--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But my dear man, come, be reasonable…" description: "\"“But my dear man, come, be reasonable. Look, this is you, look at this photograph. And here's your file: no convictions, I assure you. Come now, make a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/samuel-beckett-365_faith_but-my-dear-man-come-be-reasonable-look_1508805.png" --- # But my dear man, come, be reasonable. Look, this is you… ![“But my dear man, come, be reasonable. Look, this is you, look at this photograph. And here's your file: no convictions, I assure you. Come now, make an effort! At your age, to have no identity! It's a scandal, I assure you. Look at this photograph. What, you see nothing? True for you? No matter…” quote by Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/samuel-beckett-365_faith_but-my-dear-man-come-be-reasonable-look_1508805.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/samuel-beckett-365_faith_but-my-dear-man-come-be-reasonable-look_1508805.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/samuel-beckett-365_faith_but-my-dear-man-come-be-reasonable-look_1508805.png) > ““But my dear man, come, be reasonable. Look, this is you, look at this photograph. And here's your file: no convictions, I assure you. Come now, make an effort! At your age, to have no identity! It's a scandal, I assure you. Look at this photograph. What, you see nothing? True for you? No matter. Here, look at this death's-head: you'll see, you'll be all right, it won't last long. Here, look, here's the record: insults to policemen, indecent exposure, sins against the holy ghost, contempt of court, impertinence to superiors, impudence to inferiors, deviations from reason. Without battery - look, no battery! It's nothing. You'll be all right, you'll see.”” [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character confronts another with a barrage of accusations and absurdities, urging them to accept their lack of identity and the fleeting nature of existence. **In simple terms:** Confronted with absurd accusations, one is urged to accept impermanence. Key Takeaway Embrace impermanence, release identity concerns. Themes absurdity identity existence authority humor Mood darkly humorous critical reflective Type philosophical satirical dramatic When to use this quote - legal trouble - personal crisis - mental health - social alienation Key Concepts existentialism nihilism social critique Questions to Reflect On - What does identity mean to you? - How do you respond to absurd authority? A Different Perspective The humor may mask deeper despair, limiting genuine self‑reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Convictions Assure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convictions-assure-5548943/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Holy ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-ghost/) [Identity Scandal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity-scandal-5548944/) [Look Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-death-251144/) [Look Photograph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-photograph-1885288/) [Look Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-record-423807/) ## Related quotes > [Back in the day, when we'd get into a town, I would go in the phone book and look up record stores. 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But under us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-lay-down-across-her-with-my-face-in-her-breasts-and-my-hand-on-her/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Women are all the bloody sameyou can't love for five minutes without wanting it abolished in brats and house bloody wifery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/women-are-all-the-bloody-sameyou-can-t-love-for-five-minutes-without/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“ESTRAGON: Do you think God sees me? VLADIMIR: You must close your eyes. Estragon closes his eyes, staggers worse. ESTRAGON: (stopping, brandishing his fists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/estragon-do-you-think-god-sees-me-vladimir-you-must-close-your-eyes/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Deplorable mania, when something happens, to inquire what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/deplorable-mania-when-something-happens-to-inquire-what/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) [Explore all 609 Samuel Beckett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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Here, look at this death's-head: you'll see, you'll be all right, it won't last long. Here, look, here's the record: insults to policemen, indecent exposure, sins against the holy ghost, contempt of court, impertinence to superiors, impudence to inferiors, deviations from reason. Without battery - look, no battery! It's nothing. 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