nothing changes for them. They usually know this, but still can’t help crying.” [Nathanael West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathanael-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hope enables tears to become cathartic; without hope, crying offers no relief. **In simple terms:** Hope turns sorrow into healing; without it, tears are futile. Key Takeaway Cultivate hope before seeking emotional release. Themes hope emotions resilience psychology Mood reflective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - Grief counseling - personal setbacks - creative expression - stress relief Key Concepts Catharsis mental health emotional processing Questions to Reflect On - What does hope look like for you? - Can you find meaning in tears without hope? A Different Perspective Hope may be unrealistic in severe trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anguish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anguish/) [Benefit Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit-tears-3046170/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Crying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crying/) [Crying Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crying-changes-5676930/) [Feel better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-better/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Having hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-hope/) [Help Crying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-crying-1948203/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Tears Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears-finish-3371913/) [Without hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-hope/) ## Related quotes > [Only those who still have hope can benefit from tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathanael-west/only-those-who-still-have-hope-can-benefit-from-tears/) [Nathanael West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathanael-west/) > [There is a lot of advice on baby feeding, but almost nothing on how to help crying babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-karp/there-is-a-lot-of-advice-on-baby-feeding-but-almost-nothing-on-how-to/) [Harvey Karp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-karp/) > [All you can do is smile, walk away, hold the tears and finish your day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylee/all-you-can-do-is-smile-walk-away-hold-the-tears-and-finish-your-day/) [Kylee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylee/) > [Word which the finger of God has written on the brow of every man — hope!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/word-which-the-finger-of-god-has-written-on-the-brow-of-every-man-hope/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [This thing, reconciliation, isn't perfect, but we also must have hope. Without hope, there is nothing. So let's hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roma-tearne/this-thing-reconciliation-isn-t-perfect-but-we-also-must-have-hope/) [Roma Tearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roma-tearne/) > [Living without expectations is hard but, when you can do it, good. Living without hope is harder, and that is bad. You have got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/living-without-expectations-is-hard-but-when-you-can-do-it-good/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-are-human-beings-and-we-have-faith-and-we-have-hope/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [If you feel positive, you have a sense of hope. 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Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Even being a Christian, you go through hard times. But you either go through hard times not having hope or realizing that Jesus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-camp/even-being-a-christian-you-go-through-hard-times-but-you-either-go/) [Jeremy Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-camp/) > [I believe that having something to hope for - even if it's just a better tomorrow- is the most powerful drug on this planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-believe-that-having-something-to-hope-for-even-if-it-s-just-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Don't you know that day dawns after night, showers displace drought, and spring and summer follow winter? Then, have hope! Hope forever, for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/don-t-you-know-that-day-dawns-after-night-showers-displace-drought/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Nathanael West > [“Perhaps I can make you understand. Let’s start from the beginning. 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Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) > [Knowledge gives a wider choice and more anguish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-florman/knowledge-gives-a-wider-choice-and-more-anguish/) [Samuel Florman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-florman/) > [pg.9 "In my heart there's a peaceful anguish, and my calm is made of resignation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/pg-9-in-my-heart-there-s-a-peaceful-anguish-and-my-calm-is-made-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Memory, with its fugitive adjustments, is the merciful veil to the grim enactments of the first law. 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