Original artwork, not a still
I am impelled, not to squeak like a grateful and apologetic mouse, but to roar like a lion out of pride in my profession.
— Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech ‧ 1962
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker contrasts an apologetic mouse’s squeak with a lion’s roar to explain how they want to speak about their profession. Pride demands a powerful voice rather than meek gratitude. The animal comparison makes professional self-respect sound forceful, expansive and unwilling to apologise for itself.
Context reviewed
