--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are few things as seemingly…" description: "\"There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep.\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png" --- # There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real… ![“There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png) > “There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child's sleep is a rare state untouched by adult realities, highlighting innocence and purity. **In simple terms:** Children are pure and untouched by adult world. Key Takeaway Protect childlike innocence. Themes innocence childhood purity Mood gentle reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - family life - education - parenting - mental health Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can we preserve innocence in a harsh world? - What does a child's sleep symbolize? A Different Perspective Adults may project their anxieties onto children, breaking that purity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asleep/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Asleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-asleep-3274865/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/) [Seemingly Untouched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seemingly-untouched-3274866/) [Things Seemingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-seemingly-3154952/) [Untouched Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/untouched-real-3274867/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I think people have the capacity to be many different things and many seemingly contradictory behaviors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ayoade/i-think-people-have-the-capacity-to-be-many-different-things-and-many/) [Richard Ayoade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ayoade/) > [What if I find someone new but still fall asleep to the thought of you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/what-if-i-find-someone-new-but-still-fall-asleep-to-the-thought-of-you/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [I love reading but I never last very long because I fall asleep right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-love-reading-but-i-never-last-very-long-because-i-fall-asleep-right/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [Your the First thing I think about when I wake up & your the last thing I think about when I fall asleep .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-lechuga/your-the-first-thing-i-think-about-when-i-wake-up-your-the-last-thing/) [Alejandro Lechuga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-lechuga/) > [You can get anywhere on earth by falling asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/you-can-get-anywhere-on-earth-by-falling-asleep/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Lit up the world as I fell asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owl-city/lit-up-the-world-as-i-fell-asleep/) [Owl City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owl-city/) > [99% of the time my brain is thinking blah, meh, why, huh, WTF, food and computers. The other 1% I'm usually asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/99-of-the-time-my-brain-is-thinking-blah-meh-why-huh-wtf-food-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [Trying to fall asleep is as hard as trying to wake up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-fall-asleep-is-as-hard-as-trying-to-wake-up-in-the-morning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think about you every night before I sleep. I imagine you are here with me. With one arm around me and your legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-about-you-every-night-before-i-sleep-i-imagine-you-are-here/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't usually have time for TV. When I get home at night, I just want to fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-don-t-usually-have-time-for-tv-when-i-get-home-at-night-i-just-want/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [“80. It normally takes 5-9 minutes for most healthy people to fall asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-shaw/80-it-normally-takes-5-9-minutes-for-most-healthy-people-to-fall/) [Lena Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-shaw/) > [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [We are asleep people, unconscious people, and this is what is serious. Unfortunately, we think the best of ourselves and not even suspect that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/we-are-asleep-people-unconscious-people-and-this-is-what-is-serious/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [So sick of being single! Ready to fall asleep & wake next to someone special!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-sick-of-being-single-ready-to-fall-asleep-wake-next-to-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [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/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Asleep quotes > [So sick of being single! Ready to fall asleep & wake next to someone special!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-sick-of-being-single-ready-to-fall-asleep-wake-next-to-someone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are asleep people, unconscious people, and this is what is serious. Unfortunately, we think the best of ourselves and not even suspect that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samael-aun-weor/we-are-asleep-people-unconscious-people-and-this-is-what-is-serious/) [Samael Aun Weor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samael-aun-weor/) > [But even before I was in the military, I was extremely jumpy when asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/but-even-before-i-was-in-the-military-i-was-extremely-jumpy-when/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [“80. It normally takes 5-9 minutes for most healthy people to fall asleep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-shaw/80-it-normally-takes-5-9-minutes-for-most-healthy-people-to-fall/) [Lena Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-shaw/) > [I don't usually have time for TV. When I get home at night, I just want to fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-don-t-usually-have-time-for-tv-when-i-get-home-at-night-i-just-want/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [I think about you every night before I sleep. I imagine you are here with me. With one arm around me and your legs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-about-you-every-night-before-i-sleep-i-imagine-you-are-here/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to fall asleep is as hard as trying to wake up in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-fall-asleep-is-as-hard-as-trying-to-wake-up-in-the-morning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [99% of the time my brain is thinking blah, meh, why, huh, WTF, food and computers. The other 1% I'm usually asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/99-of-the-time-my-brain-is-thinking-blah-meh-why-huh-wtf-food-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lit up the world as I fell asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owl-city/lit-up-the-world-as-i-fell-asleep/) [Owl City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owl-city/) > [You can get anywhere on earth by falling asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/feist/you-can-get-anywhere-on-earth-by-falling-asleep/) [Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/feist/) > [Your the First thing I think about when I wake up & your the last thing I think about when I fall asleep .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-lechuga/your-the-first-thing-i-think-about-when-i-wake-up-your-the-last-thing/) [Alejandro Lechuga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-lechuga/) > [I love reading but I never last very long because I fall asleep right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-love-reading-but-i-never-last-very-long-because-i-fall-asleep-right/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [What if I find someone new but still fall asleep to the thought of you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/what-if-i-find-someone-new-but-still-fall-asleep-to-the-thought-of-you/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [“We fell asleep wrapped in each other as if we could not bear to part, even in sleep we could not bear to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-fell-asleep-wrapped-in-each-other-as-if-we-could-not-bear-to-part/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) [Browse all 472 Asleep quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asleep/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouched-by-the-real-world-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asleep" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouched-by-the-real-world-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee3/john-irving-337_asleep_there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouc_2775823.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are few things as seemingly untouched by the real world as a child asleep.” — John Irving", "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": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are few things as seemingly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouched-by-the-real-world-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/there-are-few-things-as-seemingly-untouched-by-the-real-world-as-a/#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 } } ] } ```