I was a little afraid of him; not the boy himself, but of what he seemed to be: the victim of the world.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker fears not the boy himself, but the idea of him being a victim of the world.
- In plain terms
- I was afraid of the boy not because of who he was, but because he seemed like a victim.
- What can you take from it?
- Fear often targets perceived suffering rather than the person themselves.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What do you fear in others?
- How does suffering change perception?
Another view
Fearing a victim may reflect the observer's helplessness rather than the victim's nature.
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