Fear Quote by Walter Tevis
““He was sick, sick from the long dangerous trip he had taken, sick from all the medicine —the pills, the inoculations, the inhaled gases — sick from worry, the anticipation of crisis, and terribly sick from the awful burden of his own weight. He had known for years that when the time came, when he would finally land and begin to effect that complex, long-prepared plan, he would feel something like this. The place, however much he had studied it, however much he had rehearsed his part in it, was so incredibly alien — the feeling, now the he could feel — the feeling was overpowering. He lay down in the grass and became very sick.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Man Who Fell to Earth, Walter Tevis, 1963
The protagonist feels overwhelming sickness from physical, mental, and existential burdens as he prepares for a crucial mission, highlighting the cost of responsibility.
In simple terms: Heavy burdens cause deep sickness before a big task.
Key Takeaway
Prepare mentally and physically for high‑stakes missions.
Themes
health
responsibility
anxiety
mission
burden
Mood
tense
reflective
somber
Type
narrative
psychological
When to use this quote
- space travel
- military deployment
- high‑pressure projects
- personal crises
Key Concepts
existential dread
psychosomatic illness
mission preparation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the sickness reveal about his inner conflict?
- How can one mitigate such overwhelm?
A Different Perspective
Sickness may be a warning sign, not just a symptom.
![“If you can see them [the terrorists] as a relative who's dangerously sick and we have to give them medicine and the medicine is love and compassion. There's nothing better.” quote by Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/29b/richard-gere-3534_compassion_if-you-can-see-them-the-terrorists-as-a_1823737.jpg)
