---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a whisper he began begging for—and, as…"
description: "\"In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set, received—the concession people always beg for: a little more time.\" — Zadie Smith"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png"
---

#  In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set…

![“In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set, received—the concession people always beg for: a little more time.” quote by Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png)

> “In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set, received—the concession people always beg for: a little more time.”

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

## About This Quote

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

A person quietly asks for more time, a common plea, and receives it as the day ends, highlighting desperation and hope.

**In simple terms:** Begins for extra time, gets it at sunset.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the value of asking for what you need.

Themes

desire patience hope humanity

Mood

hopeful empathetic

Type

narrative motivational

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- work deadlines
- creative projects

Key Concepts

negotiation timing vulnerability

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you asked for more time?
- What made the request succeed?

A Different Perspective

Time extensions may not always be granted.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beg Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beg-little-1884723/) [Began Begging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/began-begging-1884720/) [Begging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begging/) [Begging Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begging-sun-1884721/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [More time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-time/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Beg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-beg-1884722/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Sun set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun-set/)

## Related quotes

> [“There came a point when Harry stopped trying to fight back, when the blows from the monster were too strong, too many, too fast,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/there-came-a-point-when-harry-stopped-trying-to-fight-back-when-the/)

[Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/)

> [There's something very visceral about watching people beg for money. It's powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-o-leary/there-s-something-very-visceral-about-watching-people-beg-for-money/)

[Kevin O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-o-leary/)

> [My sun sets to rise again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/my-sun-sets-to-rise-again/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [“The winter sun sets for fun”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/somebody/the-winter-sun-sets-for-fun/)

[Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/somebody/)

> [That is what is wrong with our age. You know full well you are not watching the sun set. You are watching the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-kagan/that-is-what-is-wrong-with-our-age-you-know-full-well-you-are-not/)

[Jeremy Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-kagan/)

> [The light was leaving in the west it was blue The children's laughter sang and skipping just like the stones they threw the voices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-johnson/the-light-was-leaving-in-the-west-it-was-blue-the-children-s-laughter/)

[Jack Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-johnson/)

> [I was walking along the road with two friends. The sun set. I felt a tinge of melancholy. Suddenly the sky became a bloody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/i-was-walking-along-the-road-with-two-friends-the-sun-set-i-felt-a/)

[Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/)

> [Before the golden sun sets, 2013's calendar is destroyed, And mobile networks get jammed, I wish in 2014 every moment is enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-the-golden-sun-sets-2013-s-calendar-is-destroyed-and-mobile/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Fall" Fall, falling, fallen. That’s the way the season Changes its tense in the long-haired maples That dot the road; the veiny hand-shaped leaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/fall-fall-falling-fallen-that-s-the-way-the-season-changes-its-tense/)

[Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/)

> [When the sun sets beautifully, other beauties rise. Nature is a theatre; when one great player leaves the scene, another great player immediately enters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-the-sun-sets-beautifully-other-beauties-rise-nature-is-a-theatre/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“Have you found your life distasteful? My life did and does smack sweet. Was your youth of pleasure wasteful? Mine I save and hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/have-you-found-your-life-distasteful-my-life-did-and-does-smack-sweet/)

[Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/)

> [One song Glory One song Before I go Glory One song to leave behind Find one song One last refrain Glory From the pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rent/one-song-glory-one-song-before-i-go-glory-one-song-to-leave-behind/)

[Rent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rent/)

> [Yes, there was one thing that I missed not being able to do - walk on a beach. I've always had this romantic image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/yes-there-was-one-thing-that-i-missed-not-being-able-to-do-walk-on-a/)

[Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/)

> [“Kerry had headed up the back stairs of the pub, and even as exhausted as she was, she’d still found it impossible to wipe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/kerry-had-headed-up-the-back-stairs-of-the-pub-and-even-as-exhausted/)

[Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/)

> [We are determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, Our Flag will be recognized throughout the World as a symbol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/we-are-determined-that-before-the-sun-sets-on-this-terrible-struggle/)

[George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/)

