--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was like a mutant when I was a boy. I…" description: "\"I was like a mutant when I was a boy. I learned to read when I was four years old; it was like a miracle.\" — Alejandro Jodorowsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/alejandro-jodorowsky-1890_boy_i-was-like-a-mutant-when-i-was-a-boy-i-l_1969926.png" --- # I was like a mutant when I was a boy. I learned to read… ![“I was like a mutant when I was a boy. I learned to read when I was four years old; it was like a miracle.” quote by Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/alejandro-jodorowsky-1890_boy_i-was-like-a-mutant-when-i-was-a-boy-i-l_1969926.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/alejandro-jodorowsky-1890_boy_i-was-like-a-mutant-when-i-was-a-boy-i-l_1969926.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/alejandro-jodorowsky-1890_boy_i-was-like-a-mutant-when-i-was-a-boy-i-l_1969926.png) > “I was like a mutant when I was a boy. I learned to read when I was four years old; it was like a miracle.” [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s early reading ability felt extraordinary, like a supernatural gift that shaped his identity. **In simple terms:** Reading early felt magical and transformative. Key Takeaway Embrace early talents and nurture them. Themes growth identity miracle Mood wonderful reflective Type inspirational biographical When to use this quote - education - personal development - creative pursuits Key Concepts self‑actualization early literacy Questions to Reflect On - How did early reading influence your later work? - Do you see a link between early talent and lifelong creativity? A Different Perspective Early talent may create pressure to meet high expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy/) [Boy Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy-learned-1151386/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Learned Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned-read/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Like Mutant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-mutant-1422608/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Mutant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutant/) [Mutant Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mutant-boy-3301473/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I come from a filmmaking tradition and a storytelling background. So somehow I've emerged like a mutant who can straddle both worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/i-come-from-a-filmmaking-tradition-and-a-storytelling-background-so/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) > [“if it never happened to you, not ever, you would be like a mutant, a creature from outer space. Everyone knew that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/if-it-never-happened-to-you-not-ever-you-would-be-like-a-mutant-a/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Once upon a time, there was a boy who learned to read at the age of 5. This changed his life. Owing to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-boy-who-learned-to-read-at-the-age-of-5/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [“It was the central thing; it was the way you understood yourself; if it never happened to you, not ever, you would be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-was-the-central-thing-it-was-the-way-you-understood-yourself-if-it/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine? What did you learn in school today, Dear little boy of mine?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-paxton/what-did-you-learn-in-school-today-dear-little-boy-of-mine-what-did/) [Tom Paxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-paxton/) > [My father was a farm boy who never learned to be holding and supportive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/my-father-was-a-farm-boy-who-never-learned-to-be-holding-and/) [Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/) > [Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt. (They change their sky, not their soul, who rush across the sea.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/caelum-non-animum-mutant-qui-trans-mare-currunt-they-change-their-sky-2/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [Everything about being a teenager and not feeling like you fit in is just magnified by being a mutant!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paquin/everything-about-being-a-teenager-and-not-feeling-like-you-fit-in-is/) [Anna Paquin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paquin/) > [What about your parents, they just shipped you off to mutant school?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolverine/what-about-your-parents-they-just-shipped-you-off-to-mutant-school/) [Wolverine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolverine/) > [“COVID-19 is the most feared of the human predators.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/covid-19-is-the-most-feared-of-the-human-predators/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“COVID-19 has ended the ‘American Dream’ for the unemployed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/covid-19-has-ended-the-american-dream-for-the-unemployed/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > ['X-Men' or 'Avengers!' I want to be a mutant or an Avenger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taapsee-pannu/x-men-or-avengers-i-want-to-be-a-mutant-or-an-avenger/) [Taapsee Pannu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taapsee-pannu/) > [Humans are mutants, everything's a mutant - things that evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-isaac/humans-are-mutants-everything-s-a-mutant-things-that-evolve/) [Oscar Isaac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-isaac/) > [With worms you can just change genes at random and see if you can find a mutant that does what you want it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-kenyon/with-worms-you-can-just-change-genes-at-random-and-see-if-you-can/) [Cynthia Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-kenyon/) > [Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt (They change their sky, not their soul, those who rush across the sea)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/caelum-non-animum-mutant-qui-trans-mare-currunt-they-change-their-sky/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) ## More by Alejandro Jodorowsky > [The only thing a master can teach is how to learn about yourself. There are no secrets. They are only techniques to waken yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/the-only-thing-a-master-can-teach-is-how-to-learn-about-yourself/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I have always thought that, of all the arts, the cinema is the most complete art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-have-always-thought-that-of-all-the-arts-the-cinema-is-the-most/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [My writing routine is everyday I put a record on, the same one since 20 years. Then I burn a stick of incense, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/my-writing-routine-is-everyday-i-put-a-record-on-the-same-one-since/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [If you are great, 'El Topo' is a great picture. If you are limited, 'El Topo' is limited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/if-you-are-great-el-topo-is-a-great-picture-if-you-are-limited-el/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > ['Santa Sangre' is the picture I love the best, myself, because 'El Topo' and 'The Holy Mountain' I made with my head, and 'Santa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/santa-sangre-is-the-picture-i-love-the-best-myself-because-el-topo/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Surrealism was necessary - essential, even - in the 1920s to bridge the gap between rationalism and the subconscious. It started something important. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/surrealism-was-necessary-essential-even-in-the-1920s-to-bridge-the/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Life is beautiful, what do you think? In the morning I say, 'Ah, I am alive still!' All my friends die already. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/life-is-beautiful-what-do-you-think-in-the-morning-i-say-ah-i-am/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [One day I was sitting in my own pain, and suddenly all the pain and troubles of the world came to me. I received…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/one-day-i-was-sitting-in-my-own-pain-and-suddenly-all-the-pain-and/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [You can’t have a masterpiece without madness,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/you-can-t-have-a-masterpiece-without-madness/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [It's so weird to be alive and to be inside a body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/it-s-so-weird-to-be-alive-and-to-be-inside-a-body/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I don't see myself as a moviemaker only, you know? When I can do a picture, I do. But I don't work like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-don-t-see-myself-as-a-moviemaker-only-you-know-when-i-can-do-a/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I was alone as a child. I lived in fairytales, adventures, Shakespeare. They are the friends, my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/i-was-alone-as-a-child-i-lived-in-fairytales-adventures-shakespeare/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Psychoanalysis wants to heal with words and speaking, but sometimes with speaking, you realize nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/psychoanalysis-wants-to-heal-with-words-and-speaking-but-sometimes/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Words don't heal. Art heals!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/words-don-t-heal-art-heals/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [Being essentially a creator, I never set out to shock, always thinking about creating my work and not about the benefits it could produce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/being-essentially-a-creator-i-never-set-out-to-shock-always-thinking/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) [Explore all 191 Alejandro Jodorowsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) ## More Boy quotes > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [I'm a mama's boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hoechlin/i-m-a-mama-s-boy/) [Tyler Hoechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hoechlin/) > [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Baseball gives a growing boy self poise and self reliance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-spalding/baseball-gives-a-growing-boy-self-poise-and-self-reliance/) [Al Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-spalding/) > [As a boy from Patna, I've always dreamt of a chance to showcase my talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhimanyu-singh/as-a-boy-from-patna-i-ve-always-dreamt-of-a-chance-to-showcase-my/) [Abhimanyu Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhimanyu-singh/) > [“Boys will always be boys,’ he said. ‘The relationship obviously wasn’t meant to be.’ He told me I should trust that the break-up was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiane-backer/boys-will-always-be-boys-he-said-the-relationship-obviously-wasn-t/) [Kristiane Backer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiane-backer/) > [They always say girls mature faster than boys, but I don't think that's true because I think girls just are more mature than boys.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/they-always-say-girls-mature-faster-than-boys-but-i-don-t-think-that/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [I remember my own life as a small boy, son of Jewish immigrants, in a janitor's flat on Orchard and Stanton streets on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-k-javits/i-remember-my-own-life-as-a-small-boy-son-of-jewish-immigrants-in-a/) [Jacob K. 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I always thought 'Walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sangster/i-m-not-a-fan-of-musicals-at-all-but-i-do-think-the-nightmare-before/) [Thomas Sangster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sangster/) > [My little boy, West, and my wife, they're my rock and that's the thing that keeps driving me to do better at what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-houser/my-little-boy-west-and-my-wife-they-re-my-rock-and-that-s-the-thing/) [Randy Houser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-houser/) > [Whenever I miss you I play guiter on the song Beautiful Girl because this song tells what I exactly want to express :-)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/somen-murtem/whenever-i-miss-you-i-play-guiter-on-the-song-beautiful-girl-because/) [Somen Murtem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/somen-murtem/) [Browse all 1,360 Boy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was like a mutant when I was a boy. 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