--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who put such ideas into your head, boy?…" description: "\"“Who put such ideas into your head, boy? What have you been reading at all? I gamble you are quite a romantic young person so far as the sea is concern..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/james-hanley-68230_larkin_who-put-such-ideas-into-your-head-boy-wh_3225017.jpg" --- # Who put such ideas into your head, boy? What have you been… ![“Who put such ideas into your head, boy? What have you been reading at all? I gamble you are quite a romantic young person so far as the sea is concerned. But, my boy, there is something associated with the sea that you have not yet learned. The day you learn it you will know the meaning of…” quote by James Hanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/james-hanley-68230_larkin_who-put-such-ideas-into-your-head-boy-wh_3225017.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/james-hanley-68230_larkin_who-put-such-ideas-into-your-head-boy-wh_3225017.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/james-hanley-68230_larkin_who-put-such-ideas-into-your-head-boy-wh_3225017.jpg) > ““Who put such ideas into your head, boy? What have you been reading at all? I gamble you are quite a romantic young person so far as the sea is concerned. But, my boy, there is something associated with the sea that you have not yet learned. The day you learn it you will know the meaning of slavery. That's all the sea ever was. That's all it is. Slavery. Slavery. Take my advice and keep away from the sea. It'll never do you any good. I'm not here because I like it, but because there is nothing else for me and I have to like it.”” [James Hanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hanley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator warns that the sea embodies slavery, suggesting it will corrupt and enslave those who engage with it. **In simple terms:** Sea is portrayed as a corrupting force. Key Takeaway Beware seductive dangers. Themes danger corruption slavery Mood cautionary philosophical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - personal decision making - risk assessment - literary analysis Key Concepts psychological manipulation environmental metaphor Questions to Reflect On - Why label the sea as slavery? - What alternative meanings could the sea hold? A Different Perspective Metaphor may oversimplify complex relationships with nature. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/larkin-103990/) [Meaning Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-slavery-6078010/) [Sea Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea-slavery-6078009/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Slavery Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-advice-6078011/) [Slavery Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-sea-6078008/) ## Related quotes > [“Life is slow dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/life-is-slow-dying/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) > [We're living based on laws and ideas that we, as a society, embraced back in the days of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-duvernay/we-re-living-based-on-laws-and-ideas-that-we-as-a-society-embraced/) [Ava DuVernay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-duvernay/) > [They don't really focus on that history here in America. I remember growing up as a kid, history class was very washed-over. They didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldis-hodge/they-don-t-really-focus-on-that-history-here-in-america-i-remember/) [Aldis Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldis-hodge/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [Think about it: we went into slavery pagans; we came out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of property; we came out American citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/think-about-it-we-went-into-slavery-pagans-we-came-out-christians-we/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Being a slave is to have nothing but still having something left to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalita-tedemy/being-a-slave-is-to-have-nothing-but-still-having-something-left-to/) [Lalita Tedemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalita-tedemy/) > [“Work is a vehicle with which man chases some fleeting destination called a full tummy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/work-is-a-vehicle-with-which-man-chases-some-fleeting-destination/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If he's - the inference is that somehow he thinks slavery is a - is a noble institution I would - I would strongly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-he-s-the-inference-is-that-somehow-he-thinks-slavery-is-a-is-a/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Slavery, if it can be legalized at all, can be legalized only by positive legislation. Natural law gives it no aid. Custom imparts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/slavery-if-it-can-be-legalized-at-all-can-be-legalized-only-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [My favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we're going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-favorite-founding-fathers-christians-like-john-adams-were/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Can you look forward to the future of our country and imagine any state of things in which, with slavery still existing, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dale-owen/can-you-look-forward-to-the-future-of-our-country-and-imagine-any/) [Robert Dale Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dale-owen/) > [Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a day; but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/single-acts-of-tyranny-may-be-ascribed-to-the-accidental-opinion-of-a/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More by James Hanley > [“The Government's going to pass a bill regarding schools. Well I never. Interfering gang they are, as if a parent doesn't know what's best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hanley/the-government-s-going-to-pass-a-bill-regarding-schools-well-i-never/) [James Hanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hanley/) > [“The Union, now being in alliance with the ship-owners, could not very well see eye to eye with the average wants and desires of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hanley/the-union-now-being-in-alliance-with-the-ship-owners-could-not-very/) [James Hanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hanley/) > [“Like your mother. That's what you are. Another obstinate pig like your mother. But I'll fix you. We'll see. And if you don't pass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hanley/like-your-mother-that-s-what-you-are-another-obstinate-pig-like-your/) [James Hanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hanley/) [Explore all 4 James Hanley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hanley/) ## More Larkin quotes > [“Life is slow dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/life-is-slow-dying/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) [Browse all 2 Larkin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/larkin-103990/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Who put such ideas into your head, boy? What have you been reading at all? I gamble you are quite a romantic young person so far as the sea is concerned. But, my boy, there is something associated with the sea that you have not yet learned. The day you learn it you will know the meaning of slavery. That's all the sea ever was. That's all it is. Slavery. 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