--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth has to be given in riddles. People…" description: "\"Truth has to be given in riddles. People can't take truth if it comes charging at them like a bull. The bull is always killed. You have to give people ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png" --- # Truth has to be given in riddles. People can't take truth… ![“Truth has to be given in riddles. People can't take truth if it comes charging at them like a bull. The bull is always killed. You have to give people the truth in a riddle, hide it so they go looking for it and find it piece by piece; that way they learn to live with it.” quote by Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png) > “Truth has to be given in riddles. People can't take truth if it comes charging at them like a bull. The bull is always killed. You have to give people the truth in a riddle, hide it so they go looking for it and find it piece by piece; that way they learn to live with it.” [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth must be presented indirectly, like a puzzle, so people can accept it gradually. **In simple terms:** Give truth as a puzzle. Key Takeaway Present truth in stages. Themes communication learning acceptance Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - teaching - conflict resolution - personal growth Key Concepts psychology pedagogy narrative Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance clarity with subtlety? - When is a direct approach necessary? A Different Perspective Some truths may require direct confrontation for urgency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bulls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulls/) [Charging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charging/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-truth/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riddle/) [Riddles People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riddles-people-5915049/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-comes/) [Truth Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-riddle-5915048/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [If you're going to be in the business of news and telling people the truth... you've got to be honest. You've got to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-lemon/if-you-re-going-to-be-in-the-business-of-news-and-telling-people-the/) [Don Lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-lemon/) > [I think there's just certain lyrics and certain forms of hip-hop that definitely rang true, again, to a lot of people's truth, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-knowles/i-think-there-s-just-certain-lyrics-and-certain-forms-of-hip-hop-that/) [Solange Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-knowles/) > [As sick as it sounds, a reality show might help, actually. At least then people could get the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-lohan/as-sick-as-it-sounds-a-reality-show-might-help-actually-at-least-then/) [Lindsay Lohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-lohan/) > [You have to approach people with the truth and with love, and with what's right. I was determined to get the truth out because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-sherrod/you-have-to-approach-people-with-the-truth-and-with-love-and-with/) [Shirley Sherrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-sherrod/) > [If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-tell-people-the-truth-make-them-laugh-otherwise-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People see truth in my films. That's what they react to, and that's what they relate to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/people-see-truth-in-my-films-that-s-what-they-react-to-and-that-s/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [ “Evidence doesn't always convince people of the truth, \[...\] especially when the lie is what they prefer.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-black/evidence-doesn-t-always-convince-people-of-the-truth-especially-when/) [Daniel Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-black/) > [I don't mean to be insolent. I'm truthful. I tell the truth and the truth sometimes hurts. For instance, you have bad breath, Lieutenant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cormier/i-don-t-mean-to-be-insolent-i-m-truthful-i-tell-the-truth-and-the/) [Robert Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cormier/) > [Politicians should trust people with the truth. Very often, we don't do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/politicians-should-trust-people-with-the-truth-very-often-we-don-t-do/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [“You can tell people the truth, but they'll never believe until the event. Until it's too late. In the meantime, the truth will just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-can-tell-people-the-truth-but-they-ll-never-believe-until-the/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I'm a person who has always believed that you tell people the truth, and they'll make reasonable decisions. Truth is powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-m-a-person-who-has-always-believed-that-you-tell-people-the-truth/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Pride blinds people to the truth of what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/pride-blinds-people-to-the-truth-of-what-they-are/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“When you show people the Truth they will never praise you if they find out their truth is a shackle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-c-estrada/when-you-show-people-the-truth-they-will-never-praise-you-if-they/) [Alejandro C. Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-c-estrada/) > [I don't really care about the GOPs or the Democratic Party. My point is the people, giving the people truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-don-t-really-care-about-the-gops-or-the-democratic-party-my-point/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [A state may well not survive its writers telling its people the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-state-may-well-not-survive-its-writers-telling-its-people-the-truth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Chaim Potok > [“DW: Some critics have written that they don’t admire your so-called simple style. You have contended that your writing is a result of much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/dw-some-critics-have-written-that-they-don-t-admire-your-so-called/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“I cannot pray. I talk to God through my sculpture and painting.' 'That's also prayer.' He smiled faintly, the morning sun on his face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-cannot-pray-i-talk-to-god-through-my-sculpture-and-painting-that-s/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [I don't work on my Sabbath. I write five-and-a-half or six days a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-don-t-work-on-my-sabbath-i-write-five-and-a-half-or-six-days-a-week/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [And these two elements are at odds with one another because Freud is utterly adversary to almost all the ways of structuring the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/and-these-two-elements-are-at-odds-with-one-another-because-freud-is/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“How should a Jew feel? There we went through the seven gates of hell for matzos. Here I stand in matzos over my head.