--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we put a gun to her head she would…" description: "\"“If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it first with a bird, General Benjamin said gently to Alfredo. Like our soprano, they have no ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg" --- # If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it… ![“If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it first with a bird, General Benjamin said gently to Alfredo. Like our soprano, they have no capacity to understand authority. The bird doesn't know enough to be afraid and the person holding the gun will only end up looking like a lunatic.” quote by Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg) > ““If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it first with a bird, General Benjamin said gently to Alfredo. Like our soprano, they have no capacity to understand authority. The bird doesn't know enough to be afraid and the person holding the gun will only end up looking like a lunatic.”” [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authority can crush creativity; those who lack understanding of power may obey blindly, while those who see its absurdity may resist or become unhinged. **In simple terms:** Power can silence or absurd people. Key Takeaway Question authority with humor. Themes authority creativity obedience psychology Mood irry critical thoughtful Type aphilosophical satirical When to use this quote - Workplace meetings - political protests - artistic expression - education - family dynamics Key Concepts Power dynamics conformity absurdity Questions to Reflect On - When does defying authority become constructive? - How can humor reveal hidden power structures? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex human motivations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-person-1523127/) [Benjamin Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benjamin-said-1945848/) [General Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/general-benjamin-2591808/) [Holding Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-gun-562118/) [Like Soprano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-soprano-1510842/) ## Related quotes > [Bertrand Russell said, 'Electricity is not a thing like St. Paul's Cathedral; it is a way in which things behave.' And it's not 'they'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/bertrand-russell-said-electricity-is-not-a-thing-like-st-paul-s/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Directors didn't know what to do with me in college. I didn't really sound like a belter. I didn't look like a soprano. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/directors-didn-t-know-what-to-do-with-me-in-college-i-didn-t-really/) [Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/) > [In school, I really felt like I didn't fit a type. I think everybody had a hard time putting me in a category. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/in-school-i-really-felt-like-i-didn-t-fit-a-type-i-think-everybody/) [Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/) > [“Don't be afraid of being the person you have become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-espinosa/don-t-be-afraid-of-being-the-person-you-have-become/) [Albert Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-espinosa/) > [If you're losing someone that you really Love, don't be afraid because if that person do Loves you a lot He/She would take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-losing-someone-that-you-really-love-don-t-be-afraid-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every night when I go out on stage, there's always one nagging fear in the back of my mind. I'm always afraid that somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/every-night-when-i-go-out-on-stage-there-s-always-one-nagging-fear-in/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [If your losing someone that you really love, Never be afraid, because if that person do loves you a lot, He/she would take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laine/if-your-losing-someone-that-you-really-love-never-be-afraid-because/) [Laine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laine/) > [If you're losing someone that you really love,never be afraid because if that person does loves you a lot he would TAKE THE RISK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-losing-someone-that-you-really-love-never-be-afraid-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To be afraid, a person has either to be very great and strong-- or else a coward. I'm neither.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/to-be-afraid-a-person-has-either-to-be-very-great-and-strong-or-else/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Don't be afraid to be who you are because you are the only person who knows you best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-to-be-who-you-are-because-you-are-the-only-person-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you kill someone, it shows that you are afraid of that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/if-you-kill-someone-it-shows-that-you-are-afraid-of-that-person/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [“It is not the homeless, mentally ill or extremely cunning people that we have to be afraid of. When someone loses everything that meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-the-homeless-mentally-ill-or-extremely-cunning-people-that/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Everyone is afraid of you and when folk are afraid of a person it usually means the person is cruel in some way, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/everyone-is-afraid-of-you-and-when-folk-are-afraid-of-a-person-it/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I was never a hundred percent comfortable with the women I was hanging with because I was afraid they'd find out that I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taye-diggs/i-was-never-a-hundred-percent-comfortable-with-the-women-i-was/) [Taye Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taye-diggs/) > [Sometimes people don't want to be empowered because they are afraid of being the person to make the decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/sometimes-people-don-t-want-to-be-empowered-because-they-are-afraid/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) ## More by Ann Patchett > [She sang as if she was saving the life of every person in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/she-sang-as-if-she-was-saving-the-life-of-every-person-in-the-room/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [If I had problems, I kept them to myself. I didn't make a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-i-had-problems-i-kept-them-to-myself-i-didn-t-make-a-scene/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [I can't write the book I want to write, but I can and will write the book I am capable of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-can-t-write-the-book-i-want-to-write-but-i-can-and-will-write-the/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Without worry to protect me, every thought that came into my mind received real attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/without-worry-to-protect-me-every-thought-that-came-into-my-mind/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“I wrote the last sentence of The Patron Saint of Liars in early April and stumbled out of my apartment and into the beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-wrote-the-last-sentence-of-the-patron-saint-of-liars-in-early-april/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“In the future, he will try to say her name enough, but he never can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/in-the-future-he-will-try-to-say-her-name-enough-but-he-never-can/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [My novels are very much the same, as I think many people's novels are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/my-novels-are-very-much-the-same-as-i-think-many-people-s-novels-are/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“He was in love, and never had he felt such kindness towards another person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/he-was-in-love-and-never-had-he-felt-such-kindness-towards-another/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Gen was sleeping the sleep of the heavily drugged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/gen-was-sleeping-the-sleep-of-the-heavily-drugged/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [If I was a waitress, I was too tired at the end of the day when I came home to try to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-i-was-a-waitress-i-was-too-tired-at-the-end-of-the-day-when-i-came/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“She didn't know how to hate her mother yet, but every time she left her father crying in the airport she came that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/she-didn-t-know-how-to-hate-her-mother-yet-but-every-time-she-left/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“When you think of love you think as an American. You must think like a Russian. It is a more expansive view.' 