--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Above the rustic stone fireplace was a…" description: "\"“Above the rustic stone fireplace was a deer's head-but not an everyday deer's head. This mangy thing surveyed the room with a huge toothy grin. Either..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg" --- # Above the rustic stone fireplace was a deer's head-but not… ![“Above the rustic stone fireplace was a deer's head-but not an everyday deer's head. This mangy thing surveyed the room with a huge toothy grin. Either he had died with a smile on his face or the taxidermist had had a rare sense of humor. But the funniest thing was that, somehow, the ridiculous…” quote by Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg) > ““Above the rustic stone fireplace was a deer's head-but not an everyday deer's head. This mangy thing surveyed the room with a huge toothy grin. Either he had died with a smile on his face or the taxidermist had had a rare sense of humor. But the funniest thing was that, somehow, the ridiculous creature seemed to fit the room perfectly.”” [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An odd, humorous taxidermy piece oddly fits a room, showing how the absurd can feel appropriate. **In simple terms:** Absurdity can feel right in context. Key Takeaway Find humor in unexpected details. Themes humor absurdity context Mood playful thoughtful Type literary descriptive When to use this quote - home décor - themed restaurants - art installations Key Concepts aesthetic juxtaposition visual storytelling irony Questions to Reflect On - When does oddity become discomfort? - Why do we accept strange objects in familiar spaces? A Different Perspective Not everyone appreciates macabre humor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Deer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deer/) [Sense of humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-humor/) ## Related quotes > [Everyday A deer awakens knowing it must outrun the fastest lion or be hunted to death. Everyday A lion awakens knowing it must outrun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/everyday-a-deer-awakens-knowing-it-must-outrun-the-fastest-lion-or-be/) Pacifiersucker > [I’ve accomplished everything I wanted out of life, like way beyond my wildest dreams. Anything from here on is just icing. Seriously, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-dunn/i-ve-accomplished-everything-i-wanted-out-of-life-like-way-beyond-my/) Ryan Dunn > [Everyone assumes I'm happy because I'm always smiling. Like literally always smiling. I can probably tell you a dog died with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-assumes-i-m-happy-because-i-m-always-smiling-like-literally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Hell and damnation! Is that your destiny?" Willow's eyes flew open as she shot out of the church pew. Her voluminous hymnal crashed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/hell-and-damnation-is-that-your-destiny-willow-s-eyes-flew-open-as/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [I now suspect that just as a deer herd lives in mortal fear of its wolves, so does a mountain live in mortal fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-now-suspect-that-just-as-a-deer-herd-lives-in-mortal-fear-of-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If, in order to succeed in an enterprise, I were obliged to choose between fifty deer commanded by a lion, and fifty lions commanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/if-in-order-to-succeed-in-an-enterprise-i-were-obliged-to-choose/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [I don't like reindeer. They seem like regular deer, only more dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-don-t-like-reindeer-they-seem-like-regular-deer-only-more-dangerous/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“The deer that goes too often to the lick meets the hunter at last!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fenimore-cooper/the-deer-that-goes-too-often-to-the-lick-meets-the-hunter-at-last/) [James Fenimore Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fenimore-cooper/) > [Enlightenment is like witnessing the brilliant sun for the first time in the morning. It is like seeing the beautiful flowers that grow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/enlightenment-is-like-witnessing-the-brilliant-sun-for-the-first-time/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Deer won't trust their eyes, and they won't trust their ears, but they'll always trust their sense of smell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-rinella/deer-won-t-trust-their-eyes-and-they-won-t-trust-their-ears-but-they/) [Steven Rinella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-rinella/) > [The deer aren't our prey or our possessions -- they're us. They're us at one point in the cycle of life and we're them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/the-deer-aren-t-our-prey-or-our-possessions-they-re-us-they-re-us-at/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Heartless though it may seem to some, among the least harmful things to eat are sustainably culled wild animals. In the absence of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/heartless-though-it-may-seem-to-some-among-the-least-harmful-things/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I like deer. They're kinda cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-griffin/i-like-deer-they-re-kinda-cool/) [Forrest Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-griffin/) > [“You’d wait in the orchard for hours to watch a deer break from the shadows. You said it was like lifting a cello out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-c-corral/you-d-wait-in-the-orchard-for-hours-to-watch-a-deer-break-from-the/) Eduardo C. Corral ## More by Charlotte McPherren > [“If you aren't in love, Willow Vaughn, then my name isn't Miriam Brigham." Willow started out of her daydreaming and glanced up from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/if-you-aren-t-in-love-willow-vaughn-then-my-name-isn-t-miriam-brigham/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Lord,it's hot in here!" she exclaimed, waving a bedraggled towel in front of her face. "Wouldn't mind a swim myself." Paying him no mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/lord-it-s-hot-in-here-she-exclaimed-waving-a-bedraggled-towel-in/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“I brought you here to indulge in a little fantasy of mine," he said, spreading kisses down her slender neck. "The very first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/i-brought-you-here-to-indulge-in-a-little-fantasy-of-mine-he-said/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Then I remembered what my brothers taught me and tried to knee his...Well, you know." "From firsthand experience," Rider replied with a nod.