--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If your life can hang from a chewing gum…" description: "\"“If your life can hang from a chewing gum wrapper it can hang from anything in the book. It can hang from a bullet no bigger than a bean, or from a cig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/elliott-chaze-47223_books_if-your-life-can-hang-from-a-chewing-gum_1811813.jpg" --- # If your life can hang from a chewing gum wrapper it can… ![“If your life can hang from a chewing gum wrapper it can hang from anything in the book. It can hang from a bullet no bigger than a bean, or from a cigarette smoked in bed, or a bad breakfast that causes the doctor to sew the absorbent cotton inside you. From a slick tire tread or the hiccups or…” quote by Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/elliott-chaze-47223_books_if-your-life-can-hang-from-a-chewing-gum_1811813.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/elliott-chaze-47223_books_if-your-life-can-hang-from-a-chewing-gum_1811813.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/elliott-chaze-47223_books_if-your-life-can-hang-from-a-chewing-gum_1811813.jpg) > ““If your life can hang from a chewing gum wrapper it can hang from anything in the book. It can hang from a bullet no bigger than a bean, or from a cigarette smoked in bed, or a bad breakfast that causes the doctor to sew the absorbent cotton inside you. From a slick tire tread or the hiccups or from kissing the wrong woman. Life is a rental proposition with no lease. For everybody, tall and short, muscles and fat, white and yellow, rich and poor. I know that now. And it is good to know at a time like this”” [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is fragile and can be disrupted by trivial or unexpected events, reminding us of its precarious nature. **In simple terms:** Life can be easily broken by small things. Key Takeaway Recognize and appreciate life's fragility. Themes fragility uncertainty human condition Mood reflective serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routine - health crises - relationship issues - financial setbacks - unexpected accidents Key Concepts existential risk randomness mortality Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect yourself from small risks? - What gives you a sense of control? A Different Perspective It may overemphasize randomness, ignoring personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Noir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noir/) [Rich and poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-and-poor/) ## Related quotes > [Even in real life, I'd rather hang out with guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-prepon/even-in-real-life-i-d-rather-hang-out-with-guys/) [Laura Prepon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-prepon/) > [Some people need a little drive to find what they are truly meant to do in this life...hang in there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-need-a-little-drive-to-find-what-they-are-truly-meant-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The secret is to throw yourself into the water of life again and again, not to hang back, no reservations, risk everything, but above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/the-secret-is-to-throw-yourself-into-the-water-of-life-again-and/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [I went to the school and put it to William, particularly, that if you find someone you love in life, you must hang onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-went-to-the-school-and-put-it-to-william-particularly-that-if-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you find someone you love in your life, then hang on to that love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-diana/if-you-find-someone-you-love-in-your-life-then-hang-on-to-that-love/) [Princess Diana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-diana/) > [You cannot expect to live a positive life if you hang with negative people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-cannot-expect-to-live-a-positive-life-if-you-hang-with-negative/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I always say about my husband, no matter what what we're going through in life, I would rather hang out with him more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-amurri/i-always-say-about-my-husband-no-matter-what-what-we-re-going-through/) [Eva Amurri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-amurri/) > [I bet there are things you are holding onto that simply are no longer worthy of your time. It's not that they're not worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-zee/i-bet-there-are-things-you-are-holding-onto-that-simply-are-no-longer/) Michael O'zee > [“The rain beat against the windows and against the tin roof of the hotel. It came down in hissing roars, then in whispers, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/the-rain-beat-against-the-windows-and-against-the-tin-roof-of-the/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [Each had his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart; and his friends could only read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/each-had-his-past-shut-in-him-like-the-leaves-of-a-book-known-to-him/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [For me, the dumbest rule is that you can't chew gum in school. For some reason, chewing gum for me gets my brain going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-larson/for-me-the-dumbest-rule-is-that-you-can-t-chew-gum-in-school-for-some/) [Brie Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-larson/) > [“How can men be such lummoxes, such wads of chewing gum on our ballet slippers and still feel so good?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/how-can-men-be-such-lummoxes-such-wads-of-chewing-gum-on-our-ballet/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [It is an anomaly that information, the one thing most necessary to our survival as choosers of our own way, should be a commodity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-liebling/it-is-an-anomaly-that-information-the-one-thing-most-necessary-to-our/) [A. J. Liebling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-liebling/) > [Did they practice looking suspicious in mirrors? Welcome to the United States. Don’t even think about chewing gum the wrong way.’ (Carlos)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/did-they-practice-looking-suspicious-in-mirrors-welcome-to-the-united/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Some television programs are so much chewing gum for the eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason-brown/some-television-programs-are-so-much-chewing-gum-for-the-eyes/) [John Mason Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason-brown/) ## More by Elliott Chaze > [“The rain beat against the windows and against the tin roof of the hotel. It came down in hissing roars, then in whispers, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/the-rain-beat-against-the-windows-and-against-the-tin-roof-of-the/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [In tennis the addict moves about a hard rectangle and seeks to ambush a fuzzy ball with a modified snow-shoe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/in-tennis-the-addict-moves-about-a-hard-rectangle-and-seeks-to-ambush/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [“She was sitting on the floor, naked, in a skitter of green bills. Beyond her was the custodian, still simpering in death. She was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/she-was-sitting-on-the-floor-naked-in-a-skitter-of-green-bills-beyond/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [The primary conception of tennis is to get the ball over the net and at the same time to keep it within bounds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/the-primary-conception-of-tennis-is-to-get-the-ball-over-the-net-and/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [ “Now that I was rich I worried a lot more than I had \[ before \] … Or let's say I didn't worry more,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/now-that-i-was-rich-i-worried-a-lot-more-than-i-had-before-or-let-s/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [“When a rich man dies it is more complex than when a poor man dies. A rich man doesn't simply quit living. He quits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/when-a-rich-man-dies-it-is-more-complex-than-when-a-poor-man-dies-a/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) > [“He said solitary itself was nothing but a room and a cot and you; and the room was a blank to begin with and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-chaze/he-said-solitary-itself-was-nothing-but-a-room-and-a-cot-and-you-and/) [Elliott Chaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) [Explore all 8 Elliott Chaze quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-chaze/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If your life can hang from a chewing gum wrapper it can hang from anything in the book. It can hang from a bullet no bigger than a bean, or from a cigarette smoked in bed, or a bad breakfast that causes the doctor to sew the absorbent cotton inside you. From a slick tire tread or the hiccups or from kissing the wrong woman. Life is a rental proposition with no lease. 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