How did you go bankrupt?" Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.
Ernest HemingwayRead
He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and the lions on the beach. They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy. He never dreamed about the boy. He simply woke, looked out the open door at the moon and unrolled his trousers and put them on.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the simplicity and tranquility of life in the face of past struggles and aspirations.
In this excerpt from Ernest Hemingway, the protagonist has transitioned from yearning for grand ambitions and battles to appreciating the serene beauty of his surroundings and the gentle presence of lions. This shift symbolizes a deeper acceptance of life’s simplicity and an appreciation for quieter moments, showing that true contentment may come from finding joy in the present rather than in past dreams or conflicts.
Themes
DreamsSimplicityContentmentNatureLife
In practice
Example use cases
During a reflection on aging or contentment in life, this quote could inspire a discussion on finding peace in simplicity.
More from Ernest Hemingway
All quotes →When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first.
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There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease, it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it. But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy.
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Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.
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There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.
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Because we would not wear any clothes because it was so hot and the windows open and the swallows flying over the roofs of the houses and when it was dark afterward and you went to the window very small bats hunting over the houses and close down over the trees and we would drink capri and the door locked and it hot and only a sheet and the whole night and we would both love each other all night in the hot night in Milan. That was how it ought to be.
Ernest HemingwayRead
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