--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have finally taught Dean that he can do…" description: "\"“I have finally taught Dean that he can do anything he wants, become mayor of Denver, marry a millionairess, or become the greatest poet since Rimbaud...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/jack-kerouac-182_dean_i-have-finally-taught-dean-that-he-can-d_416478.jpg" --- # I have finally taught Dean that he can do anything he… ![“I have finally taught Dean that he can do anything he wants, become mayor of Denver, marry a millionairess, or become the greatest poet since Rimbaud. But he keeps rushing out to see the midget auto races” quote by Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/jack-kerouac-182_dean_i-have-finally-taught-dean-that-he-can-d_416478.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/jack-kerouac-182_dean_i-have-finally-taught-dean-that-he-can-d_416478.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/jack-kerouac-182_dean_i-have-finally-taught-dean-that-he-can-d_416478.jpg) > ““I have finally taught Dean that he can do anything he wants, become mayor of Denver, marry a millionairess, or become the greatest poet since Rimbaud. But he keeps rushing out to see the midget auto races”” [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shows a mentor’s confidence in a student’s limitless potential, yet the student is distracted by trivial pursuits. **In simple terms:** Great potential can be wasted on petty obsessions. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful goals. Themes potential distraction mentorship Mood contemplative playful Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative projects Key Concepts self‑actualization humor Questions to Reflect On - What truly matters to you? - How can you align ambition with purpose? A Different Perspective The student’s focus may be a symptom of deeper dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dean/) [Dean Wants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dean-wants-3701741/) [Mayor Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mayor-denver-3701743/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Taught Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-dean-3701742/) [Wants Mayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wants-mayor-736426/) ## Related quotes > [“I have finally taught Dean that he can do anything he wants, become mayor of Denver, marry a millionaires, or become the greatest poet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-have-finally-taught-dean-that-he-can-do-anything-he-wants-become-2/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [ After I had known \[Barack Obama\] for a while, I remember saying to my partner, "You know, this guy is really ambitious, I think… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/after-i-had-known-barack-obama-for-a-while-i-remember-saying-to-my/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [Dean's California--wild, sweaty, important, the land of lonely and exiled and eccentric lovers come to forgather like birds, and the land where everybody somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/dean-s-california-wild-sweaty-important-the-land-of-lonely-and-exiled/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Life was dense, dark, ancient. They watched Dean, serious and insane at his raving wheel, with eyes of hawks. All had their hands outstretched.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/life-was-dense-dark-ancient-they-watched-dean-serious-and-insane-at-2/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [galatea was a serious girl. she was pale and looked like tears all over. big ed passed his hand through his hair and said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/galatea-was-a-serious-girl-she-was-pale-and-looked-like-tears-all/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Besides, all my New York friends were in the negative, nightmare position of putting down society and giving their tired bookish or political or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/besides-all-my-new-york-friends-were-in-the-negative-nightmare/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Life was dense, dark, ancient. They watched Dean, serious and insane at his raving wheel, with eyes of hawks. All had their hands outstretched.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/life-was-dense-dark-ancient-they-watched-dean-serious-and-insane-at/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“That was the way Dean found me when he finally decided I was worth saving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/that-was-the-way-dean-found-me-when-he-finally-decided-i-was-worth/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Dean: God exists without qualms. As we roll along this way, I am positive beyond doubt that everything will be taken care of for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/dean-god-exists-without-qualms-as-we-roll-along-this-way-i-am/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Dean and I both swayed to the rhythm and the IT of our final excited joy in talking and living to the blank traced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/dean-and-i-both-swayed-to-the-rhythm-and-the-it-of-our-final-excited/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Marylou was watching Dean as she had watched him clear across the country and back, out of the corner of her eye--with a sullen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/marylou-was-watching-dean-as-she-had-watched-him-clear-across-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I could hear Dean, blissful and blabbering and frantically rocking. Only a guy who's spent five years in jail can go to such maniacal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-could-hear-dean-blissful-and-blabbering-and-frantically-rocking/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I think of Dean Moriarty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-think-of-dean-moriarty/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Dean, ragged in a motheaten overcoat he brought specially for the freezing temperatures of the East, walked off alone, and the last I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/dean-ragged-in-a-motheaten-overcoat-he-brought-specially-for-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [God was gone; it was the silence of his departure. It was a rainy night. It was the myth of the rainy night. Dean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/god-was-gone-it-was-the-silence-of-his-departure-it-was-a-rainy-night/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More