Coffin Quote by Thomas Wolfe
““This was the reason why, when he would try to remember how he looked when dead, he could remember nothing clearly except the powerful sculptured weight and symmetry of his tremendous hands as they lay folded on his body in the coffin. The great hands had a stony, sculptured and yet living strength and vitality, as if Michelangelo had carved them. They seemed to rest there upon the groomed, bereft and vacant horror of the corpse with a kind of terrible reality as if there really is, in death, some energy of life that will not die, some element of man's life that must persist and that resumes into a single feature of his life the core and essence of his character.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe, 1929
The passage reflects on how a man's hands, even in death, embody his enduring character and life force, suggesting that personal essence persists beyond physical demise.
In simple terms: A man's hands symbolize his lasting character after death.
Key Takeaway
Recognize that personal essence endures beyond physical death.
Themes
mortality
legacy
identity
artistic description
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- funeral reflection
- artistic inspiration
- personal memoir
Key Concepts
symbolism
psychology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do physical symbols convey inner character?
- What does enduring essence mean to you?
A Different Perspective
The focus on physical description may overlook emotional nuance of grief.
