Final answer:
The phrase in question may allude to a character in literature who is so consumed by nagging others that it becomes their sole way of interacting with the world. Without specific context, it's challenging to pinpoint the exact source, but the theme suggests an exploration of negative human habits or traits in literature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase “When they are not nagging somebody, they die” seems to be referencing the nature of certain characters within a narrative, possibly emphasizing the idea that some individuals are so defined by their negative interactions with others, such as nagging, that without that interaction, they metaphorically ‘die.’ That is, they have no purpose or lose their vitality. However, without specific context, it's difficult to point to exactly which text or character this line pertains to. The provided excerpts suggest a literature analysis or discussion around themes of death, despair, individual struggles, and the human condition, as seen through various literary works.
One excerpt reflects on the loneliness of death and the superficiality of friends’ efforts to empathize, while another draws on the theme of people becoming tired of oppression. A third alludes to grief in the wake of death, and others discuss life and death philosophically and morally. The subjects span across potentially classics, English literature, or philosophy. Powerful underlying themes in these excerpts include notions of death, grief, despair, life philosophy, and the human experience as it pertains to both society and individuality.