--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What are you doing?\" Nothing. Breaking…" description: "\"What are you doing?\" Nothing. Breaking and entering. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.\" — Audrey Niffenegger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/audrey-niffenegger-1298_attention_what-are-you-doing-nothing-breaking-and_128728.jpg" --- # What are you doing?" Nothing. Breaking and entering. Pay… ![“What are you doing?" Nothing. Breaking and entering. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” quote by Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/audrey-niffenegger-1298_attention_what-are-you-doing-nothing-breaking-and_128728.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/audrey-niffenegger-1298_attention_what-are-you-doing-nothing-breaking-and_128728.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/audrey-niffenegger-1298_attention_what-are-you-doing-nothing-breaking-and_128728.jpg) > “What are you doing?" Nothing. Breaking and entering. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A rhetorical question masks a hidden, illicit act, urging the listener to ignore the obvious and focus on the unseen. **In simple terms:** A secret act is hidden behind a distracting question. Key Takeaway Question distractions can conceal true intentions. Themes deception distraction secret intrigue crime Mood suspenseful dark Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - crime investigation - psychological thriller - ethical dilemma Key Concepts hidden motives psychology subterfuge Questions to Reflect On - What does the curtain metaphor suggest about truth? - How do distractions affect moral judgment? A Different Perspective May normalize ignoring moral responsibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Doing nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-nothing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pay-no-attention-to-the-man-behind-the-curtain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am the bridge between the bleeding edge and the dead center. I stand between the Wizard of Oz and the man behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-watts/i-am-the-bridge-between-the-bleeding-edge-and-the-dead-center-i-stand/) [Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watts/) > [Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/pay-no-attention-to-that-man-behind-the-curtain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Anyone up for a little breaking and entering?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-cody/anyone-up-for-a-little-breaking-and-entering/) [Matthew Cody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-cody/) > [You've been busy using your breaking and entering skills," I said. "I just enter. I don't usually break." "You broke down Pitch's door." "Lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-ve-been-busy-using-your-breaking-and-entering-skills-i-said-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [You know," Shane said twenty minutes later, "I'd feel a whole lot better about the two of us if you didn't think I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/you-know-shane-said-twenty-minutes-later-i-d-feel-a-whole-lot-better/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“Besides, I already knew you didn't have any moral qualms about breaking and entering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/besides-i-already-knew-you-didn-t-have-any-moral-qualms-about/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Sorry, just ignore the man behind the curtain. Great, a subconscious with a sense of humor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-bria/sorry-just-ignore-the-man-behind-the-curtain-great-a-subconscious/) Sonya Bria > [You know, entertainment is just a curtain at the end of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-o-day/you-know-entertainment-is-just-a-curtain-at-the-end-of-the-day/) [Aubrey O'Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-o-day/) > [And now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/and-now-the-end-is-near-and-so-i-face-the-final-curtain/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [The light can be a curtain as well as the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-light-can-be-a-curtain-as-well-as-the-darkness/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [That's what you do when the curtain is falling--you give the line that the audience wants to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/that-s-what-you-do-when-the-curtain-is-falling-you-give-the-line-that/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [“Curtains always hide something, either the good or the bad! Their job is to hide! If you see a curtain covering up an evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/curtains-always-hide-something-either-the-good-or-the-bad-their-job/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We are surrounded by curtains. We only perceive the world behind a curtain of semblance. At the same time, an object needs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-magritte/we-are-surrounded-by-curtains-we-only-perceive-the-world-behind-a/) [Rene Magritte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-magritte/) > [I have a small room to write in. One wall is completely covered in books. And I face the window with the curtain closed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/i-have-a-small-room-to-write-in-one-wall-is-completely-covered-in/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) ## More by Audrey Niffenegger > [But you know: you know that if I could have stayed, if I could have gone on, that I would have clutched every second:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/but-you-know-you-know-that-if-i-could-have-stayed-if-i-could-have/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I look at him, look at the book, remember, this book, this moment, the first book I ever loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-look-at-him-look-at-the-book-remember-this-book-this-moment-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“When I was young I didn't understand, but now, I know, how absence can be present, like a damaged nerve, like a dark bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/when-i-was-young-i-didn-t-understand-but-now-i-know-how-absence-can/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [Everything seems simple until you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/everything-seems-simple-until-you-think-about-it/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I place my hands over her ears and tip her head back, and kiss her, and try to put my heart into hers, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-place-my-hands-over-her-ears-and-tip-her-head-back-and-kiss-her-and/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Sister Carmelita says animals don't have souls" "Of course animals have souls, where did she get that idea?" "She said the Pope says." "The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/sister-carmelita-says-animals-don-t-have-souls-of-course-animals-have/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [We didn't think the library was funny looking in it's faux- Greek splendor, nor did we find the cuisine limited or bland, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-didn-t-think-the-library-was-funny-looking-in-it-s-faux-greek/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [He said something interesting: he said that he thinks there is only free will when you are in time, in the present. He says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/he-said-something-interesting-he-said-that-he-thinks-there-is-only/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“Dead is the most alone you can be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/dead-is-the-most-alone-you-can-be/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [I won't ever leave you, even though you're always leaving me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-won-t-ever-leave-you-even-though-you-re-always-leaving-me/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“It seems like we're going to collide, and we laugh, and laugh, and nothing can ever be sad, no one can be lost, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/it-seems-like-we-re-going-to-collide-and-we-laugh-and-laugh-and/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“We were royally miserable together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/we-were-royally-miserable-together/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“No.” Valentina closed her eyes. Of course not. “It’ll be great, Mouse. We’ll have our own apartment, we won’t have to work,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/no-valentina-closed-her-eyes-of-course-not-it-ll-be-great-mouse-we-ll/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“I make books because I love them as objects; because I want to put the pictures and the words together, because I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-make-books-because-i-love-them-as-objects-because-i-want-to-put-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [“I don't know about you, but I'm kind of fed up with realism. After all, there's enough reality already; why make more of it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-don-t-know-about-you-but-i-m-kind-of-fed-up-with-realism-after-all/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) [Explore all 250 Audrey Niffenegger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What are you doing?\" Nothing. 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