--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As we passed his table, I saw that the…" description: "\"“As we passed his table, I saw that the device that imprisoned the book was clever but wicked-looking, as though the critic were holding the work - and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg" --- # As we passed his table, I saw that the device that… ![“As we passed his table, I saw that the device that imprisoned the book was clever but wicked-looking, as though the critic were holding the work - and it's author - in bondage.” quote by Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg) > ““As we passed his table, I saw that the device that imprisoned the book was clever but wicked-looking, as though the critic were holding the work - and it's author - in bondage.”” [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## 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 observes a device that imprisons a book, likening it to a critic binding both the work and its author, implying restrictive criticism. **In simple terms:** A device that traps a book mirrors how critics can bind authors. Key Takeaway Beware of overly restrictive criticism. Themes literature criticism control Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - publishing - artistic freedom - creative process Key Concepts binding interpretation power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does criticism help or hinder creators? - When is critique constructive? A Different Perspective Criticism can also protect quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bondage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bondage/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm never going to complain about receiving free early copies of books, because clearly there's nothing to complain about, but it does introduce a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-m-never-going-to-complain-about-receiving-free-early-copies-of/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“Wait a second, is a snooty book critic actually admitting to judging books by their covers?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-correia/wait-a-second-is-a-snooty-book-critic-actually-admitting-to-judging/) [Larry Correia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-correia/) > [Who imprisoned me here? Who keeps me here? Who can release me? Who's controlling and constraining my life except...me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/who-imprisoned-me-here-who-keeps-me-here-who-can-release-me-who-s/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [“But it is impossible to go through life without trust; that is to be imprisoned in the worst cell of all, oneself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/but-it-is-impossible-to-go-through-life-without-trust-that-is-to-be/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [“The price for freedom may be high, but the price that we pay for being imprisoned and cut off from the very root of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-afua/the-price-for-freedom-may-be-high-but-the-price-that-we-pay-for-being/) Queen Afua > [Dissidents are not imprisoned as in the domains of the Kremlin, in the old days. They do not have their brains blown out by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/dissidents-are-not-imprisoned-as-in-the-domains-of-the-kremlin-in-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The servants of a queen, even a queen under arrest, were not usually supposed to be physically higher than she was. Did the women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-clark/the-servants-of-a-queen-even-a-queen-under-arrest-were-not-usually/) Nicola Clark > [“at Florence which included diplomatic missions to various European courts. Imprisoned”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/at-florence-which-included-diplomatic-missions-to-various-european/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“I can confidently state that the greatest rescues in my life have occurred when I’ve been saved from myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-can-confidently-state-that-the-greatest-rescues-in-my-life-have/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“A prisoner is imprisoned by the crime that he has committed. A jailer is imprisoned — in the very same prison — by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-prisoner-is-imprisoned-by-the-crime-that-he-has-committed-a-jailer/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Ibn Taymiyyah lived poorly. He was imprisoned and threatened. But I have never seen anyone as happy as him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/ibn-taymiyyah-lived-poorly-he-was-imprisoned-and-threatened-but-i/) [Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/) > [Through my work with PETA, I have learned a great deal about chimpanzee behavior and the plight of chimpanzees imprisoned in laboratories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/through-my-work-with-peta-i-have-learned-a-great-deal-about/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [She seemed imprisoned in her sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sena-jeter-naslund/she-seemed-imprisoned-in-her-sadness/) [Sena Jeter Naslund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sena-jeter-naslund/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Dean Koontz > [“This kind of derangement is emblematic of humankind. Grave faults are said to be only eccentricities, and imperfections are routinely celebrated as mere differences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-kind-of-derangement-is-emblematic-of-humankind-grave-faults-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“He often remembered his dad's admonition that envy was mental theft. If you coveted another man's possessions, Dad said, then you should be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/he-often-remembered-his-dad-s-admonition-that-envy-was-mental-theft/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [What really holds their marriage together are mutual respect of an awesome depth, a shared sense of humor, faith that they were brought together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/what-really-holds-their-marriage-together-are-mutual-respect-of-an/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Her mother said that three great powers kept the universe going. The first and the strongest was God. Each of the two additional powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/her-mother-said-that-three-great-powers-kept-the-universe-going-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“I stopped keeping an eye out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve because, when I was five, my mother told me that Santa was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/i-stopped-keeping-an-eye-out-for-santa-claus-on-christmas-eve-because/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“To one degree or another, I have been happy most of my life, in part because the world has infinite charms if you wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/to-one-degree-or-another-i-have-been-happy-most-of-my-life-in-part/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“This life is just a bootcamp, to test and toughen us, to prepare us for the next life of service in some great adventure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-life-is-just-a-bootcamp-to-test-and-toughen-us-to-prepare-us-for/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“A