“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.”
- July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961
- American
- Novelist, poet, journalist
- Wrote masterpieces such as “The Old Man and the Sea,” “A Farewell to Arms,” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954
Quote
“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.”
Explanation
In this quote, Hemingway reflects on the idea that certain experiences, no matter how unique or individual, can feel remarkably similar in their essence. The act of shooting birds, though each bird may be different and fly in its own way, produces a similar sensation for the shooter. Hemingway suggests that once you have experienced something deeply—whether it’s an action, emotion, or achievement—the feeling of it becomes more important than the specifics of the individual moments. Each bird, with its different flight patterns, still provides the same satisfaction when taken, and the last bird is just as significant as the first because the feeling of success or completion remains constant.
This quote reflects Hemingway’s frequent themes of repetition and the human search for meaning. His characters often find themselves engaged in repetitive, ritualistic activities—whether it’s hunting, fighting, or struggling against adversity—and in many of his stories, there’s an underlying sense that these actions, though they may vary in form, lead to the same core experience of life. Hemingway’s writing suggests that human existence, much like shooting birds, can often feel like a series of similar sensations repeated throughout time, and the challenge is to find value and satisfaction in each moment, no matter how many times it is repeated.
In the modern context, this quote can be interpreted as a reflection on the nature of repetitive tasks or experiences that might initially seem to lose their significance with repetition, whether in work, creativity, or life in general. Hemingway suggests that, even though each individual instance may feel different, the core experience or emotional reward remains the same. This perspective can be empowering, reminding us that even if we are caught in seemingly repetitive cycles, the satisfaction of a job well done, a goal achieved, or an experience lived can be just as meaningful the last time as it was the first.
