--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I couldn't kill a chicken, I couldn't…" description: "\"I couldn't kill a chicken, I couldn't kill a cow - I was a vegetarian too at that time - so I thought, well what is there that I could kill? I couldn't..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/ellen-burstyn-12671_chicken_i-couldn-t-kill-a-chicken-i-couldn-t-kil_661660.jpg" --- # I couldn't kill a chicken, I couldn't kill a cow - I was a… ![“I couldn't kill a chicken, I couldn't kill a cow - I was a vegetarian too at that time - so I thought, well what is there that I could kill? I couldn't kill this and I couldn't kill that.” quote by Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/ellen-burstyn-12671_chicken_i-couldn-t-kill-a-chicken-i-couldn-t-kil_661660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/ellen-burstyn-12671_chicken_i-couldn-t-kill-a-chicken-i-couldn-t-kil_661660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/ellen-burstyn-12671_chicken_i-couldn-t-kill-a-chicken-i-couldn-t-kil_661660.jpg) > “I couldn't kill a chicken, I couldn't kill a cow - I was a vegetarian too at that time - so I thought, well what is there that I could kill? I couldn't kill this and I couldn't kill that.” [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She reflects on the moral conflict of killing animals, questioning why she could not kill any, highlighting a personal ethical dilemma about violence toward living beings. **In simple terms:** She struggles with the idea of killing any animal. Key Takeaway Examine personal ethics about harming life. Themes ethics animal rights personal conflict Mood thoughtful conflicted Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - daily food choices - dietary decisions - animal farming - personal reflection Key Concepts moral philosophy cognitive dissonance Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your choices about harming living things? - How do you reconcile personal beliefs with societal expectations? A Different Perspective Her stance may overlook practical necessities of survival or cultural norms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian/) ## Related quotes > [I couldn't kill him. I couldn't live with that on my conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-couldn-t-kill-him-i-couldn-t-live-with-that-on-my-conscience/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“An’ Ma ain’t nobody you can push aroun’, neither. I seen her beat the hell out of a tin peddler with a live chicken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-ma-ain-t-nobody-you-can-push-aroun-neither-i-seen-her-beat-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are two things you should never do with your father: learn how to drive and learn how to kill a chicken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-hamilton/there-are-two-things-you-should-never-do-with-your-father-learn-how/) [Gabrielle Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-hamilton/) > [“I wonder Pa went so easy. I wonder Grampa didn' kill nobody. Nobody never tol' Grampa where to put his feet. An' Ma ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-wonder-pa-went-so-easy-i-wonder-grampa-didn-kill-nobody-nobody/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [It does seem simple, doesn't it?' she said, with a final bitter attempt at flippancy, 'when you want to kill a chicken...you take hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baroness-orczy/it-does-seem-simple-doesn-t-it-she-said-with-a-final-bitter-attempt/) [Baroness Orczy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baroness-orczy/) > [“HAD TO KILL THEM I COULDN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE LUCY K I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-stine-2/had-to-kill-them-i-couldn-t-take-it-anymore-lucy-k-i/) [R.L. Stine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-stine-2/) > [“He raised his eyebrows"you could kill me" "i couldn't"she said"for you would know I meant to kill you, and you'd escape me. You'd stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/he-raised-his-eyebrows-you-could-kill-me-i-couldn-t-she-said-for-you/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [The Chinese use every spare bit of an animal: cow lungs, pig ears, chicken feet, duck blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/the-chinese-use-every-spare-bit-of-an-animal-cow-lungs-pig-ears/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [No one asks the cow or the chicken where it gets its protein. I eat about 4,000 or 5,000 calories a day, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-salley/no-one-asks-the-cow-or-the-chicken-where-it-gets-its-protein-i-eat/) [John Salley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-salley/) > [“He tried to turn me into a buffet?” I gritted my teeth. “Before he killed me? He couldn’t kill me first and then eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thurman/he-tried-to-turn-me-into-a-buffet-i-gritted-my-teeth-before-he-killed/) [Rob Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thurman/) > [The weather for me is nothing special. The weather couldn't kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-na/the-weather-for-me-is-nothing-special-the-weather-couldn-t-kill-me/) [Li Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-na/) > [“He couldn’t kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they’re saying that when he couldn’t kill Harry Potter, Voldemort’s power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/he-couldn-t-kill-that-little-boy-no-one-knows-why-or-how-but-they-re/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [People told me I couldn't kill Nicholson, so I cast him in two roles and killed him off twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/people-told-me-i-couldn-t-kill-nicholson-so-i-cast-him-in-two-roles/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [I couldn't kill myself. I would be afraid the minute I did it; something really good would happen and I'd miss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-couldn-t-kill-myself-i-would-be-afraid-the-minute-i-did-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“You’re not a killer, Seirin.” Sweat coated his face, speckled his clothes. “You couldn’t kill Vissyus, and you can’t kill me.” Seirin grinned maliciously.