## More by Zadie Smith

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [“Pretty girls lie at the centre of straight culture, dyke culture, fag culture. They sell everything, they buy everything, they ruin great men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/pretty-girls-lie-at-the-centre-of-straight-culture-dyke-culture-fag/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [“I have known many true connoisseurs, with excellent tastes that range across the humanities and the culinary arts--and they never fail to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-have-known-many-true-connoisseurs-with-excellent-tastes-that-range/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [I cannot believe homosexuality is that much fun. Heterosexuality certainly is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-cannot-believe-homosexuality-is-that-much-fun-heterosexuality/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [“Either everything is sacred or nothing is. And if he starts burning other people’s things, then he loses something sacred also. Everyone gets what’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/either-everything-is-sacred-or-nothing-is-and-if-he-starts-burning/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [My feeling is, having lived in different classes, that people want equality of opportunity... that's the thing that makes me despair: the idea that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/my-feeling-is-having-lived-in-different-classes-that-people-want/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [I don't keep any copies of my books in the house - they go to my mum's flat. I don't like them around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-don-t-keep-any-copies-of-my-books-in-the-house-they-go-to-my-mum-s/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [But it makes an immigrant laugh to hear the fears of the nationalist, scared of infection, penetration, miscegenation, when this is small fry, peanuts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/but-it-makes-an-immigrant-laugh-to-hear-the-fears-of-the-nationalist/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [Oh, I know that. You know me, baby, I cannot be broken. Takes a giant to snap me in half.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/oh-i-know-that-you-know-me-baby-i-cannot-be-broken-takes-a-giant-to/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [“In short, it was precisely the kind of friendship and Englishman makes on holiday, that he can make only on holiday. A friendship that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/in-short-it-was-precisely-the-kind-of-friendship-and-englishman-makes/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [I suppose I often think of my writing as quite impersonal. But it turned out, when my father died, writing was exactly what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/i-suppose-i-often-think-of-my-writing-as-quite-impersonal-but-it/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [“Some of us are happy with our African hair, thank you very much. I don't want some poor Indian girl's hair. And I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/some-of-us-are-happy-with-our-african-hair-thank-you-very-much-i-don/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [You can't state difference and also state equality. We have to state sameness to understand equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-can-t-state-difference-and-also-state-equality-we-have-to-state/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [“(Unlike many others around this time, Joyce felt no shame about using the term 'middle class'. In the Chalfen lexicon the middle classes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/unlike-many-others-around-this-time-joyce-felt-no-shame-about-using/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [A lot of women, when they're young, feel they have very good friends, and find later on that friendship is complicated. It's easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/a-lot-of-women-when-they-re-young-feel-they-have-very-good-friends/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

[Explore all 457 Zadie Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

## More Begging quotes

> [“You are the queen, he ought to be begging leave of you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/you-are-the-queen-he-ought-to-be-begging-leave-of-you/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [Daddy always said the only thing worth begging for was your life, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe sometimes your love is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/daddy-always-said-the-only-thing-worth-begging-for-was-your-life-but/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [How much more of the mosque, of prayer and fasting? Better go drunk and begging round the taverns. Khayyam, drink wine, for soon this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/how-much-more-of-the-mosque-of-prayer-and-fasting-better-go-drunk-and/)

[Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/)

> [“Any fool that had once helped you will someday make known to everyone that you were once a needy. No matter how broke you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/any-fool-that-had-once-helped-you-will-someday-make-known-to-everyone/)

[Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/)

> [“He kept begging God, “Please, please, please open my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/he-kept-begging-god-please-please-please-open-my-heart/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [We long for our father. We wear his clothes, and actually try to fill his shoes. . . . We hang on to him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/we-long-for-our-father-we-wear-his-clothes-and-actually-try-to-fill/)

[Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/)

> [The desperation was coming off you in waves. You were all but begging to dance with me. I am doing you a favor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/the-desperation-was-coming-off-you-in-waves-you-were-all-but-begging/)

[Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/)

> [While you're ignoring me, someone else is begging for my attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/while-you-re-ignoring-me-someone-else-is-begging-for-my-attention/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I would willingly stand at street corners, hat in hand, begging passerby to drop their unused minutes into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/i-would-willingly-stand-at-street-corners-hat-in-hand-begging/)

[Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/)

> [A man in love ... is the master, so it seems, but only if his lady friend permits it! The need to interchange the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-desclos/a-man-in-love-is-the-master-so-it-seems-but-only-if-his-lady-friend/)

[Anne Desclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-desclos/)

> [As for poker, I've stayed away from that, even though when I was in Vegas for Ocean's Eleven, I would get accosted by these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/as-for-poker-i-ve-stayed-away-from-that-even-though-when-i-was-in/)

[Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/)

> [“The whole four to five weeks that we've been here in this courtroom has been for one reason. And that is because Theodore Robert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-rule/the-whole-four-to-five-weeks-that-we-ve-been-here-in-this-courtroom/)

[Ann Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-rule/)

> [“This is scary,” she whispers. “I’ve never had a boyfriend before. I don’t know how this works. Do people become exclusive this fast? Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/this-is-scary-she-whispers-i-ve-never-had-a-boyfriend-before-i-don-t/)

[Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/)

> [“On my way over to Park Avenue to find a cab I pass an ugly, homeless bum-- a member of the genetic underclass-- and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/on-my-way-over-to-park-avenue-to-find-a-cab-i-pass-an-ugly-homeless/)

[Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/)

> [I turned into a monk when my mother went to learn Buddhism in Burma. While she learnt at the monastery, I used to roam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir-bedi/i-turned-into-a-monk-when-my-mother-went-to-learn-buddhism-in-burma/)

[Kabir Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir-bedi/)

[Browse all 501 Begging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begging/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set, received—the concession people always beg for: a little more time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Zadie Smith"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as-the-sun-set-received-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Begging"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as-the-sun-set-received-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/zadie-smith-584_begging_in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as_1783777.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In a whisper he began begging for—and, as the sun set, received—the concession people always beg for: a…” — Zadie Smith",
                "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": "Zadie Smith",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In a whisper he began begging...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as-the-sun-set-received-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/in-a-whisper-he-began-begging-for-and-as-the-sun-set-received-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
