--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I am ever put to death on the hook…" description: "\"If I am ever put to death on the hook, expect a very human performance.\" — Kurt Vonnegut" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg" --- # If I am ever put to death on the hook, expect a very human… ![“If I am ever put to death on the hook, expect a very human performance.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg) > “If I am ever put to death on the hook, expect a very human performance.” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that even a death sentence can be performed with humanity and artfulness. **In simple terms:** Even execution can be humane. Key Takeaway Seek dignity in all actions. Themes mortality humanity performance Mood somber reflective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - capital punishment debates - theatrical expression - ethical leadership Key Concepts existentialism ethical drama Questions to Reflect On - What does a humane execution imply? - Can art soften inevitable outcomes? A Different Perspective May romanticize a grim reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bokonon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bokonon/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) ## Related quotes > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. 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Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. 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She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Bokonon quotes > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The words were a paraphrase of the suggestion of Jesus: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's." Bokonon's paraphrase was this: "Pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-words-were-a-paraphrase-of-the-suggestion-of-jesus-render/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Oh, a sleeping drunkard Up in Central Park, And a lion-hunter In the jungle dark, And a Chinese dentist, And a British queen-- All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/oh-a-sleeping-drunkard-up-in-central-park-and-a-lion-hunter-in-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ She was a fool, and so am I, and so is anyone who thinks he sees what God is Doing, \[writes Bokonon\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-was-a-fool-and-so-am-i-and-so-is-anyone-who-thinks-he-sees-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wanted all things to seem to make some sense, So we could all be happy, yes, instead of tense. And I made up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-wanted-all-things-to-seem-to-make-some-sense-so-we-could-all-be-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [All of the true things I am about to tell you are shameless lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-of-the-true-things-i-am-about-to-tell-you-are-shameless-lies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Beware of the man who works hard to learn something, learns it, and finds himself no wiser than before," Bokonon tells us. "He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/beware-of-the-man-who-works-hard-to-learn-something-learns-it-and-3/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [They were lovebirds. They entertained each other endlessly with little gifts: sights worth seeing out the plane window, amusing or instructive bits from things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-lovebirds-they-entertained-each-other-endlessly-with-little/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Oh, a very sorry people, yes, Did I find here. Oh, they had no music, And they had no beer. And, oh, everywhere Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/oh-a-very-sorry-people-yes-did-i-find-here-oh-they-had-no-music-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Man created the checkerboard; God created the karass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/man-created-the-checkerboard-god-created-the-karass/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Unusual travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/unusual-travel-suggestions-are-dancing-lessons-from-god/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Live by the foma(Harmless untruths) that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/live-by-the-foma-harmless-untruths-that-make-you-brave-and-kind-and/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Browse all 14 Bokonon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bokonon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I am ever put to death on the hook, expect a very human performance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kurt Vonnegut" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-expect-a-very-human-performance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bokonon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-expect-a-very-human-performance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/kurt-vonnegut-41_bokonon_if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-ex_866992.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I am ever put to death on the hook, expect a very human performance.” — Kurt Vonnegut", "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": "Kurt Vonnegut", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I am ever put to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-expect-a-very-human-performance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-i-am-ever-put-to-death-on-the-hook-expect-a-very-human-performance/#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 } } ] } ```