--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What are you?\" I whispered. He shrugged…" description: "\"What are you?\" I whispered. He shrugged again. \"Something,\" he said. \"Something like you, something like a beast, something like a bird, something like..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/david-almond-9241_angel_what-are-you-i-whispered-he-shrugged-aga_1409650.jpg" --- # What are you?" I whispered. He shrugged again… ![“What are you?" I whispered. He shrugged again. "Something," he said. "Something like you, something like a beast, something like a bird, something like an angel." He laughed. "Something like that.” quote by David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/david-almond-9241_angel_what-are-you-i-whispered-he-shrugged-aga_1409650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/david-almond-9241_angel_what-are-you-i-whispered-he-shrugged-aga_1409650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12e/david-almond-9241_angel_what-are-you-i-whispered-he-shrugged-aga_1409650.jpg) > “What are you?" I whispered. He shrugged again. "Something," he said. "Something like you, something like a beast, something like a bird, something like an angel." He laughed. "Something like that.” [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator confronts the mystery of identity, recognizing that beings are a blend of many qualities, both human and animal, divine and mundane. **In simple terms:** Identity is a mix of many traits. Key Takeaway Embrace the complexity of self. Themes identity humanity duality creativity spirituality Mood curious contemplative wonderful Type literary philosophical reflective When to use this quote - self‑reflection - artistic inspiration - philosophical discussion - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism metaphor character study Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of yourself feel most like a beast? - How do you reconcile the divine and animal within? A Different Perspective Identity can be fluid and ambiguous, making definitive labels difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Bird Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird-like-1131221/) [Laughed Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed-like-1844008/) [Like Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-beast-391107/) [Like Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-bird/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-like/) ## Related quotes > [“Fish have a tank, birds have the world. Think like a bird, not like a fish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadia-conrad/fish-have-a-tank-birds-have-the-world-think-like-a-bird-not-like-a/) [Nadia Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadia-conrad/) > [One should be light like a bird, and not like a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/one-should-be-light-like-a-bird-and-not-like-a-feather/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [When you acted like 'The Beast' I still saw 'The Prince' in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/when-you-acted-like-the-beast-i-still-saw-the-prince-in-you/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Once again you ask about my wellbeing when I’m the one who just fucked you like a beast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-winters/once-again-you-ask-about-my-wellbeing-when-i-m-the-one-who-just/) [Pepper Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepper-winters/) > [You listen to something like 'Beast Mode,' and it's almost like looking at a pretty painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaytoven/you-listen-to-something-like-beast-mode-and-it-s-almost-like-looking/) [Zaytoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaytoven/) > [“The days went by for him, all different and all the same. The boy was happy, and yet he didn't know that he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-jarrell/the-days-went-by-for-him-all-different-and-all-the-same-the-boy-was/) [Randall Jarrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-jarrell/) > [“A bird like that must fly free and feed on nostalgia for the same time when he flew alongside someone else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho-s/a-bird-like-that-must-fly-free-and-feed-on-nostalgia-for-the-same/) [Paulo Coelho's](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho-s/) > [When on a summer's morn I wake, And open my two eyes, Out to the clear, born-singing rills My bird-like spirit flies. To hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-davies/when-on-a-summer-s-morn-i-wake-and-open-my-two-eyes-out-to-the-clear/) [W. H. Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-davies/) > [“He was, of course, a piece of the sky. His eyes said so. 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Despite his aches and irritations, he couldn't help but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/stop-that-what-were-you-doing-perched-on-the-window-ledge-like-a-big/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Mister Pope continued, “Now there are cliffs on both coasts. There’s an ocean on either coast. I mean, you are a bird. You aren’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-t-sneed/mister-pope-continued-now-there-are-cliffs-on-both-coasts-there-s-an/) [Mark T. Sneed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-t-sneed/) > [Laughed like its nothin when I seen dis !! :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wildchild/laughed-like-its-nothin-when-i-seen-dis-d/) [WildChild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wildchild/) ## More by David Almond > [“Well, well,” she murmurs as I back away. She makes a rectangle with her index fingers and thumbs and looks at my skin through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/well-well-she-murmurs-as-i-back-away-she-makes-a-rectangle-with-her/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I do think there is evil. But it is very rare. It is as rare as true goodness. And just as true goodness produces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-do-think-there-is-evil-but-it-is-very-rare-it-is-as-rare-as-true/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“Sometimes we think we should be able to know everything. But we can’t. We have to allow ourselves to see what there is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/sometimes-we-think-we-should-be-able-to-know-everything-but-we-can-t/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“A school for the writing of nonsense and the pursuit of extraordinary activities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/a-school-for-the-writing-of-nonsense-and-the-pursuit-of-extraordinary/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“She points at my chest. “And much more interestingly, what’s that?” “Blood,” I say. She gets her camera out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/she-points-at-my-chest-and-much-more-interestingly-what-s-that-blood/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [And what is wrong with playing with words? Words love to be played with, just like children or kittens do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/and-what-is-wrong-with-playing-with-words-words-love-to-be-played/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [The best tip for writing is just to write; to sit down and write, to begin doing it and not to be scared by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/the-best-tip-for-writing-is-just-to-write-to-sit-down-and-write-to/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [They say that shoulder blades are where your wings were, when you were an angel," she said. "They say they're where your wings will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/they-say-that-shoulder-blades-are-where-your-wings-were-when-you-were/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I love afternoons like that, like when we talk about things like metempsychosis, when we learn so much, and explore so much, and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-love-afternoons-like-that-like-when-we-talk-about-things-like/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [I don't want to be little again. But at the same time I do. I want to be me like I was then, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-don-t-want-to-be-little-again-but-at-the-same-time-i-do-i-want-to/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“more 27 and 53,'i said. 'Food of the gods,' he said”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/more-27-and-53-i-said-food-of-the-gods-he-said/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I have hair that drifts like seaweed when I swim. I have eyes that shine like rock pools. My ears are like scallop shells.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-have-hair-that-drifts-like-seaweed-when-i-swim-i-have-eyes-that/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [Anything seems possible at night when the rest of the world has gone to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/anything-seems-possible-at-night-when-the-rest-of-the-world-has-gone/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“We thought a little longer, and in the end we simply called her Joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/we-thought-a-little-longer-and-in-the-end-we-simply-called-her-joy/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) > [“I said, 'Do you know what shoulder blades are for?' She giggled. 'Do you not even know that?' she said. 'Do you?' 'It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-almond/i-said-do-you-know-what-shoulder-blades-are-for-she-giggled-do-you/) [David Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) [Explore all 74 David Almond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-almond/) ## More Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [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/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What are you?\" I whispered. 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