--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m glad to see you’re not mutilated in…" description: "\"“I’m glad to see you’re not mutilated in any way,” he said. “A missing arm might ruin your symmetry. Personal asymmetry where I come from is a big tabo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jasper-fforde-797_family_i-m-glad-to-see-you-re-not-mutilated-in_2052688.jpg" --- # I’m glad to see you’re not mutilated in any way,” he said… ![“I’m glad to see you’re not mutilated in any way,” he said. “A missing arm might ruin your symmetry. Personal asymmetry where I come from is a big taboo and brings great shame on the family and sometimes even the whole village.” “Do you then have to kill yourself over it or something?” “Goodness…” quote by Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jasper-fforde-797_family_i-m-glad-to-see-you-re-not-mutilated-in_2052688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jasper-fforde-797_family_i-m-glad-to-see-you-re-not-mutilated-in_2052688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bc/jasper-fforde-797_family_i-m-glad-to-see-you-re-not-mutilated-in_2052688.jpg) > ““I’m glad to see you’re not mutilated in any way,” he said. “A missing arm might ruin your symmetry. Personal asymmetry where I come from is a big taboo and brings great shame on the family and sometimes even the whole village.” “Do you then have to kill yourself over it or something?” “Goodness me, no! The family and village just have to learn to be ashamed—and nuts to them for being so oversensitive.”” [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character comments on cultural taboos about physical differences, highlighting how societal shame can be absurd and how people respond to it. **In simple terms:** Societal shame about physical differences is often irrational and can be challenged with humor. Key Takeaway Question and mock irrational taboos to reduce their power. Themes taboos body image social norms humor Mood wry thoughtful empathetic Type literary dialogue social commentary When to use this quote - family gatherings - community discussions - personal counseling - media representation Key Concepts Cultural stigma acceptance identity family pressure Questions to Reflect On - How can humor be used responsibly to address sensitive topics? - What are healthier ways to confront cultural taboos? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious emotional impact of stigma for those affected. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ## Related quotes > [A missing arm might ruin your symmetry. Personal asymmetry where I come from is a big taboo and brings great shame on the family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/a-missing-arm-might-ruin-your-symmetry-personal-asymmetry-where-i/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“Two one-armed people might seem perfect for each other, but what if they’re both missing the same arm? Then even something simple like holding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/two-one-armed-people-might-seem-perfect-for-each-other-but-what-if/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I used to not wear shorts in the summer time. I just wanted to hide it and wear long pants. Then after the Paralympics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/i-used-to-not-wear-shorts-in-the-summer-time-i-just-wanted-to-hide-it/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) > [“It’s like you’ve been in a terrible accident and had your arm amputated,” she told him. “After a while, the pain goes away, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-standiford/it-s-like-you-ve-been-in-a-terrible-accident-and-had-your-arm/) [Les Standiford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-standiford/) > [“The dismaying thing about the classic totalitarian mind is that any given gear, though mutilated, will have at its circumference unbroken sequences of teeth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-dismaying-thing-about-the-classic-totalitarian-mind-is-that-any-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The human rainbow had been mutilated by machismo, racism, militarism and a lot of other isms, who have been terribly killing our greatness, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/the-human-rainbow-had-been-mutilated-by-machismo-racism-militarism/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [“The death of Nighteyes gutted me. I walked wounded through my life in the days that followed, unaware of just how mutilated I was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/the-death-of-nighteyes-gutted-me-i-walked-wounded-through-my-life-in/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Besides, it happens fast for some people and slow for some, accidents or gravity, but we all end up mutilated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/besides-it-happens-fast-for-some-people-and-slow-for-some-accidents/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Well, of course there’s my own experience of being mutilated as a little child. Having gone through this cruel practice and all the long-term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/well-of-course-there-s-my-own-experience-of-being-mutilated-as-a/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I got my heart broken. My spirit got shattered and mutilated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-got-my-heart-broken-my-spirit-got-shattered-and-mutilated/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Little old lady got mutilated late last night, werewolves of London, again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/little-old-lady-got-mutilated-late-last-night-werewolves-of-london/) [Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/) > [I survived this torture which left me paralyzed for years. That's what that night was all about, mutilation, more than violence through sex. