This you have to understand. There's only one way to hurt a man who's lost everything. Give him back something broken.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Giving someone something broken back after they have lost everything is a cruel way to hurt them.
- In plain terms
- The cruelest thing to do to someone who lost everything is to give them back a broken version of it.
- What can you take from it?
- Restoration that fails can cause deeper pain than total loss.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When does hope become cruelty?
- What is the weight of a broken promise?
Another view
Sometimes broken things can be repaired with effort.
More from Stephen R. Donaldson
When last comes to last, I have little power: I am merely an urn. I hold the bone-sap of myself, and watch the marrow burn. When last comes to last, I have lit…
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