--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This kindly unjudging judgment of the…" description: "\"“This kindly unjudging judgment of the Swede could well have been a new development in Jerry, compassion a few hours old. That can happen when people d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/philip-roth-681_change-of-heart_this-kindly-unjudging-judgment-of-the-sw_2240529.jpg" --- # This kindly unjudging judgment of the Swede could well… ![“This kindly unjudging judgment of the Swede could well have been a new development in Jerry, compassion a few hours old. That can happen when people die--the argument with them drops away and people so flawed while they were drawing breath that at times they were all but unbearable now assert…” quote by Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/philip-roth-681_change-of-heart_this-kindly-unjudging-judgment-of-the-sw_2240529.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/philip-roth-681_change-of-heart_this-kindly-unjudging-judgment-of-the-sw_2240529.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78e/philip-roth-681_change-of-heart_this-kindly-unjudging-judgment-of-the-sw_2240529.jpg) > ““This kindly unjudging judgment of the Swede could well have been a new development in Jerry, compassion a few hours old. That can happen when people die--the argument with them drops away and people so flawed while they were drawing breath that at times they were all but unbearable now assert themselves in the most appealing way, and what was least to your liking the day before yesterday becomes in the limousine behind the hearse a cause not only for sympathetic amusement but for admiration. In which estimate lies the greater reality--the uncharitable one permitted us before the funeral, forged, without any claptrap, in the skirmish of daily life, or the one that suffuses us with sadness at the family gathering afterward--this even an outsider can't judge. The sight of a coffin can effect a great change of heart--all at once you find you are not so disappointed in the person who is dead--but what the sight of a coffin does for a mind in its search for the truth, this I don't profess to know.”” [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The death of a loved one can shift our perception, turning previous judgments into empathy or admiration, and reveal deeper truths about human frailty and compassion. **In simple terms:** Death changes how we view people, often softening harsh judgments. Key Takeaway Recognize how loss can reshape your perspective. Themes mortality empathy judgment reflection Mood somber reflective Type philosophical literary emotional When to use this quote - family gatherings - funeral rites - personal introspection - conflict resolution Key Concepts human nature grief cognitive shift Questions to Reflect On - How does grief alter your judgments of the living? - Can empathy persist after the initial emotional surge? A Different Perspective The shift may be temporary and influenced by social expectations rather than genuine insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change of heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-of-heart/) [Daily life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-life/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family gathering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-gathering/) [Funeral Forged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral-forged-5077624/) [Hearse Cause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearse-cause-2315266/) [Jerry Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jerry-compassion-5077621/) [Judgment Swede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment-swede-5077623/) [Unjudging Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unjudging-judgment-5077622/) ## Related quotes > [That can happen when people die, the argument with them drops away and people so flawed while they were drawing breath that at times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/that-can-happen-when-people-die-the-argument-with-them-drops-away-and/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [My aunt Geraldine was the unofficial historian and storyteller. 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Everything was home-made but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-woodward/food-was-a-big-part-of-our-family-gatherings-but-it-was-usually-pasta/) [Ella Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-woodward/) > [It's the most annoying question and they just can't help asking you. You'll be asked it at family gatherings, weddings, and on first dates.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-tuccillo/it-s-the-most-annoying-question-and-they-just-can-t-help-asking-you/) [Liz Tuccillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-tuccillo/) > [No matter how you feel about your extended family or family gatherings you will be attending. This is because now the ultimate reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/no-matter-how-you-feel-about-your-extended-family-or-family/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [“So at family gatherings… I try to stick to the acceptable script. Indeed, I discover that the less I say, the happier everyone seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-van-gelder/so-at-family-gatherings-i-try-to-stick-to-the-acceptable-script/) [Kiera Van Gelder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-van-gelder/) > [“Watching Joel sip his iced tea and listen to stories of my childhood, the ones my mom told at all of the family gatherings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-kirsten-maravel/watching-joel-sip-his-iced-tea-and-listen-to-stories-of-my-childhood/) [Shawn Kirsten Maravel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-kirsten-maravel/) > [“It’s fairly intuitive that never exploring is no way to live. But it’s also worth mentioning that never exploiting can be every bit as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-christian/it-s-fairly-intuitive-that-never-exploring-is-no-way-to-live-but-it-s/) [Brian Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-christian/) > [“Abe held my gaze a bit longer and then broke into an easy smile. ʺOf course, of course. This is a family gathering. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/abe-held-my-gaze-a-bit-longer-and-then-broke-into-an-easy-smile-of/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Doors slam, voices are shrill, this is home. We are family. and in our gathering, we pick each other apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/doors-slam-voices-are-shrill-this-is-home-we-are-family-and-in-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Philip Roth > [“The old intergenerational give-and-take of the country-that-used-to-be, when everyone knew his role and took the rules dead seriously, the acculturating back-and-forth that all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-old-intergenerational-give-and-take-of-the-country-that-used-to/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You be greater than your feelings. I don't demand this of you - life does. Otherwise you'll be washed away by feelings. You'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/you-be-greater-than-your-feelings-i-don-t-demand-this-of-you-life/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Nothing bad can happen to a writer. 