---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no use asking more questions. If…"
description: "\"“There's no use asking more questions. If you ask a question they tell you it's a mystery, you'll understand when you grow up, be a good boy, ask your ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png"
---

#  There's no use asking more questions. If you ask a…

![“There's no use asking more questions. If you ask a question they tell you it's a mystery, you'll understand when you grow up, be a good boy, ask your mother, ask your father, for the love o' Jesus leave me alone, go out and play.” quote by Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png)

> ““There's no use asking more questions. If you ask a question they tell you it's a mystery, you'll understand when you grow up, be a good boy, ask your mother, ask your father, for the love o' Jesus leave me alone, go out and play.””

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker dismisses curiosity, urging conformity and obedience, suggesting that questioning leads to mystery and adult expectations.

**In simple terms:** Questioning is discouraged, urging obedience.

Key Takeaway

Accept guidance, limit questioning.

Themes

conformity authority childhood

Mood

reflective nostalgic

Type

literary cautionary

When to use this quote

- parental advice
- school environment
- family expectations

Key Concepts

social conditioning obedience religious influence

Questions to Reflect On

- How does curiosity shape personal growth?
- When is obedience beneficial?

A Different Perspective

Questioning can foster growth and critical thinking.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ask A Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-a-question/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/)

## Related quotes

> [I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-think-at-a-child-s-birth-if-a-mother-could-ask-a-fairy-godmother-to-2/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [“I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-think-at-a-child-s-birth-if-a-mother-could-ask-a-fairy-godmother-to/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [I used to draw a lot. If my mother would ask me to do something else, I'd have a hairy conniption. I'd just go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-used-to-draw-a-lot-if-my-mother-would-ask-me-to-do-something-else-i/)

[Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/)

> [“You haven't said yet weather I may help you while I am here" Elnora hesitated. You better say 'yes,'" he persisted. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter/you-haven-t-said-yet-weather-i-may-help-you-while-i-am-here-elnora/)

[Gene Stratton-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter/)

> [Da, hes waiting for me to tell the two of you our news first, then he'll join me." He cocked a dark brow at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/da-hes-waiting-for-me-to-tell-the-two-of-you-our-news-first-then-he/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Wanna know something I don't like?? Little girls that have a wonderful home and a loving mother!! And they get EVERYTHING they ask for!!!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisha/wanna-know-something-i-don-t-like-little-girls-that-have-a-wonderful/)

[Alisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisha/)

> [“As for the young men whose company I keep (Why does it keep sounding like that?), I try to teach them that every young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-blaylock/as-for-the-young-men-whose-company-i-keep-why-does-it-keep-sounding/)

[Aaron Blaylock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-blaylock/)

> [“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-whatsoever-ye-shall-ask-in-my-name-that-will-i-do-that-the-father/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [People ask me if I ever see my father and I say yes, because he puts in the effort. He calls all the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-bush/people-ask-me-if-i-ever-see-my-father-and-i-say-yes-because-he-puts/)

[Jenna Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-bush/)

> [You start questioning yourself: Who am I? Where do I belong? Where am I going? Why is my city divided? Why are we not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rula-jebreal/you-start-questioning-yourself-who-am-i-where-do-i-belong-where-am-i/)

[Rula Jebreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rula-jebreal/)

> [I love you dad. I wouldn't ask for anyone else to call my father. I have tried to model myself after you. Thank you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-you-dad-i-wouldn-t-ask-for-anyone-else-to-call-my-father-i/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [God loves it when His children pray BIG, BOLD PRAYERS. Don't be afraid to ask your Father for anything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/god-loves-it-when-his-children-pray-big-bold-prayers-don-t-be-afraid/)

[Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/)

> [“I wanted to ask my father about his regrets. I wanted to ask him what was the worst thing he'd ever done. His greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wanted-to-ask-my-father-about-his-regrets-i-wanted-to-ask-him-what/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14† If you ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cabal/whatever-you-ask-in-my-name-i-will-do-it-so-that-the-father-may-be/)

[Ted Cabal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cabal/)

> [“Go ahead. Ask me who the father is.” He only smiled. “Do I look that stupid to you?” She pushed back her short hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-palmer/go-ahead-ask-me-who-the-father-is-he-only-smiled-do-i-look-that/)

[Diana Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-palmer/)

