--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Admiral. That part of a warship which…" description: "\"Admiral. That part of a warship which does the talking while the figurehead does the thinking.\" — Ambrose Bierce" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/ambrose-bierce-140_admiral_admiral-that-part-of-a-warship-which-doe_2561730.jpg" --- # Admiral. That part of a warship which does the talking… ![“Admiral. That part of a warship which does the talking while the figurehead does the thinking.” quote by Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/ambrose-bierce-140_admiral_admiral-that-part-of-a-warship-which-doe_2561730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/ambrose-bierce-140_admiral_admiral-that-part-of-a-warship-which-doe_2561730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/989/ambrose-bierce-140_admiral_admiral-that-part-of-a-warship-which-doe_2561730.jpg) > “Admiral. That part of a warship which does the talking while the figurehead does the thinking.” [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A warship’s communication is handled by the mouthpiece, while the figurehead, a symbolic leader, represents thought. **In simple terms:** The talking part does the work; the thinking part is symbolic. Key Takeaway Recognize the difference between action and symbolism. Themes communication leadership symbolism Mood irry critical neutral Type aphilosophical satirical When to use this quote - military - public speaking - organizational structure Key Concepts metaphor representation Questions to Reflect On - Do you rely on symbols more than action? - How do you balance speech and thought? A Different Perspective Symbols may be ignored in practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“...for all its apparent speed, the ship was almost perfectly silent, and he experienced an enervating, eerie feeling, as though the ancient warship, mothballed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-m-banks/for-all-its-apparent-speed-the-ship-was-almost-perfectly-silent-and/) [Iain M. Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-m-banks/) > [“Yes, but none of them can steal my ship. None of them are smart enough to know that it was the right thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-tayler/yes-but-none-of-them-can-steal-my-ship-none-of-them-are-smart-enough/) [Howard Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-tayler/) > [The best ambassador is a warship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-j-howard/the-best-ambassador-is-a-warship/) Michelle J. Howard > [“It was a warship, after all. 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Generals acting as admirals are bad enough, but it was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-smith/we-had-generals-who-were-admirals-and-admirals-who-wanted-to-be/) Holland Smith ## More by Ambrose Bierce > [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [DECIDE, v.i. To succumb to the preponderance of one set of influences over another set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/decide-v-i-to-succumb-to-the-preponderance-of-one-set-of-influences/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [REVIEW, v.t. To set your wisdom (holding not a doubt of it./ Although in truth there's neither bone nor skin to it)/ At work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/review-v-t-to-set-your-wisdom-holding-not-a-doubt-of-it-although-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [CLOCK, n. A machine of great moral value to man, allaying his concern for the future by reminding him what a lot of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/clock-n-a-machine-of-great-moral-value-to-man-allaying-his-concern/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [RUBBISH, n. Worthless matter, such as the religions, philosophies, literatures, arts and sciences of the tribes infesting the regions lying due south from Boreaplas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/rubbish-n-worthless-matter-such-as-the-religions-philosophies/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [There was never a genius who was not thought a fool until he disclosed himself; whereas he is a fool then only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/there-was-never-a-genius-who-was-not-thought-a-fool-until-he/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/telephone-n-an-invention-of-the-devil-which-abrogates-some-of-the/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [WHANGDEPOOTENAWAH, n. 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A scale of taxes on imports, designed to protect the domestic producer against the greed of his consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/tariff-n-a-scale-of-taxes-on-imports-designed-to-protect-the-domestic/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A bad marriage is like an electrical thrilling machine: it makes you dance, but you can't let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/a-bad-marriage-is-like-an-electrical-thrilling-machine-it-makes-you/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) [Explore all 1,157 Ambrose Bierce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) ## More Admiral quotes > [We had generals who were admirals and admirals who wanted to be generals. 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The job of the commander-in-chief is to lay the objective out and then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/as-president-i-wouldn-t-be-making-the-day-to-day-combat-decisions-the/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Admiral says that he never beheld so fair a thing: trees all along the river, beautiful and green, and different from ours, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-admiral-says-that-he-never-beheld-so-fair-a-thing-trees-all-along/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Of this voyage, I observe," says the Admiral, "that it has miraculously been shown, as may be understood by this writing, by the many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/of-this-voyage-i-observe-says-the-admiral-that-it-has-miraculously/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [“How do you want to die, Admiral? We are D'Angeline. At the hand of numbers, or dreams?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-carey/how-do-you-want-to-die-admiral-we-are-d-angeline-at-the-hand-of/) [Jacqueline Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-carey/) > [There aren't any great men. There are just great challenges that ordinary men like you and me are forced by circumstances to meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-halsey/there-aren-t-any-great-men-there-are-just-great-challenges-that/) [William Halsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-halsey/) > [Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/among-the-men-who-fought-on-iwo-jima-uncommon-valor-was-a-common/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [Ford used to come to work in a big car with two Admiral's flags, on each side of the car. His assistant would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-widmark/ford-used-to-come-to-work-in-a-big-car-with-two-admiral-s-flags-on/) [Richard Widmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-widmark/) > [I call my dad 'Admiral Ass Hat,' he doesn't really think it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/i-call-my-dad-admiral-ass-hat-he-doesn-t-really-think-it-s-funny/) [Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/) > [This is Leo. I'm the... What's my title? Am I like, admiral, or captain, or..." "Repair boy." "Very funny, Piper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/this-is-leo-i-m-the-what-s-my-title-am-i-like-admiral-or-captain-or/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Regarding the air raid over Los Angeles it was learned by Army G2 that Rear Admiral Anderson...recovered an unidentified airplane off the coast of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-c-marshall/regarding-the-air-raid-over-los-angeles-it-was-learned-by-army-g2/) [George C. Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) Browse all 79 Admiral quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Admiral. 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