--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is…" description: "\"No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is impervious to the awl of God's will.\" — Donald Barthelme" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png" --- # No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is impervious to the awl… ![“No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is impervious to the awl of God's will.” quote by Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png) > “No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is impervious to the awl of God's will.” [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human plans are vulnerable to divine or higher forces that can pierce any illusion of control. **In simple terms:** Higher powers can break our defenses. Key Takeaway Accept that some forces are beyond control. Themes faith control vulnerability divine will human limitation Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal crisis - spiritual reflection - creative writing Key Concepts theology existentialism free will Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when faced with unavoidable change? - Do you see divine will as threat or guidance? A Different Perspective Not all outcomes are subject to human intention. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God 's will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-will/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [“The void is 'not-being,' and no part of 'what is' is a 'not-being,'; for what 'is' in the strict sense of the term is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-void-is-not-being-and-no-part-of-what-is-is-a-not-being-for-what/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [E-books are impervious to analogy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/e-books-are-impervious-to-analogy/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Fear comes from uncertainty. When we are absolutely certain, whether of our worth or worthlessness, we are almost impervious to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/fear-comes-from-uncertainty-when-we-are-absolutely-certain-whether-of/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [It's such a surprise for the Eastern eyes to see, That though the English are effete They're quite impervious to heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/it-s-such-a-surprise-for-the-eastern-eyes-to-see-that-though-the/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [No degree of prosperity can be sufficient to eliminate all misfortune, and sloth is impervious to opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/no-degree-of-prosperity-can-be-sufficient-to-eliminate-all-misfortune/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I gloomily came to the ironic conclusion that if you take a highly intelligent person and give them the best possible, elite education, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halton-arp/i-gloomily-came-to-the-ironic-conclusion-that-if-you-take-a-highly/) [Halton Arp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halton-arp/) > [Nobody is impervious to misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-marcos/nobody-is-impervious-to-misfortune/) [Ferdinand Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-marcos/) > [The believing mind is externally impervious to evidence. The most that can be accomplished with it is to induce it to substitute one delusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-believing-mind-is-externally-impervious-to-evidence-the-most-that/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [There is no social evil, no form of injustice whether of the feudal or the capitalist order which has not been sanctified in some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/there-is-no-social-evil-no-form-of-injustice-whether-of-the-feudal-or/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [The most rigid structures, the most impervious to change, will collapse first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-most-rigid-structures-the-most-impervious-to-change-will-collapse/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It's not really an original idea, but there's something that goes along with power and celebrity that starts to make you feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/it-s-not-really-an-original-idea-but-there-s-something-that-goes/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [Spirit is impervious to illness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/spirit-is-impervious-to-illness/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I have been Europe's last hope. She proved incapable of refashioning herself by means of voluntary reform. She showed herself impervious to charm and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-have-been-europe-s-last-hope-she-proved-incapable-of-refashioning/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What's fascinating about the Australians is they have this quality that they are impervious to majesty. They're not awed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/what-s-fascinating-about-the-australians-is-they-have-this-quality/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [I'm a five-seasons griller! Did you know I added a new season? Living in Cali, I'm cooking in the yard all the time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/i-m-a-five-seasons-griller-did-you-know-i-added-a-new-season-living/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) ## More by Donald Barthelme > [And I sat there getting drunker and drunker and more in love and more in love...And you can never touch a girl in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/and-i-sat-there-getting-drunker-and-drunker-and-more-in-love-and-more/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“The story ends. It was written for several reasons. Nine of them are secrets. The tenth is that one should never cease considering human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-story-ends-it-was-written-for-several-reasons-nine-of-them-are/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“INTERVIEWER Why don’t you write tragedy? BARTHELME I’m fated to deal in mixtures, slumgullions, which preclude tragedy, which require a pure line. It’s a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/interviewer-why-don-t-you-write-tragedy-barthelme-i-m-fated-to-deal/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“Do I want to be loved in spite of?Do you? Does anyone? But aren't we all to some degree? Aren't there important parts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/do-i-want-to-be-loved-in-spite-of-do-you-does-anyone-but-aren-t-we/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“Our becoming is done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/our-becoming-is-done/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“Of course we had hoped that he would take up his sword as part of the President's war on poetry. The time is ripe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/of-course-we-had-hoped-that-he-would-take-up-his-sword-as-part-of-the/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [Capitalism places every man in competition with his fellows for a share of the available wealth. A few people accumulate big piles, but most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/capitalism-places-every-man-in-competition-with-his-fellows-for-a/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“You came and fell upon me, I was sitting in the wicker chair. The wicker exclaimed as your weight fell