--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was not death or dying that frightened…" description: "\"“It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both.”\" — Toni Morrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg" --- # It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the… ![“It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg) > ““It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both.”” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear often stems from the unknown, especially when confronting both life and death simultaneously. **In simple terms:** Unexpected events cause fear. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty to reduce anxiety. Themes mortality uncertainty psychology Mood somber introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - health diagnoses - career changes - loss - travel adventures Key Concepts Existentialism terror management Questions to Reflect On - How do you react to sudden change? - What strategies help you face the unknown? A Different Perspective It may downplay rational fear that protects us. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Unexpectedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpectedness/) ## Related quotes > [It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. In sorting it all out, he hit on the notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Nothing would bring peace to Samuel’s anguished soul. Nothing except finding Eliza. He would die without her, just as surely as she was dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-lynn-perry/nothing-would-bring-peace-to-samuel-s-anguished-soul-nothing-except/) [Amber Lynn Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-lynn-perry/) > [ In \[great mathematics\] there is a very high degree of unexpectedness, combined with inevitability and economy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-hardy/in-great-mathematics-there-is-a-very-high-degree-of-unexpectedness/) [G. H. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-hardy/) > [We shall see later on that the diversity of the forms of death that circulate invisibly is the cause of the peculiar unexpectedness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/we-shall-see-later-on-that-the-diversity-of-the-forms-of-death-that/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [There must be bands of enthusiasts for everything on earth-fanatics who shared a vocabulary, a batch of technical skills and equipment, and, perhaps, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/there-must-be-bands-of-enthusiasts-for-everything-on-earth-fanatics/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Mistakes - call them unexpected learning experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/mistakes-call-them-unexpected-learning-experiences/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [“Life is crazy, unexpected, and endlessly beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-wallock/life-is-crazy-unexpected-and-endlessly-beautiful/) Daniel Wallock > [ “The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares," \[Freya\] wrote. "To avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-steinbach/the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round-every-corner-catches-even-2/) [Alice Steinbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-steinbach/) > [It is the nature of beginning that something new is started which cannot be expected from whatever may have happened before. This character of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/it-is-the-nature-of-beginning-that-something-new-is-started-which/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [The great artist, whether he be musician, painter, or poet, is known for this absolute unexpectedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/the-great-artist-whether-he-be-musician-painter-or-poet-is-known-for/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [A compassionate willingess is required - as is the courage to live before the fact, before the understanding, before any rational support or certainty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-moustakas/a-compassionate-willingess-is-required-as-is-the-courage-to-live/) [Clark Moustakas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-moustakas/) > [I love Leonardo DiCaprio. He just makes really great films with great directors. He has great relationships with directors but also has a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-booth/i-love-leonardo-dicaprio-he-just-makes-really-great-films-with-great/) [Douglas Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-booth/) > [In order to educate man to a new longing, everyday familiar objects must be shown to him with totally unexpected perspectives and in unexpected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-rodchenko/in-order-to-educate-man-to-a-new-longing-everyday-familiar-objects/) [Alexander Rodchenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-rodchenko/) > [Loneliness has little to do with what we do or where we do it, whether we're married or unmarried, optimists or pessimists, heterosexual or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/loneliness-has-little-to-do-with-what-we-do-or-where-we-do-it-whether/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [The unexpectedness of life, waiting round every corner, catches even wise women unawares (...) To avoid corners altogether is, after all, to refuse to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freya-stark/the-unexpectedness-of-life-waiting-round-every-corner-catches-even/) [Freya Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freya-stark/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toni Morrison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/toni-morrison-271_death_it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightene_2018503.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both.” — Toni Morrison", "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": "Toni Morrison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was not death or dying...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/it-was-not-death-or-dying-that-frightened-him-but-the-unexpectedness-2/#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 } } ] } ```