---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The skeleton picked up the second skull…"
description: "\"“The skeleton picked up the second skull, so worn as to barely be recognisable as such. The vertebrae fell and rolled like beads from a string.”\" — J.A..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg"
---

#  The skeleton picked up the second skull, so worn as to…

![“The skeleton picked up the second skull, so worn as to barely be recognisable as such. The vertebrae fell and rolled like beads from a string.” quote by J.A. Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg)

> ““The skeleton picked up the second skull, so worn as to barely be recognisable as such. The vertebrae fell and rolled like beads from a string.””

[J.A. Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-clement/)

## About This Quote

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

Skeleton imagery shows decay and loss, symbolizing the fragility of life and memory.

**In simple terms:** Skeletons illustrate decay and forgotten past.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on impermanence.

Themes

Mortality Decay Memory

Mood

reflective somber

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- art analysis
- historical study
- personal reflection

Key Concepts

Symbolism philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the skull represent?
- How does decay influence our values?

A Different Perspective

Interpretation may vary culturally.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Second Skull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-skull-5709376/) [Skeleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeleton/) [Skeleton Picked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skeleton-picked-5709377/) [Skull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skull/) [Skull Worn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skull-worn-5709375/) [Vertebrae Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vertebrae-fell-5709374/)

## Related quotes

> [I wasn't born to be a skeleton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panic-at-the-disco-2/i-wasn-t-born-to-be-a-skeleton/)

[Panic! At The Disco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panic-at-the-disco-2/)

> [I love rewriting because that is where and how you discover the story. Its like you have this skeleton, and you get to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-leavitt/i-love-rewriting-because-that-is-where-and-how-you-discover-the-story/)

[Caroline Leavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-leavitt/)

> [The more work you put in on your outline and getting the skeleton of your story right, the easier the process is later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/the-more-work-you-put-in-on-your-outline-and-getting-the-skeleton-of/)

[Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/)

> [Many women have asked me if it is possible to have a well-built wardrobe on a limited budget. 'Money,' I tell them, 'is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/many-women-have-asked-me-if-it-is-possible-to-have-a-well-built/)

[Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/)

> [“a picked-clean skeleton sitting there in one of ‘em with its seatbelt still on like it might crank the engine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-picked-clean-skeleton-sitting-there-in-one-of-em-with-its-seatbelt/)

[Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/)

> [It's not good for you to be barred from traveling to certain places in your head because some skeleton is in the closet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-orzabal/it-s-not-good-for-you-to-be-barred-from-traveling-to-certain-places/)

[Roland Orzabal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-orzabal/)

> [I was a skeleton compared to what I used to be, but it didn't matter. Nothing really mattered except remaining unbroken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-sands/i-was-a-skeleton-compared-to-what-i-used-to-be-but-it-didn-t-matter/)

[Bobby Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-sands/)

> [The cat which isn't let out of the bag often becomes a skeleton in the cupboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-madan/the-cat-which-isn-t-let-out-of-the-bag-often-becomes-a-skeleton-in/)

[Geoffrey Madan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-madan/)

> [A weathered skeleton in windy fields of memory, piercing like a knife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/a-weathered-skeleton-in-windy-fields-of-memory-piercing-like-a-knife/)

[Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/)

> [America forms the longest and straightest bone in the earth's skeleton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellsworth-huntington/america-forms-the-longest-and-straightest-bone-in-the-earth-s-skeleton/)

[Ellsworth Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellsworth-huntington/)

> [“I see my skeleton walking down the street now. I’m walking behind it. Our feet touch the ground at the same time. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ma-jian/i-see-my-skeleton-walking-down-the-street-now-i-m-walking-behind-it/)

[Ma Jian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ma-jian/)

> [The dreams are the skeleton of all reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/the-dreams-are-the-skeleton-of-all-reality/)

[James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/)

> [“If I am to be a skeleton in a box buried deep into the ground, I pray you will be the dust that rests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hennessy/if-i-am-to-be-a-skeleton-in-a-box-buried-deep-into-the-ground-i-pray/)