## More by Frank McCourt

> [I'm not one of those James Joyce intellectuals who can stand back and look at the whole edifice... It was a slow process for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-m-not-one-of-those-james-joyce-intellectuals-who-can-stand-back-and/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [I admire certain priests and nuns who go off on their own and do God's work on their own, who help in the ghettos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-admire-certain-priests-and-nuns-who-go-off-on-their-own-and-do-god/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [When I act tough they listen politely till the spasm passes. They know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/when-i-act-tough-they-listen-politely-till-the-spasm-passes-they-know/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [Just luxuriate in a certain memory, and the details will come. It's like a magnet attracting steel filings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/just-luxuriate-in-a-certain-memory-and-the-details-will-come-it-s/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [Sing your song. Dance your dance. Tell your tale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/sing-your-song-dance-your-dance-tell-your-tale/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [They all went into the bar business. Which was a mistake, because they began to sip at the merchandise and it set them back,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/they-all-went-into-the-bar-business-which-was-a-mistake-because-they/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [My childhood here... was very limited. So it was a long, long time before I actually went out to Brooklyn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/my-childhood-here-was-very-limited-so-it-was-a-long-long-time-before/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [We never really had any kind of a Christmas. This is one part where my memory fails me completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/we-never-really-had-any-kind-of-a-christmas-this-is-one-part-where-my/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [A lot of people say writers start losing their powers after 60 or 65. But I look at the best-seller list and see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/a-lot-of-people-say-writers-start-losing-their-powers-after-60-or-65/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [“When the dark clouds flutter like bats in my head I wish I could open a window and release them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/when-the-dark-clouds-flutter-like-bats-in-my-head-i-wish-i-could-open/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [Shakespeare is like mashed potatoes, you can never get enough of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/shakespeare-is-like-mashed-potatoes-you-can-never-get-enough-of-him/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [I just have to proceed as usual. No matter what happens, nothing helps with the writing of the next book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-just-have-to-proceed-as-usual-no-matter-what-happens-nothing-helps/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [Worse than the ordinary, miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood, and worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/worse-than-the-ordinary-miserable-childhood-is-the-miserable-irish/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [It's not enough to be American. You always have to be something else, Irish-American, German-American, and you'd wonder how they'd get along if someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/it-s-not-enough-to-be-american-you-always-have-to-be-something-else/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

> [I had to get rid of any idea of hell or any idea of the afterlife. That's what held me, kept me down. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/i-had-to-get-rid-of-any-idea-of-hell-or-any-idea-of-the-afterlife/)

[Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

[Explore all 159 Frank McCourt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/)

## More Asking questions quotes

> [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. And you're going to have to holler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/and-in-your-new-lives-you-ll-have-to-live-entirely-for-that-one/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [By questioning all the aspects of our business, we continuously inject improvement and innovation into our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/by-questioning-all-the-aspects-of-our-business-we-continuously-inject/)

[Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/)

> [“The breakdown of the neighborhoods also meant the end of what was essentially an extended family…With the breakdown of the extended family, too much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/the-breakdown-of-the-neighborhoods-also-meant-the-end-of-what-was/)

[Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/)

> [“Wise are those who keep asking questions when everyone around them think they know the answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-bartell/wise-are-those-who-keep-asking-questions-when-everyone-around-them/)

J. Bartell

> [And when I started college, I think I was good at two things: arguing and asking questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hughes/and-when-i-started-college-i-think-i-was-good-at-two-things-arguing/)

[Karen Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hughes/)

> [Keep on asking the questions and learn to accept the answers, even if they are not the same as what you would have loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keep-on-asking-the-questions-and-learn-to-accept-the-answers-even-if/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Going online and asking questions is the best way to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-felton/going-online-and-asking-questions-is-the-best-way-to-learn/)

[Tom Felton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-felton/)

> [If you look at most mainstream filmmaking, to be honest, some of these films aren't even asking questions anymore at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karyn-kusama/if-you-look-at-most-mainstream-filmmaking-to-be-honest-some-of-these/)

[Karyn Kusama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karyn-kusama/)

> [To go beyond the mind, you must be silent and quiet. Peace and silence, silence and peace - this is the way beyond. Stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/to-go-beyond-the-mind-you-must-be-silent-and-quiet-peace-and-silence/)

[Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/)

> [“Asking questions is an opportunity for creativity and personal expression, both for the person asking and the person answering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/asking-questions-is-an-opportunity-for-creativity-and-personal/)

[Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/)

> [In mathematics, the art of asking questions is more valuable than solving problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-cantor/in-mathematics-the-art-of-asking-questions-is-more-valuable-than/)

[Georg Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-cantor/)

> [I think all good architecture should challenge you, make you start asking questions. You don't have to understand it. You may not like it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-mayne/i-think-all-good-architecture-should-challenge-you-make-you-start/)

[Thom Mayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-mayne/)

> [“By this time it was well past midnight. You know how that is. It’s a time when you start asking questions about things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nickle/by-this-time-it-was-well-past-midnight-you-know-how-that-is-it-s-a/)

David Nickle

> [The first time I had a secretary, I was sheepish about being demanding or even asking questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bing-gordon/the-first-time-i-had-a-secretary-i-was-sheepish-about-being-demanding/)

[Bing Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bing-gordon/)

> [“Instead of seeking out communities that almost guarantee the potential for large successful churches, the best planters are asking questions like, “which are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-benesh/instead-of-seeking-out-communities-that-almost-guarantee-the/)

Sean Benesh

Browse all 480 Asking questions quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“There's no use asking more questions. If you ask a question they tell you it's a mystery, you'll understand when you grow up, be a good boy, ask your mother, ask your father, for the love o' Jesus leave me alone, go out and play.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Frank McCourt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if-you-ask-a-question-they-tell/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Asking questions"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if-you-ask-a-question-they-tell/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/frank-mccourt-2576_asking-questions_there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if_1103837.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There's no use asking more questions. If you ask a question they tell you it's a mystery, you'll understand…” — Frank McCourt",
                "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": "Frank McCourt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“There's no use asking more questions....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if-you-ask-a-question-they-tell/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/there-s-no-use-asking-more-questions-if-you-ask-a-question-they-tell/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
