--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People get bitten. But I won't.' I found…" description: "\"“People get bitten. But I won't.' I found myself saying, 'You will, you will. These snakes don't know you find death inconceivable. They don't know you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b3/don-delillo-294_bite_people-get-bitten-but-i-won-t-i-found-my_348222.jpg" --- # People get bitten. But I won't.' I found myself saying… ![“People get bitten. But I won't.' I found myself saying, 'You will, you will. These snakes don't know you find death inconceivable. They don't know you're young and strong and you think death applies to everyone but you. They will bite you and you will die.” quote by Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b3/don-delillo-294_bite_people-get-bitten-but-i-won-t-i-found-my_348222.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b3/don-delillo-294_bite_people-get-bitten-but-i-won-t-i-found-my_348222.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b3/don-delillo-294_bite_people-get-bitten-but-i-won-t-i-found-my_348222.jpg) > ““People get bitten. But I won't.' I found myself saying, 'You will, you will. These snakes don't know you find death inconceivable. They don't know you're young and strong and you think death applies to everyone but you. They will bite you and you will die.”” [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s dangers are inevitable; confronting mortality is unavoidable. **In simple terms:** Death is certain. Key Takeaway Accept mortality to live fully. Themes mortality danger inevitability Mood anxious reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - adventure - risk-taking - personal growth - storytelling Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you avoiding? - How does fear shape your choices? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on danger can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Snake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snake/) [Snakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snakes/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [People could put up with being bitten by a wolf but what properly riled them was a bite from a sheep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/people-could-put-up-with-being-bitten-by-a-wolf-but-what-properly/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“Bitter people always get bitten and they never get better”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-phetheni/bitter-people-always-get-bitten-and-they-never-get-better/) [Angel Phetheni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-phetheni/) > [If you are bitten by a snake, what's the best thing to do? Remain calm, separate the poison from the rest of your body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/if-you-are-bitten-by-a-snake-what-s-the-best-thing-to-do-remain-calm/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“No matter how high your grass, a snake will always show themselves. Don't wait until your bitten to pay attention to their venom. ~S.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shatika-turner/no-matter-how-high-your-grass-a-snake-will-always-show-themselves-don/) Shatika Turner > [“I have been bitten by the snake too”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-elliott/i-have-been-bitten-by-the-snake-too/) [Kate Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-elliott/) > [“I do not want to be like a small animal bitten by a snake, going stiff with that poison. I want to bite back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-christians/i-do-not-want-to-be-like-a-small-animal-bitten-by-a-snake-going-stiff/) [Yvette Christiansë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-christians/) > [I'd like to make it very clear that getting bitten by a venomous snake is dumb, clumsy and nothing to be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romulus-whitaker/i-d-like-to-make-it-very-clear-that-getting-bitten-by-a-venomous/) Romulus Whitaker > [A funny thing to do is, if you're out hiking and your friend gets bitten by a poisonous snake, tell him you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangfroid-stalker/a-funny-thing-to-do-is-if-you-re-out-hiking-and-your-friend-gets/) [SangFroid Stalker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangfroid-stalker/) > [The palpable sense of mystery in the desert air breeds fables, chiefly of lost treasure. ... It is a question whether it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-hunter-austin/the-palpable-sense-of-mystery-in-the-desert-air-breeds-fables-chiefly/) [Mary Hunter Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-hunter-austin/) > [I've never been in a situation where I had to run for my life, but I've been bitten by a lot of poisonous snakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-ve-never-been-in-a-situation-where-i-had-to-run-for-my-life-but-i/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“Don't you dare," I manage breathily, when his gaze drops to my mouth. "I bite." Damn him, he presses closer. "Maybe tonight I fancy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-bailey/don-t-you-dare-i-manage-breathily-when-his-gaze-drops-to-my-mouth-i/) [Tessa Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-bailey/) > [Dnt believe in 'TIT FOR TAT RULE' cause u cnt bite a dog who has bitten u. Dnt spoil ur lvel jst to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/dnt-believe-in-tit-for-tat-rule-cause-u-cnt-bite-a-dog-who-has-bitten/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“With this and this - and he touched one of the canine teeth and that below it - the little children can be bitten."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-leatherdale/with-this-and-this-and-he-touched-one-of-the-canine-teeth-and-that/) Clive Leatherdale > [Spotting a rare bird is never worth the bite of a cur. Once bitten by a German shepherd, I knew that I preferred cats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-watson/spotting-a-rare-bird-is-never-worth-the-bite-of-a-cur-once-bitten-by/) [James D. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-watson/) > [Have you ever been bitten by an elephant? How about a mosquito? It's the little things in life that will bite you. For most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/have-you-ever-been-bitten-by-an-elephant-how-about-a-mosquito-it-s/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) ## More by Don DeLillo > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Everything is barely weeks. Everything is days. We have minutes to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/everything-is-barely-weeks-everything-is-days-we-have-minutes-to-live/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The novel is the dream release, the suspension of reality that history needs to escape its own brutal confinements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-novel-is-the-dream-release-the-suspension-of-reality-that-history/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“As I listened I thought a featureless baggy man was striking me in slow motion with a well-polished stone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/as-i-listened-i-thought-a-featureless-baggy-man-was-striking-me-in/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Murray