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/then-i-remembered-what-my-brothers-taught-me-and-tried-to-knee-his/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Without thinking, she delivered a stinging slap, all her hurt and disappointment behind the impact. The imprint of her hand on his cheek shocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/without-thinking-she-delivered-a-stinging-slap-all-her-hurt-and/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“I suppose that woman is the reason you've gone all fee-male on us, ain't it?" Gavin guffawed at his father's query. "Hell,Pa, ain't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/i-suppose-that-woman-is-the-reason-you-ve-gone-all-fee-male-on-us-ain/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“He'd put his brand on her and had sealed both their fates. What they shared was rare and beautiful and one taste would never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/he-d-put-his-brand-on-her-and-had-sealed-both-their-fates-what-they/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Listen," he said still breathing hard, "I'm sorry. I have no right to lecture you." His voice warmed with a devastating smile and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/listen-he-said-still-breathing-hard-i-m-sorry-i-have-no-right-to/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“And a more crude lot was never born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/and-a-more-crude-lot-was-never-born/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Then I realized I loved you. That was awful." "Awful!" "Loving you and knowing I couldn't have you was tearing me apart. Though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/then-i-realized-i-loved-you-that-was-awful-awful-loving-you-and/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Well,what if you can't get to your reticule in time?" she wondered aloud. "What would you do then, stand there and scream?" "Well,there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/well-what-if-you-can-t-get-to-your-reticule-in-time-she-wondered/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“As much as they loved each other, Willow and Gavin had seldom seen eye to eye on anything. And now was obviously no exception.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/as-much-as-they-loved-each-other-willow-and-gavin-had-seldom-seen-eye/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“You know, we should really unbutton your pants before Mr. Happy down there gets quite so gladsome." Rider chuckled but removed his boots first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/you-know-we-should-really-unbutton-your-pants-before-mr-happy-down/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Hell and damnation! Is that your destiny?" Willow's eyes flew open as she shot out of the church pew. Her voluminous hymnal crashed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/hell-and-damnation-is-that-your-destiny-willow-s-eyes-flew-open-as/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“Willow leaned forward and laid her head next to his on the pillow. "Is it too late to say I'm sorry, and that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/willow-leaned-forward-and-laid-her-head-next-to-his-on-the-pillow-is/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) [Explore all 95 Charlotte McPherren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) ## More Animals quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [We animals are the most complicated things in the known universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-animals-are-the-most-complicated-things-in-the-known-universe/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“All these creatures spend their time explaining, realizing happily that they agree with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/all-these-creatures-spend-their-time-explaining-realizing-happily/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [We're not very dangerous animals; we don't have a horn like a rhino or quills like a porcupine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-fisher/we-re-not-very-dangerous-animals-we-don-t-have-a-horn-like-a-rhino-or/) [Helen Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-fisher/) > [We need, in a special way, to work twice as hard to help people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/we-need-in-a-special-way-to-work-twice-as-hard-to-help-people/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [“Plenty of animals had pets, but few were more devoted than the mouse, who owned a baby corn snake—“A rescue snake, she’d be quick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/plenty-of-animals-had-pets-but-few-were-more-devoted-than-the-mouse/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/) [Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) [Browse all 6,813 Animals quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Above the rustic stone fireplace was a deer's head-but not an everyday deer's head. This mangy thing surveyed the room with a huge toothy grin. Either he had died with a smile on his face or the taxidermist had had a rare sense of humor. But the funniest thing was that, somehow, the ridiculous creature seemed to fit the room perfectly.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charlotte McPherren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-deer-s-head-but-not-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-deer-s-head-but-not-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/charlotte-mcpherren-7005_animals_above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-d_209408.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Above the rustic stone fireplace was a deer's head-but not an everyday deer's head. This mangy thing…” — Charlotte McPherren", "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": "Charlotte McPherren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Above the rustic stone fireplace was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-deer-s-head-but-not-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/above-the-rustic-stone-fireplace-was-a-deer-s-head-but-not-an/#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 } } ] } ```