--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Eyes can pierce a skull." description: "\"“Eyes can pierce a skull.”\" — Barbara Kingsolver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png" --- # Eyes can pierce a skull. ![“Eyes can pierce a skull.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png) > ““Eyes can pierce a skull.”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence can penetrate even the toughest defenses, symbolized by a skull being pierced. **In simple terms:** Even strong defenses can be broken. Key Takeaway Recognize vulnerability in seemingly strong structures. Themes vulnerability violence strength Mood intense cautious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal growth - risk assessment - healthcare Key Concepts metaphor human fragility Questions to Reflect On - What defenses do you need to examine? - How can we protect against hidden threats? A Different Perspective May be interpreted as overly grim. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) [Eyes Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-pierce-3515784/) [Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pierce/) [Pierce Skull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pierce-skull-5231484/) [Skull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skull/) ## Related quotes > [“How far your eyes may pierce I cannot tell. Striving to better, oft we mar what's well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-far-your-eyes-may-pierce-i-cannot-tell-striving-to-better-oft-we/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The destiny of every human being is decided by what goes on inside his skull when confronted by what goes on outside his skull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-berne/the-destiny-of-every-human-being-is-decided-by-what-goes-on-inside/) [Eric Berne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-berne/) > [The three-pound organ in your skull - with its pink consistency of Jell-o - is an alien kind of computational material. It is composed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/the-three-pound-organ-in-your-skull-with-its-pink-consistency-of-jell/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [The skull is nature's sculpture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/the-skull-is-nature-s-sculpture/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [One should not forget that there are very few surviving items from this period, often just single, small bones, a tooth, a sliver of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/one-should-not-forget-that-there-are-very-few-surviving-items-from/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [“On a shelf over the experiment table there was the inevitable skull, which the wizard put their to remind him of death, though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bellairs/on-a-shelf-over-the-experiment-table-there-was-the-inevitable-skull/) [John Bellairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bellairs/) > [I collect skulls; I think that a beautiful skull is a really good gift for a guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-heathcote/i-collect-skulls-i-think-that-a-beautiful-skull-is-a-really-good-gift/) [Bella Heathcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-heathcote/) > [“IT IS THE colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moorcock/it-is-the-colour-of-a-bleached-skull-his-flesh-and-the-long-hair/) [Michael Moorcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moorcock/) > [“Behold,' said the Voice, 'earthly beauty. It is nothing but seeming, for to the uninstructed eye the world appears fruitful and sweet, yet in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mccann/behold-said-the-voice-earthly-beauty-it-is-nothing-but-seeming-for-to/) [Maria McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mccann/) > [When you see me smash somebody's skull, you enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/when-you-see-me-smash-somebody-s-skull-you-enjoy-it/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [Neither an assembly line nor a stock market nor an oil well did it, simply what came from one small skull and that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilka-chase/neither-an-assembly-line-nor-a-stock-market-nor-an-oil-well-did-it/) [Ilka Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilka-chase/) > [I have a rat inside my skull that runs on a treadmill - pitta-patta pitta-patta pitta-patta. I enjoy the company of other people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/i-have-a-rat-inside-my-skull-that-runs-on-a-treadmill-pitta-patta/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [With his sunglasses gone and his scarf hanging down, there was no denying that he had no flesh, he had no skin, he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/with-his-sunglasses-gone-and-his-scarf-hanging-down-there-was-no/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“Without a response, I just stand there like an idiot. Like she just slapped my brain out of my skull and I can’t think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-a-rogers/without-a-response-i-just-stand-there-like-an-idiot-like-she-just/) [Rebecca A. Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-a-rogers/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Eyes quotes > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [When I was a teen, I would draw a really, really long line around my eyes with eyeliner, like Lola Flores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia/when-i-was-a-teen-i-would-draw-a-really-really-long-line-around-my/) [Rosalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [Human beings should stick together. Honestly, if I see a red-haired person with blue eyes now, I say, 'Is your granny black?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/human-beings-should-stick-together-honestly-if-i-see-a-red-haired/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [When I see things through my eyes, I don't want to ever just be really negative towards someone's performance. There are many ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/when-i-see-things-through-my-eyes-i-don-t-want-to-ever-just-be-really/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [My only trick to having wing liner sharp enough to cut is be careful and take your time! I have hooded eyes, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-charles/my-only-trick-to-having-wing-liner-sharp-enough-to-cut-is-be-careful/) [James Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-charles/) > [“I fell in love with your eyes first because I looked into their depths and saw the other half of my soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/i-fell-in-love-with-your-eyes-first-because-i-looked-into-their/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [I think, reading about yourself through somebody else's eyes, you're always going to have your own story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-sestero/i-think-reading-about-yourself-through-somebody-else-s-eyes-you-re/) [Greg Sestero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-sestero/) > [For the Russian masses, the proletarians, knew for certain, and already saw during the war, and in part before their very eyes, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-gorter/for-the-russian-masses-the-proletarians-knew-for-certain-and-already/) [Herman Gorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-gorter/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Evertime I close my eyes it doesnt matter where, I always see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience/evertime-i-close-my-eyes-it-doesnt-matter-where-i-always-see-you/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience/) > [Look with all your eyes, look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/look-with-all-your-eyes-look/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [It's not your mistake if you cant read the eyes which cheats you. But it's really your mistake if you cant read the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mbululo/it-s-not-your-mistake-if-you-cant-read-the-eyes-which-cheats-you-but/) [Ally Mbululo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mbululo/) > [Kiss me with your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/kiss-me-with-your-eyes/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) [Browse all 3,942 Eyes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Eyes can pierce a skull.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Kingsolver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/eyes-can-pierce-a-skull/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eyes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/eyes-can-pierce-a-skull/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/barbara-kingsolver-200_eyes_eyes-can-pierce-a-skull-655295_655295.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Eyes can pierce a skull.” — Barbara Kingsolver", "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": "Barbara Kingsolver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Eyes can pierce a skull.”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/eyes-can-pierce-a-skull/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/eyes-can-pierce-a-skull/#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 } } ] } ```