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-survived-this-torture-which-left-me-paralyzed-for-years-that-s-what/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [I've been so mutilated by a lot of articles. I know I haven't said a lot of things I'm quoted as saying in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-docter/i-ve-been-so-mutilated-by-a-lot-of-articles-i-know-i-haven-t-said-a/) [Mary Docter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-docter/) > [“manhood into smithereens. My ego was bruised. Battered. Mutilated beyond recognition. My pride was hurt. Crushed. Decimated beyond recovery. But by nothing short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-arcane/manhood-into-smithereens-my-ego-was-bruised-battered-mutilated-beyond/) [Annie Arcane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-arcane/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More by Jasper Fforde > [Palindrome as well. My sister's name is Hannah. Father liked word games. He was fourteen times World Scrabble Champion. When he died, we buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/palindrome-as-well-my-sister-s-name-is-hannah-father-liked-word-games/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Ill-fitting grammar are like ill-fitting shoes. You can get used to it for a bit, but then one day your toes fall off and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/ill-fitting-grammar-are-like-ill-fitting-shoes-you-can-get-used-to-it/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Agents and publishers only want one thing - good writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/agents-and-publishers-only-want-one-thing-good-writing/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Take no heed of her… She reads a lot of books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/take-no-heed-of-her-she-reads-a-lot-of-books/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“Our own dimension was coded ID-11 and was the only League member with diphtheria, David Hasselhoff and the French, which amused the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/our-own-dimension-was-coded-id-11-and-was-the-only-league-member-with/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [Don't ever call me mad, Mycroft. I'm not mad. I'm just ... well, differently moraled, that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/don-t-ever-call-me-mad-mycroft-i-m-not-mad-i-m-just-well-differently/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“They had just digested a recent meal of prepositions and were happily farting out apostrophes and ampersands; the air was heav'y with th'em&.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/they-had-just-digested-a-recent-meal-of-prepositions-and-were-happily/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [After all, reading is arguably a far more creative and imaginative process than writing; when the reader creates emotion in their head, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/after-all-reading-is-arguably-a-far-more-creative-and-imaginative/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“Sometimes your destiny takes you to dark places where you'd rather not be, but destiny, as they say, is destiny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/sometimes-your-destiny-takes-you-to-dark-places-where-you-d-rather/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“Whoever controls the supply of metaphor controls fiction! . . . Metaphor should be controlled. A glut on the market would make fiction overtly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/whoever-controls-the-supply-of-metaphor-controls-fiction-metaphor/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“A sloppy half-Windsor is the first symptom of serial indolence' she replied in the patronizing voice that Yellows reserved for Rule-breakers, 'and ignoring the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/a-sloppy-half-windsor-is-the-first-symptom-of-serial-indolence-she/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [The universe always moves from an ordered state to a disordered one; that a glass may fall to the ground and shatter yet you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/the-universe-always-moves-from-an-ordered-state-to-a-disordered-one/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [To espresso or to latte, that is the question...whether 'tis tastier on the palate to choose white mocha over plain...or to take a cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/to-espresso-or-to-latte-that-is-the-question-whether-tis-tastier-on/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [I've got six months to sort out the hackers, get the Japanese knotweed under control and find an acceptable form of narcissus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/i-ve-got-six-months-to-sort-out-the-hackers-get-the-japanese-knotweed/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [“They keep an eye on forgery, illegal dealing and overtly free thespian interpretations. The actor in with them was Graham Huxtable. He was putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/they-keep-an-eye-on-forgery-illegal-dealing-and-overtly-free-thespian/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) [Explore all 356 Jasper Fforde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) ## More Family quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) Maureen Andeson > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’m glad to see you’re not mutilated in any way,” he said. “A missing arm might ruin your symmetry. 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