madman should have a madman’s laugh, not the warm chuckle of a favorite uncle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/a-madman-should-have-a-madman-s-laugh-not-the-warm-chuckle-of-a/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Anger was a reliable defense, but one that allowed no chance of final victory. Anger was a medicine but never a cure, briefly numbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/anger-was-a-reliable-defense-but-one-that-allowed-no-chance-of-final/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Nothing is predetermined for us, and yet all our possible choices are threads in the vast weave of things, so that we have free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/nothing-is-predetermined-for-us-and-yet-all-our-possible-choices-are/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“In fact, time teaches us that the musical score of life oscillates between that of Psycho and that of The Sound of Music, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/in-fact-time-teaches-us-that-the-musical-score-of-life-oscillates/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Some will accuse me of being judgmental. Thank you. And proud of it. You wreck a kid's life, I have no pity for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/some-will-accuse-me-of-being-judgmental-thank-you-and-proud-of-it-you/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Waiting is one of the things that humans beings cannot do well, though it is one of the essential things we must do successfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/waiting-is-one-of-the-things-that-humans-beings-cannot-do-well-though/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Dogs know we need to give affection as much as they need to receive it. They were the first therapists; they've been in practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/dogs-know-we-need-to-give-affection-as-much-as-they-need-to-receive/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) [Explore all 1,233 Dean Koontz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More Bondage quotes > [Just a decade after 'Living in Bondage,' Nollywood films, made in some 300 languages, were being watched in both urban and rural areas, distributed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-flock/just-a-decade-after-living-in-bondage-nollywood-films-made-in-some/) [Elizabeth Flock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-flock/) > [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/too-long-have-the-workers-of-the-world-waited-for-some-moses-to-lead/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [If we do not abide in prayer, we will abide in temptation. Let this be one aspect of our daily intercession: "God, preserve my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/if-we-do-not-abide-in-prayer-we-will-abide-in-temptation-let-this-be/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [According to Jains the soul in pure form has infiniteness in terms of its knowledge and power. These faculties are obstructed for its exhibition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virchand-gandhi/according-to-jains-the-soul-in-pure-form-has-infiniteness-in-terms-of/) [Virchand Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virchand-gandhi/) > [The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities of higher education, for the full development of her faculties, forces of mind and body;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-strongest-reason-for-giving-woman-all-the-opportunities-of-higher/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [Every step into freedom contains within it the potential for greater bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-step-into-freedom-contains-within-it-the-potential-for-greater/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“This is a disturbing fetish, Vin," he says, coming up for air. "Why can't you be into bondage like everyone else?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-manning/this-is-a-disturbing-fetish-vin-he-says-coming-up-for-air-why-can-t/) [Edmond Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-manning/) > [Advanced meditators are not even desirous of liberation anymore - that is just another attachment. There is no liberation. There is no bondage. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/advanced-meditators-are-not-even-desirous-of-liberation-anymore-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Slavery is slavery. The chain of gold is quite as bad as the chain of iron. Is there a way out?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/slavery-is-slavery-the-chain-of-gold-is-quite-as-bad-as-the-chain-of/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Woman has so long been subject to the disabilities and restrictions with which her progress has been embarrassed that she has become enervated, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/woman-has-so-long-been-subject-to-the-disabilities-and-restrictions/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [To my mind, the main reason for the Depression in the United States as a whole, is the bondage of debt and the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/to-my-mind-the-main-reason-for-the-depression-in-the-united-states-as/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [Our life is a reflection of what we believe we deserve. As we deepen our acceptance of and open ourselves to the Infinite love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/our-life-is-a-reflection-of-what-we-believe-we-deserve-as-we-deepen/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [Being aware of the bondage is enough to free you from its clutches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/being-aware-of-the-bondage-is-enough-to-free-you-from-its-clutches/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [You see, money to you means freedom; to me it means bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-see-money-to-you-means-freedom-to-me-it-means-bondage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 550 Bondage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bondage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As we passed his table, I saw that the device that imprisoned the book was clever but wicked-looking, as though the critic were holding the work - and it's author - in bondage.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dean Koontz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-device-that-imprisoned-the-book/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bondage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-device-that-imprisoned-the-book/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46d/dean-koontz-118_bondage_as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-de_2940403.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As we passed his table, I saw that the device that imprisoned the book was clever but wicked-looking, as…” — Dean Koontz", "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": "Dean Koontz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As we passed his table, I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-device-that-imprisoned-the-book/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/as-we-passed-his-table-i-saw-that-the-device-that-imprisoned-the-book/#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 } } ] } ```