--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only monsters I have ever known were…" description: "\"“The only monsters I have ever known were men,” I said.”\" — Jodi Picoult" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg" --- # The only monsters I have ever known were men,” I said. ![“The only monsters I have ever known were men,” I said.” quote by Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg) > ““The only monsters I have ever known were men,” I said.”” [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human evil often manifests through ordinary people, revealing that monstrosity is a human condition, not a mythic creature. **In simple terms:** Monsters are people, not monsters. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront everyday cruelty. Themes human nature evil morality society psychology Mood somber provocative Type narrative ethical When to use this quote - Workplace harassment - Political corruption - Family abuse - Community violence Key Concepts Moral responsibility social critique character study Questions to Reflect On - What everyday actions contribute to systemic harm? - How can individuals resist becoming monsters? A Different Perspective Not all harmful actions are overt; subtle harm is common. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) ## Related quotes > [The only monsters I have ever known were men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were-men/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Bloodlust – the disease that makes us the monsters we are known to be; it is what wipes away the last of our humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniele-lanzarotta/bloodlust-the-disease-that-makes-us-the-monsters-we-are-known-to-be/) [Daniele Lanzarotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniele-lanzarotta/) > [“When it came to monsters, she’d known the very best.'...this is a proper quote from the book by the way, the beginning and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shehanne-moore/when-it-came-to-monsters-she-d-known-the-very-best-this-is-a-proper/) [Shehanne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shehanne-moore/) > [“You have not known very many men." "I have no wish to know any others. I love this one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-thacker/you-have-not-known-very-many-men-i-have-no-wish-to-know-any-others-i/) [Shelly Thacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-thacker/) > [“You yourself are a letter, read and known by all men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sutherland/you-yourself-are-a-letter-read-and-known-by-all-men/) Steven Sutherland > [I have known men who have been sold and bought a hundred times, who have only got very fat and very comfortable in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ouida/i-have-known-men-who-have-been-sold-and-bought-a-hundred-times-who/) [Ouida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ouida/) > [“Did all women married to well-known men struggle for recognition?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-horan/did-all-women-married-to-well-known-men-struggle-for-recognition/) [Nancy Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-horan/) > [Sometimes it seems to me I've known so many men that the FBI ought to come to me first to compare fingerprints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/sometimes-it-seems-to-me-i-ve-known-so-many-men-that-the-fbi-ought-to/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [I have known some men possessed of good qualities which were very serviceable to others, but useless to themselves; like a sun-dial on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-have-known-some-men-possessed-of-good-qualities-which-were-very/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I have known not a few men who, after reaching the summits of business success, found themselves miserable on attaining retirement age. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/i-have-known-not-a-few-men-who-after-reaching-the-summits-of-business-2/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [Who is only good that others may know it, and that he may be the better esteemed when 'tis known, who will do well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/who-is-only-good-that-others-may-know-it-and-that-he-may-be-the/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Love, yes. Word known to all men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/love-yes-word-known-to-all-men/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“Young men,” he said “you do not talk like sons of the King. Though it is dark just here, remember it is light somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/young-men-he-said-you-do-not-talk-like-sons-of-the-king-though-it-is/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [“I don’t see why it’s taken thousands of years to sort out.” “That’s because the people trying to sort it out were men,” said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/i-don-t-see-why-it-s-taken-thousands-of-years-to-sort-out-that-s/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mackay/men-it-has-been-well-said-think-in-herds-it-will-be-seen-that-they-go/) [Charles Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-mackay/) ## More by Jodi Picoult > [You get through it, you just never get over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-get-through-it-you-just-never-get-over-it/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Let me guess," Eric says, "You never meant for it to happen." "Hell, yes, I did. I've wanted her since you two started dating."