--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we hear a house has fallen do we ask…" description: "\"When we hear a house has fallen do we ask if the ceiling fell with it?\" — Chinua Achebe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png" --- # When we hear a house has fallen do we ask if the ceiling… ![“When we hear a house has fallen do we ask if the ceiling fell with it?” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png) > “When we hear a house has fallen do we ask if the ceiling fell with it?” [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a house collapses, we question if the roof fell too, reflecting on collateral damage in disasters. **In simple terms:** Disasters affect more than the obvious. Key Takeaway Consider indirect impacts of crises. Themes disaster collateral damage systems Mood analytical concerned Type sociological philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - emergency response - social policy Key Concepts sociology systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - What hidden effects follow a crisis? - How can we protect secondary victims? A Different Perspective Complex causes may be overlooked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask Ceiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-ceiling-2235113/) [Asks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) [Ceiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceiling/) [Ceiling Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceiling-fell-4094914/) [Ceilings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceilings/) [Fallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallen/) [Fallen Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallen-ask-4094915/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Fallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-fallen-2235112/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Provoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provoking/) [Thought provoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-provoking/) ## Related quotes > [There are people who say that if you are told that your house has fallen you don't ask what about the ceiling or what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/there-are-people-who-say-that-if-you-are-told-that-your-house-has/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [We are unlimited beings. We have no ceiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/we-are-unlimited-beings-we-have-no-ceiling/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [If you had the ceiling falling down in your living room, would you not go and have a repair?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-dell-orefice/if-you-had-the-ceiling-falling-down-in-your-living-room-would-you-not/) [Carmen Dell'Orefice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-dell-orefice/) > [There's no ceiling... just a continuation of improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/there-s-no-ceiling-just-a-continuation-of-improvement/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) > [Every ceiling reached becomes a floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/every-ceiling-reached-becomes-a-floor/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [My home has a split personality. Some of the rooms are very French antique. Think Aubusson rugs, turquoise ceramic jugs, sandbag pillows, and broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poppy-delevingne/my-home-has-a-split-personality-some-of-the-rooms-are-very-french/) [Poppy Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poppy-delevingne/) > [I am a ceiling fan, especially during rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-am-a-ceiling-fan-especially-during-rain/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [So how do you do it, with just words and just music, capture the feeling that my Earth is somebody's ceiling?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/so-how-do-you-do-it-with-just-words-and-just-music-capture-the/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [Every object you see before you at this moment -the walls, ceiling, and furniture, the book, your own washed hands and cut fingernails, bears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/every-object-you-see-before-you-at-this-moment-the-walls-ceiling-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Our goals should stretch us bit by bit. So often when we think we have encountered a ceiling, it is really a psychological or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/our-goals-should-stretch-us-bit-by-bit-so-often-when-we-think-we-have/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [Fish Ponies! I put them on the ceiling!" -Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/fish-ponies-i-put-them-on-the-ceiling-tyson/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [In design-speak, 'a library' means a room lined with books, floor-to ceiling, but it all depends on the space you have. You may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-berkus/in-design-speak-a-library-means-a-room-lined-with-books-floor-to/) [Nate Berkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-berkus/) > [If your ceiling should fall down, then you have lost a room, but gained a courtyard. Think of it that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/if-your-ceiling-should-fall-down-then-you-have-lost-a-room-but-gained/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I really like ceilings...I guess you could call me a Ceiling fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-really-like-ceilings-i-guess-you-could-call-me-a-ceiling-fan/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just laid around in my bed, looking at the ceiling, and i smiled because it was a nice kind of quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-just-laid-around-in-my-bed-looking-at-the-ceiling-and-i-smiled/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) ## More by Chinua Achebe > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/do-not-despair-i-know-you-will-not-despair-you-have-a-manly-and-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [My son even if you want to fall, at least fall where your bones can be gathered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-son-even-if-you-want-to-fall-at-least-fall-where-your-bones-can-be/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-have-learned-that-a-man-who-makes-trouble-for-others-is-also-making/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/democracy-is-not-something-you-put-away-for-ten-years-and-then-in-the/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane. H. P. LOVECRAFT, attributed, Telling It Like It Is Dancing is very important nowadays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-nobody-dances-sober-unless-they-happen-to-be-insane-h-p/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [This is why I find racism impossible, because this is against humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/this-is-why-i-find-racism-impossible-because-this-is-against-humanity/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Then listen to me,' he said and cleared his throat. 'It's true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/then-listen-to-me-he-said-and-cleared-his-throat-it-s-true-that-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Explore all 368 Chinua Achebe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. 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If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) [Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asks/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we hear a house has fallen do we ask if the ceiling fell with it?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chinua Achebe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-ask-if-the-ceiling-fell-with-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-ask-if-the-ceiling-fell-with-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c38/chinua-achebe-781_asks_when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-as_2896400.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When we hear a house has fallen do we ask if the ceiling fell with it?” — Chinua Achebe", "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": "Chinua Achebe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When we hear a house has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-ask-if-the-ceiling-fell-with-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-we-hear-a-house-has-fallen-do-we-ask-if-the-ceiling-fell-with-it/#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 } } ] } ```