said, 'I don't trust anybody's nostalgia but my own. Nostalgia is a product of dissatisfaction and rage. It´s a settling of grievances between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/murray-said-i-don-t-trust-anybody-s-nostalgia-but-my-own-nostalgia-is/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“She is beginning to think it is possible that all creation is a spurt of blank matter that chances to make an emerald planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/she-is-beginning-to-think-it-is-possible-that-all-creation-is-a-spurt/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Those who have abandoned belief must still believe in us. They are sure that they are right not to believe but they know belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/those-who-have-abandoned-belief-must-still-believe-in-us-they-are/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“The plane had lost power in all three engines, dropped from thirty-four thousand feet to twelve thousand feet. Something like four miles. When the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-plane-had-lost-power-in-all-three-engines-dropped-from-thirty/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Grass: I live in a great steel tower that reflects the blazing sun. People catch fire just walking by. The more bodies that pile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/grass-i-live-in-a-great-steel-tower-that-reflects-the-blazing-sun/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“What people discard could make a nation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/what-people-discard-could-make-a-nation/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“Marriage is something we make from available materials. In this sense it’s improvised, it’s almost offhand. Maybe this is why we know so little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/marriage-is-something-we-make-from-available-materials-in-this-sense/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [The true life is not reducible to words spoken or written, not by anyone, ever. The true life takes place when we're alone, thinking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/the-true-life-is-not-reducible-to-words-spoken-or-written-not-by/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [I've come to think of Europe as a hardcover book, America as the paperback version.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/i-ve-come-to-think-of-europe-as-a-hardcover-book-america-as-the/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [There is a set of balances and rhythms to a novel that we can't experience in real life. So I think there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-a-set-of-balances-and-rhythms-to-a-novel-that-we-can-t/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [“There is no lie in war or preparation of war that can't be defended. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/there-is-no-lie-in-war-or-preparation-of-war-that-can-t-be-defended/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) [Explore all 699 Don DeLillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) ## More Bite quotes > [In every country dogges bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-every-country-dogges-bite/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [I don't bite you know ... unless it's called for,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-don-t-bite-you-know-unless-it-s-called-for/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [“You don’t see someone flying and you begin to bite yourself for not being able to do that. You do what you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-don-t-see-someone-flying-and-you-begin-to-bite-yourself-for-not/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I didn't respond to people thrusting microphones at me and asking me questions that were unanswerable in a sound bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-didn-t-respond-to-people-thrusting-microphones-at-me-and-asking-me/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [“The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-nakoneczny-high-school-track-coach/the-best-way-to-eat-an-elephant-is-one-bite-at-a-time/) Wayne Nakoneczny high school track coach > [“A werewolf bite turned me gay?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tielle-st-clare/a-werewolf-bite-turned-me-gay/) [Tielle St. Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tielle-st-clare/) > [“All the better to bite you, my dear!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mari-mancusi/all-the-better-to-bite-you-my-dear/) [Mari Mancusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mari-mancusi/) > [If the first bite is with the eye and the second with the nose, some people will never take that third, actual bite if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/if-the-first-bite-is-with-the-eye-and-the-second-with-the-nose-some/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [“What animal would do this?"he said harshly. "No, little one, animals might scratch you, or bite you, or even rip you apart in hunger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-animal-would-do-this-he-said-harshly-no-little-one-animals-might/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been known not to bite my tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/i-ve-been-known-not-to-bite-my-tongue/) [Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/) > [“Bite your tongue. Don't let anyone bite it off.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/bite-your-tongue-don-t-let-anyone-bite-it-off/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [“Hold me like you hold the hand of a little kid who needs you in loneliness, bite my fingers like you bite a giggling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/hold-me-like-you-hold-the-hand-of-a-little-kid-who-needs-you-in/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“He pulled away from me and held his hands in the air like he was weighing something. “Keep Sophie safe or let Sophie die.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micalea-smeltzer/he-pulled-away-from-me-and-held-his-hands-in-the-air-like-he-was/) [Micalea Smeltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micalea-smeltzer/) > [“Once the hand that feeds you fails, you are free to bite away!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/once-the-hand-that-feeds-you-fails-you-are-free-to-bite-away/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [If you live among dogs, keep a stick. After all, this is what a hound has teeth for-to bite when he feels like it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikita-khrushchev/if-you-live-among-dogs-keep-a-stick-after-all-this-is-what-a-hound/) [Nikita Khrushchev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikita-khrushchev/) Browse all 516 Bite quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People get bitten. But I won't.' I found myself saying, 'You will, you will. These snakes don't know you find death inconceivable. They don't know you're young and strong and you think death applies to everyone but you. 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