--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a message written in pencil on…" description: "\"There was a message written in pencil on the tiles by the roller towel. This was it: What is the purpose of life? Trout plundered his pockets for a pen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_there-was-a-message-written-in-pencil-on_1161405.jpg" --- # There was a message written in pencil on the tiles by the… ![“There was a message written in pencil on the tiles by the roller towel. This was it: What is the purpose of life? Trout plundered his pockets for a pen or pencil. He had an answer to the question. But he had nothing to write with, not even a burnt match. So he left the question unanswered, but…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_there-was-a-message-written-in-pencil-on_1161405.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_there-was-a-message-written-in-pencil-on_1161405.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca5/kurt-vonnegut-41_answers_there-was-a-message-written-in-pencil-on_1161405.jpg) > “There was a message written in pencil on the tiles by the roller towel. This was it: What is the purpose of life? Trout plundered his pockets for a pen or pencil. He had an answer to the question. But he had nothing to write with, not even a burnt match. So he left the question unanswered, but here is what he would have written, if he had found anything to write with: To be the eyes and ears and conscience of the Creator of the Universe, you fool.” [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. The quest for meaning is futile without the tools to express it; the ultimate purpose is to be a moral witness. **In simple terms:** Purpose requires means to express; otherwise, meaningless. Key Takeaway Find tools to articulate purpose. Themes meaning existence expression Mood contemplative humorous Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - art - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What tools do you need to express your purpose? - How do you act as a moral witness? A Different Perspective Lack of resources can stall insight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-of-life/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [What is the purpose of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-is-the-purpose-of-life/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [What is the purpose of life?...To be the eyes and ears and conscience of the Creator of the Universe, you fool!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/what-is-the-purpose-of-life-to-be-the-eyes-and-ears-and-conscience-of/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [The place I like best in this world is the kitchen. No matter where it is, no matter what kind, if it’s a kitchen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/the-place-i-like-best-in-this-world-is-the-kitchen-no-matter-where-it/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [I am a story teller. If I wanted to send a message I would have written a sermon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-am-a-story-teller-if-i-wanted-to-send-a-message-i-would-have/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“He finished quickly, closed my fingers into my palm and kissed them. I slowly uncurled them to read his message, which was written boldly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-lauren/he-finished-quickly-closed-my-fingers-into-my-palm-and-kissed-them-i/) [Kimberly Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-lauren/) > [Nature's message was always there and for us to see. It was written on the wings of butterflies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kjell-bloch-sandved/nature-s-message-was-always-there-and-for-us-to-see-it-was-written-on/) Kjell Bloch Sandved > [“That would be just dandy. All we’d have to do is sit back and wait for them to wipe each other out. But that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-nicholson/that-would-be-just-dandy-all-we-d-have-to-do-is-sit-back-and-wait-for/) [Scott Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-nicholson/) > [“If someone asks me, “Why do you write?” I can reply by pointing out that it is a very dumb question. Nevertheless, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/if-someone-asks-me-why-do-you-write-i-can-reply-by-pointing-out-that/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [My writing process often begins with a question. I write down ideas and let them stew for about a year. Then, when I sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-voigt/my-writing-process-often-begins-with-a-question-i-write-down-ideas/) [Cynthia Voigt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-voigt/) > [It's a kind of zen question: if you write a book and no one reads it, is it really a book?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/it-s-a-kind-of-zen-question-if-you-write-a-book-and-no-one-reads-it/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“To fill in all the gaps in my knowledge beforehand was out of the question for me. I had to write now, or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-huizinga/to-fill-in-all-the-gaps-in-my-knowledge-beforehand-was-out-of-the/) [Johan Huizinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-huizinga/) > [What difference does it make if you live in a picturesque little outhouse surrounded by 300 feeble minded goats and your faithful dog? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/what-difference-does-it-make-if-you-live-in-a-picturesque-little/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One great question underlies our experience, whether we think about it or not: what is the purpose of life? From the moment of birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-great-question-underlies-our-experience-whether-we-think-about-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/what-is-the-essence-of-life-to-serve-others-and-to-do-good/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The purpose of life is not to be happy, the purpose of life is to matter..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-rosten/the-purpose-of-life-is-not-to-be-happy-the-purpose-of-life-is-to/) [Leo Rosten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-rosten/) > [What is the purpose of life? To elevate all, big or small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/what-is-the-purpose-of-life-to-elevate-all-big-or-small/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. 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. 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/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. 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 Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a message written in pencil on the tiles by the roller towel. 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