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/how-should-a-jew-feel-there-we-went-through-the-seven-gates-of-hell/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“In our time... a man whose enemies are faceless bureaucrats almost never wins. It is our equivalent to the anger of the gods in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/in-our-time-a-man-whose-enemies-are-faceless-bureaucrats-almost-never/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [Seeds must be sown everywhere. Only some will bear fruit. But there would not be the fruit from the few had the many not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/seeds-must-be-sown-everywhere-only-some-will-bear-fruit-but-there/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“Basically it’s none of our business how somebody manages to grow, if only he does grow, if only we’re on the trail of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/basically-it-s-none-of-our-business-how-somebody-manages-to-grow-if/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“I walked the streets and tasted the golden sun that lay across the city.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-walked-the-streets-and-tasted-the-golden-sun-that-lay-across-the/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [What I have in advance are people I want to write about and a problem or problems that I see those people encountering and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/what-i-have-in-advance-are-people-i-want-to-write-about-and-a-problem/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“Millions of people can draw. Art is whether there is a scream in you wanting to get out in a special way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/millions-of-people-can-draw-art-is-whether-there-is-a-scream-in-you/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“When the alternative is possible disaster, a man must gamble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/when-the-alternative-is-possible-disaster-a-man-must-gamble/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [I will go wherever the truth leads me. It is secular scholarship, Rebbe; it is not the scholarship of tradition. In secular scholarship there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/i-will-go-wherever-the-truth-leads-me-it-is-secular-scholarship-rebbe/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [… the world will indulge you just so long Asher Lev. Then it will stop. You will simply have to grow accustomed to that truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/the-world-will-indulge-you-just-so-long-asher-lev-then-it-will-stop/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [No one knows he is fortunate until he becomes unfortunate, that's the way the world is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/no-one-knows-he-is-fortunate-until-he-becomes-unfortunate-that-s-the/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) [Explore all 175 Chaim Potok quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) ## More Bulls quotes > [Television series are like the stock market. There's room for bears and bulls but no room for pigs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/television-series-are-like-the-stock-market-there-s-room-for-bears/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [For Christmas one year I bought my son a BB gun. He bought me a t-shirt with a bulls eye on the back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/for-christmas-one-year-i-bought-my-son-a-bb-gun-he-bought-me-a-t/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [Cows are a lot smarter across the board than bulls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/cows-are-a-lot-smarter-across-the-board-than-bulls/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [And for me the only way to live life is to grab the bull by the horns and call up recording studios and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/and-for-me-the-only-way-to-live-life-is-to-grab-the-bull-by-the-horns/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [“... she took her husband's jokes and joviality as patiently as everything else, considering that "men would be so", and viewing the stronger sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/she-took-her-husband-s-jokes-and-joviality-as-patiently-as-everything/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The troops were occasionally occupied in pursuing scattered bands going north or south, and on three occasions the large camp of Sitting Bull ventured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/the-troops-were-occasionally-occupied-in-pursuing-scattered-bands/) [Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/) > [No matter what anyone says, dont take their F\*\*king Bulls\*\*t. Coz you're better then them, faster than them and god damn it, YOU'RE MUCH…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/no-matter-what-anyone-says-dont-take-their-f-king-bulls-t-coz-you-re/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [To isolate mathematics from the practical demands of the sciences is to invite the sterility of a cow shut away from the bulls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pafnuty-chebyshev/to-isolate-mathematics-from-the-practical-demands-of-the-sciences-is/) [Pafnuty Chebyshev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pafnuty-chebyshev/) > [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. Put the paper in the typewriter, stare at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-say-well-i-write-when-i-really-get-into-it-is-a-bunch-of-bull-put/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is a horrible human being, but he ain't worse than Bull Connor. Fannie Lou loved Bull Connor and beat Bull Connor because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/donald-trump-is-a-horrible-human-being-but-he-ain-t-worse-than-bull/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Too many people are apt to redeem their profits too quickly. In a huge bull market they wind up with piddling profits, only to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-zweig/too-many-people-are-apt-to-redeem-their-profits-too-quickly-in-a-huge/) [Martin Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-zweig/) > [The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-frank-baum/the-proud-spirit-of-the-original-owners-of-these-vast-prairies/) [L. Frank Baum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-frank-baum/) > [I went to a Bulls game when it was still in Chicago Stadium before they built the United Center.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/i-went-to-a-bulls-game-when-it-was-still-in-chicago-stadium-before/) [Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/) > [The idea that all violence in movies is okay simply because it happens is bull. Directors and writers have a responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-taymor/the-idea-that-all-violence-in-movies-is-okay-simply-because-it/) [Julie Taymor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-taymor/) [Browse all 480 Bulls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bulls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Truth has to be given in riddles. People can't take truth if it comes charging at them like a bull. The bull is always killed. You have to give people the truth in a riddle, hide it so they go looking for it and find it piece by piece; that way they learn to live with it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chaim Potok" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people-can-t-take-truth-if-it-comes/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bulls" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people-can-t-take-truth-if-it-comes/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fad/chaim-potok-2254_bulls_truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people_3196224.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Truth has to be given in riddles. People can't take truth if it comes charging at them like a bull. The bull…” — Chaim Potok", "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": "Chaim Potok", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Truth has to be given in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people-can-t-take-truth-if-it-comes/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/truth-has-to-be-given-in-riddles-people-can-t-take-truth-if-it-comes/#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 } } ] } ```