--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The monster isn't men, but it can make…" description: "\"“The monster isn't men, but it can make men do what it wants.”\" — John Steinbeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg" --- # The monster isn't men, but it can make men do what it wants. ![“The monster isn't men, but it can make men do what it wants.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg) > ““The monster isn't men, but it can make men do what it wants.”” [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. Powerful forces can corrupt people, making them act against their nature. **In simple terms:** Power can corrupt; people may act badly. Key Takeaway Beware of influences that distort values. Themes power corruption human nature Mood reflective cautious thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political leadership - corporate culture - personal relationships - societal pressure Key Concepts ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What internal values keep you grounded? - How do you recognize when you’re being manipulated? A Different Perspective Not all external pressures are malicious; sometimes they reveal inner strengths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) ## Related quotes > [“For the power of Man to make himself what he pleases means, as we have seen, the power of some men to make other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/for-the-power-of-man-to-make-himself-what-he-pleases-means-as-we-have/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Many laws as certainly make men bad, as bad men make many laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/many-laws-as-certainly-make-men-bad-as-bad-men-make-many-laws/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [For the power of Man to make himself what he pleases means... the power of some men to make other men what THEY please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-the-power-of-man-to-make-himself-what-he-pleases-means-the-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Becoming a monster sometimes isn't a choice that you have. We're all that; we're all 'the other' in one way or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/becoming-a-monster-sometimes-isn-t-a-choice-that-you-have-we-re-all/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [“It didn't matter who you were, it only mattered what you were. I was wrong, and soon I believe you're going to see you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-merrick/it-didn-t-matter-who-you-were-it-only-mattered-what-you-were-i-was/) [M.R. Merrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-merrick/) > [Real Men wants Real Women , Not Hoes with Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/km-ii/real-men-wants-real-women-not-hoes-with-stories/) [KM II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/km-ii/) > [“There are men who wants only the woman; such are tagged, 'real men', and there are ones who want only their bodies; such are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-are-men-who-wants-only-the-woman-such-are-tagged-real-men-and/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I've seen in life…women wants love but men wants only power...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-seen-in-life-women-wants-love-but-men-wants-only-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And when it comes to men . . . well, who wants a guy who’s three minutes and done when you could have a Mr. ‘Rock Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lila-monroe/and-when-it-comes-to-men-well-who-wants-a-guy-who-s-three-minutes-and/) [Lila Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lila-monroe/) > [You must not forget that a monster is only a variation, and that to a monster the norm is monstrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-must-not-forget-that-a-monster-is-only-a-variation-and-that-to-a/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Wise men make more opportunities than they find.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wise-men-make-more-opportunities-than-they-find/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some men make money not for the sake of living, but ache In the blindness of greed and live just for their fortune's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/some-men-make-money-not-for-the-sake-of-living-but-ache-in-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Most men when they make up their faces, the makeup stands forward, and their faces are behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/most-men-when-they-make-up-their-faces-the-makeup-stands-forward-and/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [Parisian men make love all day and have no time to work; American men work all day and have no time for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zsa-zsa-gabor/parisian-men-make-love-all-day-and-have-no-time-to-work-american-men/) [Zsa Zsa Gabor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zsa-zsa-gabor/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## 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 Monster 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/) > [“Monsters are divine portents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-davidson/monsters-are-divine-portents/) [Andrew Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-davidson/) > [“Personally, I’m a mess of conflicting impulses—I’m independent and greedy and I also want to belong and share and be a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-siken/personally-i-m-a-mess-of-conflicting-impulses-i-m-independent-and/) [Richard Siken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-siken/) > [“Monsters are made”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/monsters-are-made/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [“..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/) > [It's not a monster movie. It's a supernatural thriller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-wood/it-s-not-a-monster-movie-it-s-a-supernatural-thriller/) [Ed Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-wood/) > [“When you’re a monster, she thought, you are thanked and praised for not behaving like a monster. She would like to restrain from cruelty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/when-you-re-a-monster-she-thought-you-are-thanked-and-praised-for-not/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [In this business, until you're known as a monster you're not a star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/in-this-business-until-you-re-known-as-a-monster-you-re-not-a-star/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [“Some days I’m more girl than monster. Some days I wonder what the monster has done with the girl.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-kory/some-days-i-m-more-girl-than-monster-some-days-i-wonder-what-the/) Kristin Kory > [I bought these pink sticker things... and I would write things on them, and I wrote, 'I will write an international smash,' and shortly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-rexha/i-bought-these-pink-sticker-things-and-i-would-write-things-on-them/) [Bebe Rexha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-rexha/) > [“ But what is a dream, Conor O'Malley? the monster said, bending down so it's face was close to Conor's. Who is to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/but-what-is-a-dream-conor-o-malley-the-monster-said-bending-down-so/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [The monster London laugh at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-cowley/the-monster-london-laugh-at-me/) [Abraham Cowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-cowley/) > [“Stomach full of jitters, little beasts that were second cousins to guacamolians—little green monsters that wreaked havoc in your stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kely-mcclung/stomach-full-of-jitters-little-beasts-that-were-second-cousins-to/) [William Kely McClung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kely-mcclung/) > [“Life would be perfect if monster would stop farting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chuka/life-would-be-perfect-if-monster-would-stop-farting/) David Chuka > [“There are many types of monsters that scare me: Monsters who cause trouble without showing themselves, monsters who abduct children, monsters who devour dreams,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lawliet/there-are-many-types-of-monsters-that-scare-me-monsters-who-cause/) L Lawliet [Browse all 1,025 Monster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The monster isn't men, but it can make men do what it wants.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Steinbeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-men-do-what-it-wants/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Monster" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-men-do-what-it-wants/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/john-steinbeck-71_monster_the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-me_766272.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The monster isn't men, but it can make men do what it wants.” — John Steinbeck", "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 Steinbeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The monster isn't men, but it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-men-do-what-it-wants/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/the-monster-isn-t-men-but-it-can-make-men-do-what-it-wants/#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 } } ] } ```