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Reasons are in books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/there-are-no-reasons-she-is-obliged-to-be-as-she-is-we-all-are/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“As far as I can see there is no conquering or exorcising the past with words - words born either of imagination or forthrightness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/as-far-as-i-can-see-there-is-no-conquering-or-exorcising-the-past/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [The book really comes to life in the rewriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-book-really-comes-to-life-in-the-rewriting/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“What is astonishing is that we, who had no idea how anything was going to turn out, now know exactly what happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/what-is-astonishing-is-that-we-who-had-no-idea-how-anything-was-going/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“Good Christ, a Jewish man with parents alive is a fifteen-year-old boy, and will remain a fifteen-year-old boy till they die!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/good-christ-a-jewish-man-with-parents-alive-is-a-fifteen-year-old-boy/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [I am the Raskolnikov of jerking off – the sticky evidence is everywhere!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/i-am-the-raskolnikov-of-jerking-off-the-sticky-evidence-is-everywhere/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“Better for real things to be uncontrollable, better for one's life to be undecipherable and intellectually impenetrable than to attempt to make casual sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/better-for-real-things-to-be-uncontrollable-better-for-one-s-life-to/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [“Doctor Spielvogel, it alleviates nothing fixing the blame - blaming is still ailing, of course, of course - but nonetheless, what was it with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/doctor-spielvogel-it-alleviates-nothing-fixing-the-blame-blaming-is/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [My God! The English language is a form of communication! Conversation isn't just crossfire where you shoot and get shot at! Where you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/my-god-the-english-language-is-a-form-of-communication-conversation/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You asked if I thought my fiction had changed anything in the culture and the answer is no. Sure, there's been some scandal, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/you-asked-if-i-thought-my-fiction-had-changed-anything-in-the-culture/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) [Explore all 388 Philip Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) ## More Change of heart quotes > [Harrow the house of the dead; look shining at New styles of architecture, a change of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/harrow-the-house-of-the-dead-look-shining-at-new-styles-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [But when 9/11 struck, I had a change of heart. I knew the story had to be told because what happened at 9/11 is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/but-when-9-11-struck-i-had-a-change-of-heart-i-knew-the-story-had-to/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [“Jesus changes our history from a random series of sad incidents and accidents into a constant opportunity for a change of heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/jesus-changes-our-history-from-a-random-series-of-sad-incidents-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in one solitary and even humble individual - for it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/the-whole-course-of-human-history-may-depend-on-a-change-of-heart-in/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [The Good News is that God's mercy and forgiveness extend to those who repent. Mercy does not mean approving of something that is sinful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-paprocki/the-good-news-is-that-god-s-mercy-and-forgiveness-extend-to-those-who/) [Thomas J. Paprocki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-paprocki/) > [“I was beginning to taste it. Something bitter, but warm. A flavor that woke me up and let me see things clearly. A flavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-fertig/i-was-beginning-to-taste-it-something-bitter-but-warm-a-flavor-that/) [Judith Fertig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-fertig/) > [“A change of heart changes everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-stocker/a-change-of-heart-changes-everything/) [Todd Stocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-stocker/) > [“It was not compassion that led to Daniel's change of heart, and it was not kindness. It was realizing that, against all odds, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-was-not-compassion-that-led-to-daniel-s-change-of-heart-and-it-was/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Regeneration can come only through a change of heart in the individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-williamson/regeneration-can-come-only-through-a-change-of-heart-in-the-individual/) [Henry Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-williamson/) > [Sometime during the mid-50s I said, 'I am an artist.' Before that, for many years, I had said, 'I'm going to be an artist.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/sometime-during-the-mid-50s-i-said-i-am-an-artist-before-that-for/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [“In a flash I had a change of heart. Even one precious life was worth saving. 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That can happen when people die--the argument with them drops away and people so flawed while they were drawing breath that at times they were all but unbearable now assert themselves in the most appealing way, and what was least to your liking the day before yesterday becomes in the limousine behind the hearse a cause not only for sympathetic amusement but for admiration. In which estimate lies the greater reality--the uncharitable one permitted us before the funeral, forged, without any claptrap, in the skirmish of daily life, or the one that suffuses us with sadness at the family gathering afterward--this even an outsider can't judge. 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