by Jack Kerouac > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Most of them were running away from something―usually the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/most-of-them-were-running-away-from-something-usually-the-law/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Non lo so, non importa e non fa nessuna differenza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/non-lo-so-non-importa-e-non-fa-nessuna-differenza/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“And in the flush of the first few days of joy I confidently tell myself (not expecting what I'll do in three weeks only)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/and-in-the-flush-of-the-first-few-days-of-joy-i-confidently-tell/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I want a blaze of light to flame in me forever in a timeless, dear love of everything. And why should I pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-want-a-blaze-of-light-to-flame-in-me-forever-in-a-timeless-dear/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“O how wonderful life is, how miraculous, God made this and God made that", "how do you know he doesn't hate what He did:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/o-how-wonderful-life-is-how-miraculous-god-made-this-and-god-made/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Notoriety and public confession in the literary form is a frazzler of the heart you were born with, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/notoriety-and-public-confession-in-the-literary-form-is-a-frazzler-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling & laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-promise-i-shall-never-give-up-and-that-i-ll-die-yelling-laughing/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) [Explore all 936 Jack Kerouac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More Dean quotes > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [Madaming is the sort of thing that happens to you - like getting a battlefield commission or becoming the dean of women at Stanford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-stanford/madaming-is-the-sort-of-thing-that-happens-to-you-like-getting-a/) [Sally Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-stanford/) > [The first time I met James Franco, he was dressed like James Dean. He was James Dean, literally, filming a biopic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-first-time-i-met-james-franco-he-was-dressed-like-james-dean-he/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [While opponents label (Howard) Dean a throwback liberal, The New York Times recently noted that as governor, Dean cut income taxes, reformed welfare and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/while-opponents-label-howard-dean-a-throwback-liberal-the-new-york/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Dean flashed me a smile that promised rule-breaking and breathlessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-kittredge/dean-flashed-me-a-smile-that-promised-rule-breaking-and-breathlessness/) [Caitlin Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-kittredge/) > [ Not only did he \[Dean Acheson\] not suffer fools gladly, he did not suffer them at all. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-b-pearson/not-only-did-he-dean-acheson-not-suffer-fools-gladly-he-did-not/) [Lester B. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-b-pearson/) > [There are three things in this world that will survive a nuclear explosion: Twinkies, cockroaches and Dean Ambroses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-ambrose/there-are-three-things-in-this-world-that-will-survive-a-nuclear/) [Dean Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-ambrose/) > [Dr Dean Burk, who has spent more than fifty years in cancer research, mainly at the National Cancer Institute states: 'More people have died…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-burk/dr-dean-burk-who-has-spent-more-than-fifty-years-in-cancer-research/) [Dean Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-burk/) > [George W. Bush is very vulnerable but not if you campaign the way the major candidates - except for Dean and Kucinich - are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/george-w-bush-is-very-vulnerable-but-not-if-you-campaign-the-way-the/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [So today if you see a person who looks like your teenage fantasy walking down the street, it's probably not your fantasy, but someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/so-today-if-you-see-a-person-who-looks-like-your-teenage-fantasy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [Probably the first time I was a boss was when I was associate dean of the graduate school at the University of Southern California.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/probably-the-first-time-i-was-a-boss-was-when-i-was-associate-dean-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dean's California--wild, sweaty, important, the land of lonely and exiled and eccentric lovers come to forgather like birds, and the land where everybody somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/dean-s-california-wild-sweaty-important-the-land-of-lonely-and-exiled/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [It wasn't until I saw James Dean that I began to think that maybe I could actually do this. Movies didn't have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/it-wasn-t-until-i-saw-james-dean-that-i-began-to-think-that-maybe-i/) [Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/) > [“I knew I could be everything for him that he was for me. I could heal his wounds, be his anchor, treasure him. Together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/i-knew-i-could-be-everything-for-him-that-he-was-for-me-i-could-heal/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [“I still can’t work out how you two got the best-looking girls in the year,” muttered Dean. “Animal magnetism,” said Ron gloomily, pulling stray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/i-still-can-t-work-out-how-you-two-got-the-best-looking-girls-in-the/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) [Browse all 376 Dean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dean/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have finally taught Dean that he can do anything he wants, become mayor of Denver, marry a millionairess, or become the greatest poet since Rimbaud. 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