"At twelve I was determined to shoot only For honor; at twenty not to shoot at all; I know at thirty-three that one must shoot As often as one gets the rare chance - In killing there is more than commentary"

This quote by Allen Tate speaks to the concept of maturity and the changing perspective that comes with age. At twelve, Tate was figured out to just shoot for honor, recommending a sense of idealism and naivety. By twenty, he had decided not to shoot at all, likely due to a newly found understanding of the effects of violence. Nevertheless, by thirty-three, Tate had actually come to the realization that a person should take advantage of the unusual opportunity to shoot, as there is more to killing than simply commentary. This suggests that with age comes a greater understanding of the complexities of life, and the need to make challenging decisions. Tate's quote talks to the idea that maturity brings with it a higher understanding of the world, and the requirement to make hard choices.