--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why lock yourself in your own cage when…" description: "\"Why lock yourself in your own cage when someone is handing you a key?\" — Gregory Maguire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png" --- # Why lock yourself in your own cage when someone is handing… ![“Why lock yourself in your own cage when someone is handing you a key?” quote by Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png) > “Why lock yourself in your own cage when someone is handing you a key?” [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Don’t imprison yourself when opportunities (keys) are offered. **In simple terms:** Avoid self‑imprisonment when help appears. Key Takeaway Embrace offered opportunities. Themes freedom self‑limiting opportunity Mood hopeful motivated Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career change - personal development - mental health Key Concepts psychology personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What “key” are you ignoring? - How can you safely open new doors? A Different Perspective Fear may block acceptance of help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage/) [Cage Handing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage-handing-5021720/) [Cages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cages/) [Door](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/door/) [Handing Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handing-key-5021718/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keys/) [Lock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lock/) [Lock Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lock-cage-5021719/) [Locks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locks/) ## Related quotes > [“If you truly love something, you should set it free. If it comes back.. Lock them in cage and throw the key. If it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirian-camellia-pileta-monier/if-you-truly-love-something-you-should-set-it-free-if-it-comes-back/) [Kirian Camellia Pileta Monier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirian-camellia-pileta-monier/) > [I planned to tie you down and lock you in a cage but unfortunately your the one who tie me down and didn't save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-ban/i-planned-to-tie-you-down-and-lock-you-in-a-cage-but-unfortunately/) [Ivy Ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-ban/) > [I want to take Justin Bieber for a month and just lock him up in a cage where we sit and make music. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-the-creator-2/i-want-to-take-justin-bieber-for-a-month-and-just-lock-him-up-in-a/) [Tyler, The Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-the-creator-2/) > [Sometimes life seems like a poorly designed cage within which man has been sentenced to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-b-kopp/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-poorly-designed-cage-within-which-man-has/) [Sheldon B. Kopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-b-kopp/) > [Put God and me in a cage, what do you think who will win. God, because I created him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/put-god-and-me-in-a-cage-what-do-you-think-who-will-win-god-because-i/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Those blue eyes that had stopped my heart the first time she looked at me found me in the crowd." -Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/those-blue-eyes-that-had-stopped-my-heart-the-first-time-she-looked/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [Work is not a drag for me. I like to get here early, hang out, catch up with the boys. I'll go in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-delgado/work-is-not-a-drag-for-me-i-like-to-get-here-early-hang-out-catch-up/) [Carlos Delgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-delgado/) > [Humans are born free then put into cages, then convinced freedom is what being in a cage is, and what freedom is, is being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-stone/humans-are-born-free-then-put-into-cages-then-convinced-freedom-is/) [Craig Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-stone/) > [For many, whether they go to prison or not is far less about the choices they make and far more about what kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/for-many-whether-they-go-to-prison-or-not-is-far-less-about-the/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [A lion can't stay in a cage. A lion has to be on the pitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-di-canio/a-lion-can-t-stay-in-a-cage-a-lion-has-to-be-on-the-pitch/) [Paolo Di Canio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-di-canio/) > [The most disgusting four letter word in the English language is 'cage'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-wollen/the-most-disgusting-four-letter-word-in-the-english-language-is-cage/) [Philip Wollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-wollen/) > [A black-sharded lady keeps me in a parrot cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/a-black-sharded-lady-keeps-me-in-a-parrot-cage/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Tis Vanth's cage. You can just move it out of the way." "I already have," he grumbles. "With my shin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tis-vanth-s-cage-you-can-just-move-it-out-of-the-way-i-already-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sight of a cage is only frightening to the bird that has once been caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-field/the-sight-of-a-cage-is-only-frightening-to-the-bird-that-has-once/) [Rachel Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-field/) > [What do you fear, lady?' he asked. 'A cage,' she said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-you-fear-lady-he-asked-a-cage-she-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Gregory Maguire > [“By so giving up, of course, it renews itself- that is the secret”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/by-so-giving-up-of-course-it-renews-itself-that-is-the-secret/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“There are two kinds of anger: hot and cold. Boys and girls experience both, but as they grow up the anger separates according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/there-are-two-kinds-of-anger-hot-and-cold-boys-and-girls-experience/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“Very few things in the world are certain, but morning is one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/very-few-things-in-the-world-are-certain-but-morning-is-one-of-them/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [No one survives in times of war unless they make war their home. How did I get so old and wise, but for welcoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/no-one-survives-in-times-of-war-unless-they-make-war-their-home-how/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“I care as much as I can, but I don’t spend energy caring about things I cannot resolve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-care-as-much-as-i-can-but-i-don-t-spend-energy-caring-about-things/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“How many times in a life, he thought, will I lie down in a darkness whose character I cannot imagine, to see what daybreak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/how-many-times-in-a-life-he-thought-will-i-lie-down-in-a-darkness/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [Old