--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr…" description: "\"“If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr. Schneider, you better be prepared to finish the job.”\" — Gary Larson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg" --- # If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr. Schneider, you… ![“If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr. Schneider, you better be prepared to finish the job.” quote by Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg) > ““If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr. Schneider, you better be prepared to finish the job.”” [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A darkly humorous warning about being prepared to complete a violent act once begun. **In simple terms:** Finish what you start, even if grim. Key Takeaway Consider consequences fully. Themes responsibility morality humor Mood dark ironic Type satire philosophical When to use this quote - hunting - conflict resolution - creative writing Key Concepts ethical decision‑making absurdity Questions to Reflect On - When is it okay to stop midway? - What responsibilities arise after starting? A Different Perspective Humor may trivialize serious violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Elephants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephants/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) ## Related quotes > [For shame, doc. Hunting rabbits with an elephant gun. Why don't you shoot yourself an elephant?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugs-bunny/for-shame-doc-hunting-rabbits-with-an-elephant-gun-why-don-t-you/) [Bugs Bunny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bugs-bunny/) > [I'm not gonna shoot anyone with the pellet gun... Not unless I have to!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-savage/i-m-not-gonna-shoot-anyone-with-the-pellet-gun-not-unless-i-have-to/) [Adam Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-savage/) > [“I’m gonna go shoot things,” he says as he pulls away. “Want to come?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-m-gonna-go-shoot-things-he-says-as-he-pulls-away-want-to-come/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I'm not gonna try to force to look for threes, but if the three is open, I'm gonna shoot it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-m-not-gonna-try-to-force-to-look-for-threes-but-if-the-three-is/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [Jules, if you give that fuckin' nimrod fifteen hundred dollars, I'm gonna shoot him on general principles. -Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pulp-fiction/jules-if-you-give-that-fuckin-nimrod-fifteen-hundred-dollars-i-m/) Pulp Fiction > [“Katerina, stop! Or I'll shoot!" "Then fucking shoot!" "Okay, I'm gonna shoot you in the ankle, okay? They say that's the safest place." "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-portes/katerina-stop-or-i-ll-shoot-then-fucking-shoot-okay-i-m-gonna-shoot/) [Andrea Portes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-portes/) > [If I'm contested, I'm not going to shoot the pull-up 3. But if I'm wide open and someone backs up off me, I'm gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-drummond/if-i-m-contested-i-m-not-going-to-shoot-the-pull-up-3-but-if-i-m-wide/) [Andre Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-drummond/) > [Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle, little star. Up comes Brady in a 'lectric car. Got a mean look all 'round his eye. Gonna shoot somebody jus'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lead-belly/twinkle-twinkle-twinkle-little-star-up-comes-brady-in-a-lectric-car/) [Lead Belly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lead-belly/) > [ At halftime \[of Game 7\], one of our oldest guys on the team, James Jones, came to me, and he's like, "Man, it's time… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-smith/at-halftime-of-game-7-one-of-our-oldest-guys-on-the-team-james-jones/) [J. R. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-smith/) > [O the the m to the g he's gonna shoot me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-g/o-the-the-m-to-the-g-he-s-gonna-shoot-me/) Jeremy G > [Aw, no one's gonna shoot at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-harvey-oswald/aw-no-one-s-gonna-shoot-at-me/) [Lee Harvey Oswald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-harvey-oswald/) > [“if you're gonna shoot off your mouth, make sure it's loaded first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/if-you-re-gonna-shoot-off-your-mouth-make-sure-it-s-loaded-first/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [“One day he would finish the job of dying he'd begun in childhood/”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/one-day-he-would-finish-the-job-of-dying-he-d-begun-in-childhood/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“I couldn’t help but smile. “If I wanted to take Finch out, I’d just tell him Prada went out of business, and he’d finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-couldn-t-help-but-smile-if-i-wanted-to-take-finch-out-i-d-just-tell/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [“Travis punched his palm. “Do you want me to go beat the piss out of Finch? Teach him a lesson? I’ll take him out.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/travis-punched-his-palm-do-you-want-me-to-go-beat-the-piss-out-of/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) ## More by Gary Larson > [The problem, Mr. Fudd, is that you've been having a sublimal effect on everyone in the factory. We're proud of our product, Mr. Fudd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/the-problem-mr-fudd-is-that-you-ve-been-having-a-sublimal-effect-on/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [Perspective was always important. There are some cartoonists who can stand at the foot of a building looking straight up and they'll capture it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/perspective-was-always-important-there-are-some-cartoonists-who-can/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [Usually when I sat down to draw a cartoon, it would be more of a reflection of things in my past. Or it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/usually-when-i-sat-down-to-draw-a-cartoon-it-would-be-more-of-a/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [I just get silly inside my head and I start to think about something and in my head I start twisting it around, contorting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/i-just-get-silly-inside-my-head-and-i-start-to-think-about-something/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [I don't think I'd know if I were sitting next to Charles Schulz on an airplane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/i-don-t-think-i-d-know-if-i-were-sitting-next-to-charles-schulz-on-an/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [Thunderstick?... You actually said, 'Thunderstick?'... That, my friend is a Winchester 30.06.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/thunderstick-you-actually-said-thunderstick-that-my-friend-is-a/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [Don Martin was the one who really stood out. I really always loved his work. He was such a great artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/don-martin-was-the-one-who-really-stood-out-i-really-always-loved-his/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [My future plans are hazy, and I've yet to experience how much cartooning is in my blood and therefore how much I'll miss it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/my-future-plans-are-hazy-and-i-ve-yet-to-experience-how-much/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [You know those little snow globes that you shake up? I always thought my brain was sort of like that. You know, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/you-know-those-little-snow-globes-that-you-shake-up-i-always-thought/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [I'm not into cartoons. That's the irony of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/i-m-not-into-cartoons-that-s-the-irony-of-it/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [I didn't want to go to school for more than four years, and I didn't know what you did with a bachelor's in biology.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/i-didn-t-want-to-go-to-school-for-more-than-four-years-and-i-didn-t/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [I think one thing that's important to maintain is a sense of fear, always doubting yourself... a good dose of insecurity helps your work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/i-think-one-thing-that-s-important-to-maintain-is-a-sense-of-fear/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [With my own cartoon, it was just me being goofy by myself, but when it comes to an animated film, you're working with 45…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/with-my-own-cartoon-it-was-just-me-being-goofy-by-myself-but-when-it/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [Great moments in science: Einstein discovers that time is actually money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/great-moments-in-science-einstein-discovers-that-time-is-actually/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) > [The message is not so much that the worms will inherit the Earth, but that all things play a role in nature, even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/the-message-is-not-so-much-that-the-worms-will-inherit-the-earth-but/) [Gary Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) [Explore all 78 Gary Larson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/) ## More Commitment quotes > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/) [Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/) > [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/when-you-make-a-commitment-to-a-relationship-you-invest-your/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [A commitment to lifelong learning is a natural expression of the practice of living consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/a-commitment-to-lifelong-learning-is-a-natural-expression-of-the/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 4,004 Commitment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr. Schneider, you better be prepared to finish the job.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary Larson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-schneider-you-better-be-prepared/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commitment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-schneider-you-better-be-prepared/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/806/gary-larson-8705_commitment_if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-sch_347534.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're gonna shoot an elephant Mr. Schneider, you better be prepared to finish the job.” — Gary Larson", "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": "Gary Larson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-larson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you're gonna shoot an elephant...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-schneider-you-better-be-prepared/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-larson/if-you-re-gonna-shoot-an-elephant-mr-schneider-you-better-be-prepared/#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 } } ] } ```