[John Hennessy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hennessy/)

> [“Outside, the sleet had gotten thicker. You could hear it pebbling against the large glass windows, you could see it swirling wildly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/outside-the-sleet-had-gotten-thicker-you-could-hear-it-pebbling/)

[Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/)

> [You can't improv off of bad writing. Then you have to actually create your objective, which is really hard to do in an element…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/you-can-t-improv-off-of-bad-writing-then-you-have-to-actually-create/)

[Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/)

## More by J.A. Clement

> [“It was a time of dark dreams. They washed in like flotsam on the night tide, slipping beneath doorways and window latches, rising through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-clement/it-was-a-time-of-dark-dreams-they-washed-in-like-flotsam-on-the-night/)

[J.A. Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-clement/)

[Explore all 2 J.A. Clement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-clement/)

## More Fantasy quotes

> [“I am awake. I know what you took. I am coming for you. Vengeance is mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-burks/i-am-awake-i-know-what-you-took-i-am-coming-for-you-vengeance-is-mine/)

[Robin Burks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-burks/)

> [I avoided nudity unless a film couldn't be told without those scenes. If you look at my films, few of them have that element,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-scacchi/i-avoided-nudity-unless-a-film-couldn-t-be-told-without-those-scenes/)

[Greta Scacchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-scacchi/)

> [We don't make glamorous movies today. Everything now is very realistic, artistic - and depressing. When is the last time you you saw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/we-don-t-make-glamorous-movies-today-everything-now-is-very-realistic/)

[Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/)

> [I like fantasy, but I don't live and breathe fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/i-like-fantasy-but-i-don-t-live-and-breathe-fantasy/)

[Lauren Schmidt Hissrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/)

> [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/)

[Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/)

> [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/)

[Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/)

> [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/)

[Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/)

> [I'm a geek - I read fantasy novels, I play 'World of Warcraft,' I'm a massive gamer, I have 'Star Trek' outfits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kazinsky/i-m-a-geek-i-read-fantasy-novels-i-play-world-of-warcraft-i-m-a/)

[Robert Kazinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kazinsky/)

> [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/)

[Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/)

> [“Perhaps Nesta will take up the blood-drinking habit, too. I certainly believe her threat to rip out my throat. Maybe she'll enjoy the taste.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/perhaps-nesta-will-take-up-the-blood-drinking-habit-too-i-certainly/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [I like to play people that are real, a real person, and then something that's interesting with that person. I think it's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-bostick/i-like-to-play-people-that-are-real-a-real-person-and-then-something/)

[Devon Bostick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-bostick/)

> [It's a hindrance in trying to get a serious acting role. The minute a producer has a script and my name comes up, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbi-benton/it-s-a-hindrance-in-trying-to-get-a-serious-acting-role-the-minute-a/)

[Barbi Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbi-benton/)

> [No one will ever write a fantasy novel better than The Hobbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-will-ever-write-a-fantasy-novel-better-than-the-hobbit/)

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

> [I've always loved sci-fi and fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-ve-always-loved-sci-fi-and-fantasy/)

[Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/)

> [“I will always be within reach if you need me, little one...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-von/i-will-always-be-within-reach-if-you-need-me-little-one/)

[A.R. Von](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-von/)

[Browse all 5,469 Fantasy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“The skeleton picked up the second skull, so worn as to barely be recognisable as such. The vertebrae fell and rolled like beads from a string.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J.A. Clement"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-clement/the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull-so-worn-as-to-barely-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Fantasy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-clement/the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull-so-worn-as-to-barely-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27e/j-a-clement-110577_fantasy_the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull_3160182.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The skeleton picked up the second skull, so worn as to barely be recognisable as such. The vertebrae fell…” — J.A. Clement",
                "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": "J.A. Clement",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-clement/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“The skeleton picked up the second...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-clement/the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull-so-worn-as-to-barely-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-clement/the-skeleton-picked-up-the-second-skull-so-worn-as-to-barely-be/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
