The Leopard Mortality Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

Lucky person, with no worries about daughters, dowries, and political careers. (2.52)

On some level, Fabrizio envies the dead because they don't have to worry about all the little, everyday stuff he does. He seems to spend most of his time worrying about his daughters and his political career (which is ending). But once he's dead, he won't have to worry about anything anymore.

Quote #5

For the first time he felt a touch of rancor prick him at sight of Tancredi; this fop with the pinch-in waist under his dark blue suit had been the cause of those sour thoughts of his about death two hours ago. (2.55)

Most of the time, Fabrizio loves Tancredi. But every now and then, Tancredi reminds Fabrizio about the fact that his own life and his family's status are going to come to an end someday. This leads him to wonder gloomily about what he'll leave behind when he's gone, and for most of this novel, the answer seems to be nothing.

Quote #6

[He] had a feeling that something, someone, had died, God only knew in what corner of the country, in what corner of the popular conscience. (3.33)

When a vote is taken and the people of Sicily decide to join Italy, Fabrizio can't help but feel as though someone has died. It's his country that's died, of course, since the nation technically no longer exists. But on top of that, he also knows that an entire way of life has died along with it.