The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Elie WieselRead
Next to him lay his violin, trampled, an eerily poignant little corpse.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the deep emotional connection between a musician and their instrument, highlighting loss and the impact of tragedy.
Elie Wiesel's quote captures the profound sense of loss and sorrow in a single image: a violin, once vibrant and full of life, now lays trampled and lifeless. This poignant portrayal symbolizes not only the destruction of art and beauty but also serves as a metaphor for the larger tragedies that strip away humanity and culture, evoking a sense of mourning for both the personal and collective losses experienced in times of despair.
Themes
ViolinLossArtTragedyHumanity
In practice
Example use cases
During a memorial speech, one might refer to this quote to emphasize the loss of culture in times of conflict.
More from Elie Wiesel
All quotes →With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
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Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.
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We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
Elie WieselRead
No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
Elie WieselRead
My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Elie WieselRead
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