upon me. You were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/you-came-and-fell-upon-me-i-was-sitting-in-the-wicker-chair-the/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“Mother, have you noticed that this society we’re in tends to be a little…repressive?” “What does that mean, Eugenie? What does that mean, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/mother-have-you-noticed-that-this-society-we-re-in-tends-to-be-a/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [I keep wondering if, say, there is intelligent life on other planets, the scientists argue that something like two percent of the other planets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/i-keep-wondering-if-say-there-is-intelligent-life-on-other-planets/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“This muck heaves and palpitates. It is multi-directional and has a mayor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/this-muck-heaves-and-palpitates-it-is-multi-directional-and-has-a/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“They were heading I judged for the Sixth Precinct. Had I had the black hat with me, and sufficient men and horses and lariats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/they-were-heading-i-judged-for-the-sixth-precinct-had-i-had-the-black/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“art is a meditation upon external reality rather than a representation of external reality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/art-is-a-meditation-upon-external-reality-rather-than-a/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“the hinder portion scalding-house good eating Curve B in addition to the usual baths and ablutions military police sumptuousness of the washhouse risking misstatements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-hinder-portion-scalding-house-good-eating-curve-b-in-addition-to/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [Any genuine work of art generates new work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/any-genuine-work-of-art-generates-new-work/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) [Explore all 142 Donald Barthelme quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) ## More God 's will quotes > [The whole duty of man is summed up in obedience to God's will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-whole-duty-of-man-is-summed-up-in-obedience-to-god-s-will/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Have the moral courage to stand firm in obeying God’s will, even if you have to stand alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulisses-soares/have-the-moral-courage-to-stand-firm-in-obeying-god-s-will-even-if/) [Ulisses Soares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulisses-soares/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [They either attach themselves to God's will, which results in their continuous progress, improvement and advancement, or they oppose God's will, are justly subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-palamas/they-either-attach-themselves-to-god-s-will-which-results-in-their/) [Gregory Palamas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-palamas/) > [Yet only the atrocities of the conquered are referred to as criminal acts; those of the conqueror are justified as necessary, heroic, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-fergus/yet-only-the-atrocities-of-the-conquered-are-referred-to-as-criminal/) [Jim Fergus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-fergus/) > [“The call to “take the land” ...is not a call to a new political, cultural or geographical dominance. It is Kingdom of God territory.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-baker/the-call-to-take-the-land-is-not-a-call-to-a-new-political-cultural/) Ken Baker > [“Sometimes all of a sudden all the obstacles on your way disappear. You may call this situation as ‘an action of God’ or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/sometimes-all-of-a-sudden-all-the-obstacles-on-your-way-disappear-you/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I believe that this was God's Will - to send a boy into the Reich, to let him become its Leader, in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-believe-that-this-was-god-s-will-to-send-a-boy-into-the-reich-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [We are not accustomed to thinking that God's will for us and our own inner dreams can coincide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/we-are-not-accustomed-to-thinking-that-god-s-will-for-us-and-our-own/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“God's forgot that ever I lived... He's forgot...and He never cared, nohow…" He smoothed her brown, rough-palmed hand; he held her hands to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-miller/god-s-forgot-that-ever-i-lived-he-s-forgot-and-he-never-cared-nohow/) Caroline Miller > [If there really is a perfect will of God we are meant to discover, in which we will find tremendous freedom and fulfillment, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/if-there-really-is-a-perfect-will-of-god-we-are-meant-to-discover-in/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [They's a heap more to God's will than death, disapoint-ment, and like thet. Hit's God's will for us to be good and do good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-ann-burns/they-s-a-heap-more-to-god-s-will-than-death-disapoint-ment-and-like/) [Olive Ann Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-ann-burns/) > [His Majesty knows best what is suitable for us. There's no need for us to be advising Him about what He should give us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/his-majesty-knows-best-what-is-suitable-for-us-there-s-no-need-for-us/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [That in itself is an act of peacemaking, because we're seeking to align our wills with God's will, our dreams with God's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/that-in-itself-is-an-act-of-peacemaking-because-we-re-seeking-to/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [I just take one day at a time, pray, and know that whatever happens is God's will, so there's nothing I can do to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javon-ringer/i-just-take-one-day-at-a-time-pray-and-know-that-whatever-happens-is/) [Javon Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javon-ringer/) [Browse all 443 God 's will quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-will/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is impervious to the awl of God's will.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Barthelme" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervious-to-the-awl-of-god-s-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God 's will" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervious-to-the-awl-of-god-s-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4f/donald-barthelme-2980_god-s-will_no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervi_402289.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is impervious to the awl of God's will.” — Donald Barthelme", "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": "Donald Barthelme", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No man's plenum, Mr. Quistgaard, is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervious-to-the-awl-of-god-s-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/no-man-s-plenum-mr-quistgaard-is-impervious-to-the-awl-of-god-s-will/#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 } } ] } ```