Front door Quote by Thomas Keneally
““Schindler shook his head, and she thought it was too glib an encouragement to her to hope. Suddenly, the good cloth and the pampered flesh of Herr Schindler were a provocation. "For God's sake, Herr Direktor, I see things. We were up on the roof on Monday, chipping off the ice, me and young Lisiek. And we saw the Herr Commandant come out of the front door and down the steps by the patio, right below us. And, there on the steps, he drew his gun and shot a woman who was passing. A woman carrying a bundle. Through the throat. Just a woman on her way somewhere. You know. She didn't seem fatter or thinner or slower or faster than anyone else. I couldn't guess what she'd done. The more you see of the Herr Commandant, the more you see that there's no set of rules you can keep to. You can't say to yourself, If I allow these rules, I'll be safe. . . .””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally, 1982
The excerpt portrays the brutal reality of war, where even small acts of hope are undermined by random violence, illustrating the futility of trying to find safety through rules or optimism alone.
In simple terms: War's chaos makes rules and hope unreliable; violence can strike anyone.
Key Takeaway
Accept the unpredictability of conflict and focus on compassionate action.
Themes
war
human cruelty
hope
randomness
morality
survival
Mood
somber
urgent
Type
literary
historical
When to use this quote
- battlefields
- refugee camps
- civil resistance
- humanitarian aid
- psychological counseling
Key Concepts
futility of rules
moral ambiguity
human suffering
ethical dilemmas
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we maintain humanity amidst atrocity?
- What role does personal responsibility play in chaotic environments?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may generalize all authority figures as cruel, overlooking individual variations.
![“He [Rabbi Menasha Levartov] was one of those men who, even in the years of peace, would have advised his congregation that while God may well be honored by the inflexibility of the pious, he might also be honored by the flexibility of the sensible.” quote by Thomas Keneally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2aa/thomas-keneally-10113_peace_he-rabbi-menasha-levartov-was-one-of-tho_342049.jpg)
