“We were no longer, technically, children although in many ways I am quite sure that we were. Childish has become a term of contempt. "Don't be childish, darling." "I hope to Christ I am. Don't be childish yourself." It is possible to be grateful that no one that you would willingly associate with you say, "Be mature. Be well-balanced, be well-adjusted." Africa, being as old as it is, makes all people except the professional invaders and spoilers into children. No one says to anyone in Africa, "Why don't you grow up?" . . . Men know that they are children in relation to the country and, as in armies, seniority and senility ride close together. But to have the heart of a child is not a disgrace. It is an honor. A man must comport himself as a man. . . . But it is never a reproach that he has kept a child's heart, a child's honesty and a child's freshness and nobility.”

Share & Save

Meaning

Not documented yet.

When It Was Said

Not documented yet.

Who It Was Said To

Not documented yet.

Historical Context

Not documented yet.

Source

Not documented yet.

Original Language & Translation

Originally said in English.

Did They Really Say It?

Not documented yet.

Did You Know?

Not documented yet.

About Ernest Hemingway

American novelist and short story writer of the early-to-mid 20th century, Hemingway is best known for his stark, minimalist prose and depictions of war, masculinity, and existential struggle. His works, including *The Sun Also Rises* and *A Farewell to Arms*, capture the disillusionment of post-World War I generations with a raw, unflinching honesty. His writing style and adventurous life—marked by hunting, fishing, and travels—became as legendary as his fiction.

More from Ernest Hemingway (257 quotes) →
"We were no longer, technically, children although in many ways I am q…" — Ernest Hemingway | Daily Quotes