“Money is money; death is death; the living are the living; the living were the future”
The precise and pregnant expression is taken from H. E. Bates’s short story The Ox. This line expresses Mrs. Thurlow’s firm resolve to rebuild her life despite overwhelming tragedy. After the execution of her husband and the loss of her hard-earned savings, she experiences deep shock and humiliation. Yet, instead of surrendering to despair, she gathers her courage and determines to begin again. The narrator uses this line to highlight her practical wisdom and emotional strength.
Mrs. Thurlow’s savings, which represented years of toil and sacrifice, were gone. Her husband’s death, too, brought social disgrace and personal grief. Both events could have crushed her spirit. However, she comes to a stark and realistic understanding of life: “Money is money; death is death.” By this, she means that money, though valuable, is only material wealth, and death, once it occurs, cannot be undone. Lamenting endlessly over these losses would not change her circumstances. They belong to the past and are beyond recovery.
The next part of the line—“the living are the living; the living were the future”—reveals her true priority. Her sons are alive. They depend on her. They represent hope, continuity, and the possibility of renewal. For Mrs. Thurlow, the future does not lie in mourning the dead or brooding over lost wealth, but in nurturing and supporting those who are still alive. Her children embody her purpose and her reason to persevere.
This statement thus reflects her transformation from grief to determination. It shows her practical outlook and inner resilience. She refuses to be paralysed by sorrow. Instead, she accepts reality with courage and focuses on rebuilding her life through hard work and enterprise. Her decision to buy another ox and continue farming demonstrates this spirit of renewal.
In essence, the line underscores one of the story’s central themes: the triumph of life over loss. Mrs. Thurlow’s character illustrates that while money can be lost and death is inevitable, life must go on. The living carry forward hope and responsibility. Through her unwavering resolve, Bates presents a moving portrayal of human endurance and the indomitable will to survive.
