A fire, a fire is burning! I hear the boot of Lucifer, I see his filthy face! And it is my face, and yours, Danforth! For them that quail to bring men out of ignorance, as I have quailed, and as you quail now when you know in all your black hearts that this be fraud - God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker realizes that fear and complicity in injustice make everyone guilty, not just the accused.
- In plain terms
- Fear and silence make us all responsible for the evil happening around us.
- What can you take from it?
- Complicity in injustice burns everyone involved.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When have you stayed silent out of fear?
- How do you recognize your own complicity?
Another view
The metaphor relies heavily on religious imagery which may not resonate with secular readers.
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