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-yatsuhashi/you-re-not-a-killer-seirin-sweat-coated-his-face-speckled-his-clothes/) Keith Yatsuhashi ## More by Ellen Burstyn > [It's interesting: John Calley at Warner Bros. helped me put 'Alice' together. It was very unusual back then for a studio to support an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/it-s-interesting-john-calley-at-warner-bros-helped-me-put-alice/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [The real work of an actor goes on inside, and I don't think it changes from director to director - I always go for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/the-real-work-of-an-actor-goes-on-inside-and-i-don-t-think-it-changes/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I feel eager to learn as much as I can, not only about my craft but the world and the cosmos and how we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-feel-eager-to-learn-as-much-as-i-can-not-only-about-my-craft-but/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I'm interested in the cosmos. I want to know what's out there and how connected we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-m-interested-in-the-cosmos-i-want-to-know-what-s-out-there-and-how/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [Bob Duvall is a great actor because each time out, he creates a whole, complete character. You have the feeling that you're not seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/bob-duvall-is-a-great-actor-because-each-time-out-he-creates-a-whole/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I talked to women who lived there, to get their speech patterns and outlook on life - and how narrow that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-talked-to-women-who-lived-there-to-get-their-speech-patterns-and/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [It's a sin to have your films not to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/it-s-a-sin-to-have-your-films-not-to-make-money/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [When I was 19, I took a train from Houston to New York, and I had in my lap the collected works of William…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/when-i-was-19-i-took-a-train-from-houston-to-new-york-and-i-had-in-my/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [Well my taste wasn't very good when I first started out. But later, when I began to appreciate the art of acting, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/well-my-taste-wasn-t-very-good-when-i-first-started-out-but-later/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [Their life is about getting enough money to put food on the table to feed their children, and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/their-life-is-about-getting-enough-money-to-put-food-on-the-table-to/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [The only Shakespeare I ever did was a production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' two years in a row in my garden in Rockland…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/the-only-shakespeare-i-ever-did-was-a-production-of-a-midsummer-night/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I left my career in Hollywood, moved back to New York, and went to Lee Strasberg and studied with him for the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-left-my-career-in-hollywood-moved-back-to-new-york-and-went-to-lee/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [There's no doubt that the patriarchy that we live in also controls the movie industry. The heads of the studios are men, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/there-s-no-doubt-that-the-patriarchy-that-we-live-in-also-controls/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [I've liked all the directors I've worked with a lot. And the ones I like best are the ones that have really good taste…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/i-ve-liked-all-the-directors-i-ve-worked-with-a-lot-and-the-ones-i/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) > [What happens is you submit your script with an idea of what the budget might be, and the financier will offer you less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-burstyn/what-happens-is-you-submit-your-script-with-an-idea-of-what-the/) [Ellen Burstyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) [Explore all 53 Ellen Burstyn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-burstyn/) ## More Chicken quotes > [I have my meals delivered... you know what I like? Chicken and rice... But the problem with being a defensive lineman is, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-douglas/i-have-my-meals-delivered-you-know-what-i-like-chicken-and-rice-but/) [Hugh Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-douglas/) > [“Oh it don't make no kind of sense. Big ol' ox like Grady won't sit next to a colored child. But he eats eggs-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/oh-it-don-t-make-no-kind-of-sense-big-ol-ox-like-grady-won-t-sit-next/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [I don't eat meat - chicken, fish, none of that. I eat a lot of vegetable sandwiches, like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-don-t-eat-meat-chicken-fish-none-of-that-i-eat-a-lot-of-vegetable/) Gza > [I joined PETA for minks and dogs. I need my beef, my chicken, my seafood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waka-flocka-flame/i-joined-peta-for-minks-and-dogs-i-need-my-beef-my-chicken-my-seafood/) [Waka Flocka Flame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waka-flocka-flame/) > [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Having parents who are chicken sexers - I had trouble explaining that to kids at school!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/having-parents-who-are-chicken-sexers-i-had-trouble-explaining-that/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [I have a great time cooking and eating Thai green chicken curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-have-a-great-time-cooking-and-eating-thai-green-chicken-curry/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [WE RUN OUT OF CHICKEN!!…i was like WHAT ON EARTH!!!...KFC RUN OUT OF CHICKEN…what kind of KFC is this?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-run-out-of-chicken-i-was-like-what-on-earth-kfc-run-out-of-chicken/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I had a modelling job and then it became a poster, it meant that my kids and I could have turkey for Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maye-musk/if-i-had-a-modelling-job-and-then-it-became-a-poster-it-meant-that-my/) [Maye Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maye-musk/) > [My standard Nando's order is a chicken breast burger served 'medium,' which is still fairly spicy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/my-standard-nando-s-order-is-a-chicken-breast-burger-served-medium/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [“The schizophrenic in the sleeping bag with a live chicken and a can of tomato soup spilling onto the sidewalk had no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-schizophrenic-in-the-sleeping-bag-with-a-live-chicken-and-a-can/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Dinner is usually rice, vegetables and chicken, or I'll make fajitas, and we'll do roast chicken on the weekend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/dinner-is-usually-rice-vegetables-and-chicken-or-i-ll-make-fajitas/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [Chicken troll :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh/chicken-troll-p/) [Ritesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritesh/) > [I eat a lot of chicken with salad or salmon with salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ellison/i-eat-a-lot-of-chicken-with-salad-or-salmon-with-salad/) [Jennifer Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ellison/) Browse all 941 Chicken quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I couldn't kill a chicken, I couldn't kill a cow - I was a vegetarian too at that time - so I thought, well what is there that I could kill? 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