---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Within him something bade to cry out. He…"
description: "\"“Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse to make a rallying speech, to sing a battle hymn, but he could only get his tongue to call in..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg"
---

#  Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse…

![“Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse to make a rallying speech, to sing a battle hymn, but he could only get his tongue to call into the air: “Why—why—what—what ’s th’ matter?” quote by Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg)

> ““Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse to make a rallying speech, to sing a battle hymn, but he could only get his tongue to call into the air: “Why—why—what—what ’s th’ matter?””

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker feels compelled to speak or act but is paralyzed by doubt, questioning the significance of any effort.

**In simple terms:** Doubt silences the urge to act.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and move past paralysis of doubt.

Themes

self‑doubt inaction meaninglessness

Mood

pensive somber

Type

literary motivational

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- creative writing
- decision making
- personal challenges

Key Concepts

existential crisis inner conflict motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- What holds you back from speaking your truth?
- How can you find purpose in small actions?

A Different Perspective

The quote may romanticize paralysis without offering solutions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Battle Hymn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-hymn-1223762/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Rallying Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rallying-speech-1918684/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-sing-1918685/) [Th Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/th-matter-1918686/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/)

## Related quotes

> [“on the morning of the best day of her life, Maude Flynn was locked in the outhouse singing 'the Battle Hymn of the Republic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-amy-schlitz/on-the-morning-of-the-best-day-of-her-life-maude-flynn-was-locked-in/)

[Laura Amy Schlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-amy-schlitz/)

> [Our every action is a battle cry against imperialism, and a battle hymn for the people's unity against the great enemy of mankind: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernesto-che-guevara/our-every-action-is-a-battle-cry-against-imperialism-and-a-battle/)

[Ernesto Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernesto-che-guevara/)

> [Last season when I was on set...for some reason I had The Battle Hymn of the Republic in my head but I didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/last-season-when-i-was-on-set-for-some-reason-i-had-the-battle-hymn/)

[Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/)

> [“Wow. Tough crowd.” Ty hummed and looked down at his hands, beginning the tune to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-roux/wow-tough-crowd-ty-hummed-and-looked-down-at-his-hands-beginning-the/)

[Abigail Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-roux/)

> [I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-b-rangel/i-think-that-as-americans-we-should-never-forget-that-when-we-tamper/)

[Charles B. Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-b-rangel/)

> [Any kind of restrictions put on free speech would have worse consequences than bullying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-starlight/any-kind-of-restrictions-put-on-free-speech-would-have-worse/)

[Lady Starlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-starlight/)

> [“No Hate Speech Online is a social media netiquette rule. Return hate in kind (ness) for proper netiquette. Love Muslims alike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chiles/no-hate-speech-online-is-a-social-media-netiquette-rule-return-hate/)

[David Chiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chiles/)

> [Anderson sent me to give you this he said. I believe the subtext was kiss and makeup. This time I was sure I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-black/anderson-sent-me-to-give-you-this-he-said-i-believe-the-subtext-was/)

[Jenna Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-black/)

> [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/)

[Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/)

> [I wasn't a kid growing up thinking, 'One day I'll get an Oscar and make a speech.' That wasn't on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-wasn-t-a-kid-growing-up-thinking-one-day-i-ll-get-an-oscar-and-make/)

[Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/)

> [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/)

[Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

> [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

## More by Stephen Crane

> [Doubtless there are other roads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/doubtless-there-are-other-roads/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“She thinks my name is Freddie, you know, but of course it ain't. I always tell these people some name like that, because if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/she-thinks-my-name-is-freddie-you-know-but-of-course-it-ain-t-i/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [Every sin is a result of collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/every-sin-is-a-result-of-collaboration/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“He turned now with a lover's thirst to images of tranquil skies, fresh meadows, cool brooks— an existence of soft and eternal peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/he-turned-now-with-a-lover-s-thirst-to-images-of-tranquil-skies-fresh/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“XXIV I saw a man pursuing the horizon; Round and round they sped. I was disturbed at this; I accosted the man. "It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/xxiv-i-saw-a-man-pursuing-the-horizon-round-and-round-they-sped-i-was/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [It was surprising that Nature had gone tranquilly on with her golden process in the midst of so much devilment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/it-was-surprising-that-nature-had-gone-tranquilly-on-with-her-golden/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [And it was as if fate had betrayed the soldier. In death it exposed to his enemies that poverty which in life he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/and-it-was-as-if-fate-had-betrayed-the-soldier-in-death-it-exposed-to/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“I stood upon a high place, And saw, below, many devils Running, leaping, and carousing in sin. One looked up, grinning, And said, "Comrade!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/i-stood-upon-a-high-place-and-saw-below-many-devils-running-leaping/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [A serious prophet upon predicting a flood should be the first man to climb a tree. This would demonstrate that he was indeed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/a-serious-prophet-upon-predicting-a-flood-should-be-the-first-man-to/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“A single rifle flashed in a thicket before the regiment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/a-single-rifle-flashed-in-a-thicket-before-the-regiment/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [XXVIII "Truth," said a traveller, "Is a rock, a mighty fortress; "Often have I been to it, "Even to its highest tower, "From whence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/xxviii-truth-said-a-traveller-is-a-rock-a-mighty-fortress-often-have/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“The lieutenant, returning from a tour after a bandage, produced from a hidden receptacle of his mind new and portentous oaths suited to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/the-lieutenant-returning-from-a-tour-after-a-bandage-produced-from-a/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“Many a man ought to have a bath-tub larger than the boat which here rode upon the sea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/many-a-man-ought-to-have-a-bath-tub-larger-than-the-boat-which-here/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“Why—why—” stammered the youth struggling with his balking tongue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/why-why-stammered-the-youth-struggling-with-his-balking-tongue/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

> [“Eventually, his courage expended itself upon these objections. The debates drained him of his fire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/eventually-his-courage-expended-itself-upon-these-objections-the/)

[Stephen Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

[Explore all 115 Stephen Crane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/)

## More Communication quotes

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/)

[Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/)

> [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/)

[Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/)

> [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/)

[Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/)

> [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/)

[Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/)

> [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/)

[Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

[Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

[Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse to make a rallying speech, to sing a battle hymn, but he could only get his tongue to call into the air: “Why—why—what—what ’s th’ matter?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen Crane"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he-had-the-impulse-to-make-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Communication"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he-had-the-impulse-to-make-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/stephen-crane-4187_communication_within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he_1787707.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Within him something bade to cry out. He had the impulse to make a rallying speech, to sing a battle hymn…” — Stephen Crane",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Stephen Crane",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-crane/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Within him something bade to cry...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he-had-the-impulse-to-make-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-crane/within-him-something-bade-to-cry-out-he-had-the-impulse-to-make-a/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