'Americans havea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/when-you-think-of-love-you-think-as-an-american-you-must-think-like-a/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“...Nebraska was white, a page as still as fallen snow. It was not crosshatched with roads, overrun with the hard lines of interstate systems.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/nebraska-was-white-a-page-as-still-as-fallen-snow-it-was-not/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Clearly he needed a father, but some other father, any other father, would have been preferable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/clearly-he-needed-a-father-but-some-other-father-any-other-father/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“I don't have any talent for vacations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/i-don-t-have-any-talent-for-vacations/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) [Explore all 413 Ann Patchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) ## More Holding Gun quotes > [When I held that gun in my hand, I felt a surge of power - like God must feel when he's holding a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/when-i-held-that-gun-in-my-hand-i-felt-a-surge-of-power-like-god-must/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [People started shaking hands with strangers to show that neither was holding a gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-started-shaking-hands-with-strangers-to-show-that-neither-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can tell a lot about a person by holding a gun at their head and asking them questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-can-tell-a-lot-about-a-person-by-holding-a-gun-at-their-head-and/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you and i, were in a life or death situation. The gun were to be pointed at you. I already know what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-thomas/if-you-and-i-were-in-a-life-or-death-situation-the-gun-were-to-be/) [Iris Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-thomas/) > [Holding The Gun' symbolizes loyalty and an everlasting type of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/holding-the-gun-symbolizes-loyalty-and-an-everlasting-type-of-love/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [I was coming from a very cerebral, dark, difficult, layered play by Christopher Hampton and doing an action movie in Hollywood (Die Hard) with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-was-coming-from-a-very-cerebral-dark-difficult-layered-play-by/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [If I ever do get married," Tariq said, "they'll have to make room for three on the wedding stage. Me, the bride, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/if-i-ever-do-get-married-tariq-said-they-ll-have-to-make-room-for/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Try driving the streets of Los Angeles without seeing a billboard depicting a film with a lead actor holding a gun. It's almost as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/try-driving-the-streets-of-los-angeles-without-seeing-a-billboard/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Although I look really good holding a gun, I can't shoot. I can't shoot anything. I'm the worst shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tisha-campbell-martin/although-i-look-really-good-holding-a-gun-i-can-t-shoot-i-can-t-shoot/) [Tisha Campbell-Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tisha-campbell-martin/) > [“Then, holding my gun in his hand, he signaled. And out from where they had been concealed walked two other detectives. They'd had me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/then-holding-my-gun-in-his-hand-he-signaled-and-out-from-where-they/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The visual for 'Holding The Gun' is a love story. It's about a ride or die and unapologetic type of love and a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/the-visual-for-holding-the-gun-is-a-love-story-it-s-about-a-ride-or/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [I hope that I'm the kind of person who would step in between somebody holding a gun at somebody else. I would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottessa-moshfegh/i-hope-that-i-m-the-kind-of-person-who-would-step-in-between-somebody/) [Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottessa-moshfegh/) > [“You must understand that our friendship is done justified by the person that you have become and because of the fact that enough is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/falling-in-reverse/you-must-understand-that-our-friendship-is-done-justified-by-the/) [Falling In Reverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/falling-in-reverse/) > [It wasn't really that hard to act when you see somebody holding a gun to your partner. It's also believing the circumstances and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariska-hargitay/it-wasn-t-really-that-hard-to-act-when-you-see-somebody-holding-a-gun/) [Mariska Hargitay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariska-hargitay/) > [“I had no idea why I was still holding the gun on her. Normally, nice women with no hidden agenda whatsoever didn’t scare me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/i-had-no-idea-why-i-was-still-holding-the-gun-on-her-normally-nice/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) [Browse all 28 Holding Gun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-gun-562118/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it first with a bird, General Benjamin said gently to Alfredo. Like our soprano, they have no capacity to understand authority. The bird doesn't know enough to be afraid and the person holding the gun will only end up looking like a lunatic.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ann Patchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-sing-all-day-try-it-first-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Holding Gun" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-sing-all-day-try-it-first-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a9/ann-patchett-670_holding-gun_if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-si_263645.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we put a gun to her head she would sing all day. Try it first with a bird, General Benjamin said gently…” — Ann Patchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ann Patchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If we put a gun to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-sing-all-day-try-it-first-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/if-we-put-a-gun-to-her-head-she-would-sing-all-day-try-it-first-with/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```