Battle Quote by Peter S. Beagle
““We are all ghosts," Morris Klapper said at last. "We are conceived in a moment of death and born out of ghost wombs, and we play in the streets with other little ghosts, chanting ghost-rhymes and scratching to become real. We are told that life is full of goals and that, although it is sadly necessary to fight, you can at least choose your war. But we learn that for ghosts there can only be one battle: to become real. A few of us make it, thus encouraging other ghosts to believe it can be done.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, 1968
Life is portrayed as a struggle for authenticity, urging individuals to choose meaningful battles and strive for reality.
In simple terms: We must fight to become real.
Key Takeaway
Choose purposeful conflicts that foster genuine growth.
Themes
identity
existence
choice
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal development
- creative pursuits
- spiritual quests
Key Concepts
authenticity
self‑realization
metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “becoming real” mean to you?
- Which battles are worth fighting?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor of ghosts may oversimplify complex human motivations.
![“The Lady Amalthea beckoned, and the cat wriggled all over, like a dog, but he would not come near... She was offering her open palm to the crook-eared cat, but he stayed where he was, shivering with the desire to go to her"...[later, Molly asked the cat] "Why were you afraid to let her touch you?…” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/59b/peter-s-beagle-1665_cat_the-lady-amalthea-beckoned-and-the-cat-w_254271.jpg)
