--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Adam found his father out. It wasn’t that…" description: "\"“Adam found his father out. It wasn’t that his father changed but that some new quality came to Adam. He had always hated the discipline, as every norm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/john-steinbeck-71_little-man_adam-found-his-father-out-it-wasn-t-that_1670098.jpg" --- # Adam found his father out. It wasn’t that his father… ![“Adam found his father out. It wasn’t that his father changed but that some new quality came to Adam. He had always hated the discipline, as every normal animal does, but it was just and true and inevitable as measles, not to be denied or cursed, only to be hated. And then–it was very fast, almost…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/john-steinbeck-71_little-man_adam-found-his-father-out-it-wasn-t-that_1670098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/john-steinbeck-71_little-man_adam-found-his-father-out-it-wasn-t-that_1670098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbc/john-steinbeck-71_little-man_adam-found-his-father-out-it-wasn-t-that_1670098.jpg) > ““Adam found his father out. It wasn’t that his father changed but that some new quality came to Adam. He had always hated the discipline, as every normal animal does, but it was just and true and inevitable as measles, not to be denied or cursed, only to be hated. And then–it was very fast, almost a click in the brain–Adam knew that, for him at least, his father’s methods had no reference to anything in the world except his father. The techniques and training were not designed for the boys at all but only to make Cyrus a great man. And the same click in the brain told Adam that his father was not a great man, that he was, indeed, a very strong-willed and concentrated little man wearing a huge busby. Who knows what causes this–a look in the eye, a lie found out, a moment of hesitation?–then god comes crashing down in a child’s brain.”” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adam realizes his father’s strict methods were meant for another son, revealing personal identity and the weight of expectations. **In simple terms:** Adam sees his father’s discipline was meant for his brother, not him. Key Takeaway Recognize and question inherited expectations. Themes identity family expectations growth self‑discovery Mood conflicted reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - family dynamics - personal development - education - career mentorship Key Concepts psychology parental influence individualism Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between useful discipline and oppressive control? - What signs indicate a belief system no longer serves you? A Different Perspective The father’s methods may still be effective for others, even if they feel oppressive to one individual. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [Yes, President Young did teach that Adam was the father of our spirits, and all the related things that the cultists ascribe to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/yes-president-young-did-teach-that-adam-was-the-father-of-our-spirits/) [Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/) > [“God, the author of language, programmed Adam with language when He created him, as we know they conversed right from the start on day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/god-the-author-of-language-programmed-adam-with-language-when-he/) [Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/) > [“A magic Adam never knew existed, yet he must somehow control it to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nowaz/a-magic-adam-never-knew-existed-yet-he-must-somehow-control-it-to/) [Max Nowaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nowaz/) > [“They’d also told him Adam would probably never hear out of his left ear again. This was the hardest thing to internalize, that something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/they-d-also-told-him-adam-would-probably-never-hear-out-of-his-left/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Charles had more respect for Adam after he knew about the prison. He felt the warmth for his brother you can feel only for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/charles-had-more-respect-for-adam-after-he-knew-about-the-prison-he/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“them,” he said. “The dust is warm,” said Samuel. “Now it goes this way. ‘And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/them-he-said-the-dust-is-warm-said-samuel-now-it-goes-this-way-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [The apple . . . came before Adam and Eve in the story of creation. It had to have been there at least three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-apple-came-before-adam-and-eve-in-the-story-of-creation-it-had-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“God first appeared on the scene of human history in the role of a matchmaker. What a profound and exciting revelation! Is it too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-prince/god-first-appeared-on-the-scene-of-human-history-in-the-role-of-a/) [Derek Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-prince/) > [My name is Adam. My father's name is Adam. Having the same name as your father, it's alright until your voice changes. My friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/my-name-is-adam-my-father-s-name-is-adam-having-the-same-name-as-your/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [“The fact that the Hebrew word 'adam', meaning 'man', is identical with Adam as the name of the father of Seth plays a fundamental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-salibi/the-fact-that-the-hebrew-word-adam-meaning-man-is-identical-with-adam/) [Kamal Salibi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-salibi/) > [“Awareness started to creep in, clawing its way past the pain and numbness. He was lying on cold ground, his right cheek on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/awareness-started-to-creep-in-clawing-its-way-past-the-pain-and-2/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [Allah gave Prophet Adam the knowledge of the names of everything. This means that Prophet Adam knew these names without a teacher telling him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/allah-gave-prophet-adam-the-knowledge-of-the-names-of-everything-this/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [How lucky Adam was. He knew when he said a good thing, nobody had said it before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/how-lucky-adam-was-he-knew-when-he-said-a-good-thing-nobody-had-said/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Suddenly I realized I was standing on the hot wood of the dock, still touching elbows with Adam, staring at the skull-and-crossbones pendant. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/suddenly-i-realized-i-was-standing-on-the-hot-wood-of-the-dock-still/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived. It is a pity that this is still the only knowledge of their wives at which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-h-bradley/adam-knew-eve-his-wife-and-she-conceived-it-is-a-pity-that-this-is/) [F. H. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-h-bradley/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Adam found his father out. 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