Flossie settle down on the other side of What-the-Dickens and dragged some handiwork out of a sack. She armed herself with two thorns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/old-flossie-settle-down-on-the-other-side-of-what-the-dickens-and/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [I shall pray for your soul,' promised Nessarose. I shall wait for your shoes,' Elphie answered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-shall-pray-for-your-soul-promised-nessarose-i-shall-wait-for-your/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [My first job was scooping ice cream at Friendly's in Albany, New York. I hated the work, most of my colleagues, and the uniform,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/my-first-job-was-scooping-ice-cream-at-friendly-s-in-albany-new-york/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“At its most elemental, a spell is no more than a recipe for change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/at-its-most-elemental-a-spell-is-no-more-than-a-recipe-for-change/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [I write because I admire the act of rationalization, of seeking clarity in one's understanding of the complexities of life, and I'm bad at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/i-write-because-i-admire-the-act-of-rationalization-of-seeking/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“Do good though, will you?" She blinked brightly at the green girl. "If not for your parents or your grandmother, then for me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/do-good-though-will-you-she-blinked-brightly-at-the-green-girl-if-not/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“You always had an eye for the fellow with a decent helping of sausage and hard-boiled eggs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/you-always-had-an-eye-for-the-fellow-with-a-decent-helping-of-sausage/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“You need my help? What for? Bread, cash, a fake identity to help you slip sideways through the cracks? Tell me what you need,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/you-need-my-help-what-for-bread-cash-a-fake-identity-to-help-you-slip/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) [Explore all 470 Gregory Maguire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) ## More Cage quotes > [“The cage has gotten bigger, and we can expect bigger beasts from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mallory/the-cage-has-gotten-bigger-and-we-can-expect-bigger-beasts-from-it/) [Jason Mallory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mallory/) > [“If you can choose your way into a cage, you can choose your way out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-kempton/if-you-can-choose-your-way-into-a-cage-you-can-choose-your-way-out/) [Beth Kempton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-kempton/) > [If you have the mentality that Jon Jones has when he steps into the cage, no one will beat you on the mat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/if-you-have-the-mentality-that-jon-jones-has-when-he-steps-into-the/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [I underestimated the difference of fighting in a cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-underestimated-the-difference-of-fighting-in-a-cage/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [“Because knowledge is only a cage if you dwell in isolation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/because-knowledge-is-only-a-cage-if-you-dwell-in-isolation/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [What do you fear, lady?' he asked. 'A cage,' she said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-you-fear-lady-he-asked-a-cage-she-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Soon, I found myself locked in my own cage of fear and desperation, where my experience of life was getting smaller and smaller.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/soon-i-found-myself-locked-in-my-own-cage-of-fear-and-desperation/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [Everyone at home sitting on their couches, they think it's so easy to fight. Stepping inside that cage is probably the hardest thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-cerrone/everyone-at-home-sitting-on-their-couches-they-think-it-s-so-easy-to/) [Donald Cerrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-cerrone/) > [It's life or death for me every single time I step in the cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gaethje/it-s-life-or-death-for-me-every-single-time-i-step-in-the-cage/) [Justin Gaethje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gaethje/) > [The sight of a cage is only frightening to the bird that has once been caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-field/the-sight-of-a-cage-is-only-frightening-to-the-bird-that-has-once/) [Rachel Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-field/) > [“Do you want to be kept in a little cage? No! Because it is a horror! But then why do you keep a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-you-want-to-be-kept-in-a-little-cage-no-because-it-is-a-horror-but/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > ['Luke Cage' is a gift. There's so many different ways you can look at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-younge/luke-cage-is-a-gift-there-s-so-many-different-ways-you-can-look-at-it/) [Adrian Younge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-younge/) > [“They let us be, here, in the cage of our ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/they-let-us-be-here-in-the-cage-of-our-ignorance/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Tis Vanth's cage. You can just move it out of the way." "I already have," he grumbles. "With my shin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tis-vanth-s-cage-you-can-just-move-it-out-of-the-way-i-already-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t be a bird that can be restricted from flying by putting in the cage. Be the one, which can fly with the cage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lovely-goyal/don-t-be-a-bird-that-can-be-restricted-from-flying-by-putting-in-the/) [Lovely Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lovely-goyal/) [Browse all 431 Cage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why lock yourself in your own cage when someone is handing you a key?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gregory Maguire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when-someone-is-handing-you-a-key/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when-someone-is-handing-you-a-key/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/gregory-maguire-547_cage_why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when_3042330.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why lock yourself in your own cage when someone is handing you a key?” — Gregory Maguire", "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": "Gregory Maguire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Why lock yourself in your own...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when-someone-is-handing-you-a-key/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/why-lock-yourself-in-your-own-cage-when-someone-is-handing-you-a-key/#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 } } ] } ```