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/let-me-guess-eric-says-you-never-meant-for-it-to-happen-hell-yes-i/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“It’s the difference between dancing along the eggshell crust of acquaintance and diving into the messy center of a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-s-the-difference-between-dancing-along-the-eggshell-crust-of/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Because hate's just the flip side of love. Like heads and tails on a dime. If you don't know what it feels like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/because-hate-s-just-the-flip-side-of-love-like-heads-and-tails-on-a/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [I love feeling loved. I don't love knowing that I will always come in second place. I love the fact that at least sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/i-love-feeling-loved-i-don-t-love-knowing-that-i-will-always-come-in/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Music is the language of memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/music-is-the-language-of-memory/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [But there is a different between mending someone who's broken and finding someone who makes you complete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/but-there-is-a-different-between-mending-someone-who-s-broken-and/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“sometimes words are not big enough to contain all the feelings you are trying to pour into them. My”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/sometimes-words-are-not-big-enough-to-contain-all-the-feelings-you/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“The age wasn't as important as the milestones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-age-wasn-t-as-important-as-the-milestones/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The night is falling down around us. Meteors rain like fireworks, quick rips in the seam of the dark... Every second, another streak of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-night-is-falling-down-around-us-meteors-rain-like-fireworks-quick/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/when-she-had-packed-all-the-artifacts-that-made-up-their-personal/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Maybe who we are isn't so much about what we do, but rather what we're capable of when we least expect it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-who-we-are-isn-t-so-much-about-what-we-do-but-rather-what-we-re/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Here's what I hadn't realized : the mother you haven't seen for almost 36 years isn't your mother. She is a stranger. Sharing DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/here-s-what-i-hadn-t-realized-the-mother-you-haven-t-seen-for-almost/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [My brother believed in all sorts of mythical creatures: pixies, dragons, werewolves, honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/my-brother-believed-in-all-sorts-of-mythical-creatures-pixies-dragons/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Explore all 2,062 Jodi Picoult quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) ## More Monsters quotes > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [“Monsters are divine portents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/monsters-are-divine-portents/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [My idea for 'BoneMan's Daughters' came from the loss of my own daughter when she left home to live with a monster at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/my-idea-for-boneman-s-daughters-came-from-the-loss-of-my-own-daughter/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [“Monsters are made”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/monsters-are-made/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Beware, gentle knight - the greatest monster of them all is reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/beware-gentle-knight-the-greatest-monster-of-them-all-is-reason/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [Why what a fool was I to this drunken monster for a God. - Caliban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-what-a-fool-was-i-to-this-drunken-monster-for-a-god-caliban/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I have a private theory, Sir, that there are no heroes and no monsters in this world. Only children should be allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/i-have-a-private-theory-sir-that-there-are-no-heroes-and-no-monsters/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [“I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-have-found-it-an-amusing-strategy-when-asked-whether-i-am-an/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [You know how some people seem to think that their love for classical music makes them spiritual or at least something quite special? And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-stout/you-know-how-some-people-seem-to-think-that-their-love-for-classical/) [Ruth Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-stout/) > [Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/until-we-have-met-the-monsters-in-ourselves-we-keep-trying-to-slay/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“..the world seems full of good men--even if there are monsters in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-stoker/the-world-seems-full-of-good-men-even-if-there-are-monsters-in-it/) [Bram Stoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-stoker/) > [He felt as though he were wandering in the forests of the sea bottom, lost in a monstrous world where he himself was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/he-felt-as-though-he-were-wandering-in-the-forests-of-the-sea-bottom/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I'm an old school guy and love the guys in the monster suits and JAWS; even though everyone makes fun of the shark I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fessenden/i-m-an-old-school-guy-and-love-the-guys-in-the-monster-suits-and-jaws/) [Larry Fessenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fessenden/) [Browse all 1,998 Monsters quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The only monsters I have ever known were men,” I said.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jodi Picoult" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were-men-i-said/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Monsters" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were-men-i-said/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/437/jodi-picoult-45_quote_the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were_952274.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only monsters I have ever known were men,” I said.” — Jodi Picoult", "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": "Jodi Picoult", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The only monsters I have ever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were-men-i-said/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-only-monsters-i-have-ever-known-were-men-i-said/#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 } } ] } ```