--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been known to say that the devil…" description: "\"“I have been known to say that the devil gave me my first violin.”\" — Laini Taylor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png" --- # I have been known to say that the devil gave me my first… ![“I have been known to say that the devil gave me my first violin.” quote by Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png) > ““I have been known to say that the devil gave me my first violin.”” [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The devil metaphor suggests that early artistic talent may feel like a cursed gift, blending struggle with inspiration. **In simple terms:** Talent can feel like a cursed gift. Key Takeaway Embrace the gift while managing its challenges. Themes artistry struggle inspiration mythology Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - music lessons - writing retreats - art therapy - performance prep Key Concepts creative identity psychology of talent mythic archetypes Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect artistic health? - What supports sustainable creativity? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Violin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violin/) ## Related quotes > [When I was eight, an uncle, great uncle, gave a violin to me, and my father took me off to have lessons. After about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/when-i-was-eight-an-uncle-great-uncle-gave-a-violin-to-me-and-my/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [“The devil gave Joseph a pit to terminate his dreams but God gave Joseph a caravan to move his dreams forward.#kindle #Christian”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-joseph/the-devil-gave-joseph-a-pit-to-terminate-his-dreams-but-god-gave/) [Ikechukwu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-joseph/) > [The devil never gave a gift for free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tananarive-due/the-devil-never-gave-a-gift-for-free/) [Tananarive Due](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tananarive-due/) > [I used to say to myself, 'What the devil have you got to be proud about, Marilyn Monroe?' And I'd answer, 'Everything, everything.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn/i-used-to-say-to-myself-what-the-devil-have-you-got-to-be-proud-about/) [Marilyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn/) > [I am of a different mind ten times in the course of a day. But I resist the devil, and often it is with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-am-of-a-different-mind-ten-times-in-the-course-of-a-day-but-i/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [They say that God is in the details. Then again, they also say that the Devil is in the details. Boy, talk about awkward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/they-say-that-god-is-in-the-details-then-again-they-also-say-that-the/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [“Satan’s response to the work of God in our lives is to try to destroy the work of Jesus. What did Jesus say was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-durham/satan-s-response-to-the-work-of-god-in-our-lives-is-to-try-to-destroy/) [James A. Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-durham/) > [What will an angel say that the devil wants to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/what-will-an-angel-say-that-the-devil-wants-to-know/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) > [“If God does not have a sense of humor then I think it’s safe to say I was made by the devil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/if-god-does-not-have-a-sense-of-humor-then-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-i/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [I know in the Christian church the old ladies use to say "what the devil meant for bad God meant for good." So some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-kilpatrick/i-know-in-the-christian-church-the-old-ladies-use-to-say-what-the/) [Kwame Kilpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-kilpatrick/) > [I can't deny that I was an intellectual prostitute along the way many, many times in college. I can remember one examination where they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/i-can-t-deny-that-i-was-an-intellectual-prostitute-along-the-way-many/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [“and when you are asked whence you come, you must say, from hell, and when you are asked who you are, you are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/and-when-you-are-asked-whence-you-come-you-must-say-from-hell-and/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“Sociopath was really just a politically correct way to say "the devil".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-pendarvis/sociopath-was-really-just-a-politically-correct-way-to-say-the-devil/) Jack Pendarvis > [They say that the Devil is a charming man. And just like you I bet he can dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/they-say-that-the-devil-is-a-charming-man-and-just-like-you-i-bet-he/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [If Hitler invaded Hell, I'd find something nice to say about the Devil himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/if-hitler-invaded-hell-i-d-find-something-nice-to-say-about-the-devil/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More by Laini Taylor > [“Word spread quickly: The visitor wished to address the scholars. 'What can he want?' they wondered, streaming into the Royal Theater. Attendance was voluntary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/word-spread-quickly-the-visitor-wished-to-address-the-scholars-what/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“The past and the future were just blinders we wore so that infinity wouldn’t drive us mad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/the-past-and-the-future-were-just-blinders-we-wore-so-that-infinity/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“I love books. Not just for what they contain. I love them as objects too, as ever-present reminders of what they contain, and because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-love-books-not-just-for-what-they-contain-i-love-them-as-objects/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“To the naked eye, he’s decent kissing height if I wear platforms, though of course a live test will be required before official certification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/to-the-naked-eye-he-s-decent-kissing-height-if-i-wear-platforms/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [You almost hold up your piece of paper and say, ‘The girl I like just gave me a treasure map to herself.’ But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-almost-hold-up-your-piece-of-paper-and-say-the-girl-i-like-just/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“...You are not just going to vanish like this, Karou. This isn't some goddamn Narnia book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/you-are-not-just-going-to-vanish-like-this-karou-this-isn-t-some/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Have you ever asked yourself, do monsters make war, or does war make monsters?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/have-you-ever-asked-yourself-do-monsters-make-war-or-does-war-make/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“She told Mik, "You have perfect violin-playing muscles." "And you, with your mighty puppeteer arms. We put the chimaera to shame." She stopped fanning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/she-told-mik-you-have-perfect-violin-playing-muscles-and-you-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [As far back as she could remember, a phantom life had mocked her with its impenetrable “something else,” but now it was the opposite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/as-far-back-as-she-could-remember-a-phantom-life-had-mocked-her-with/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“By the time the plan's wheels touched down on a desolate stretch of desert runway, the sun had cleared a ridge of mountains and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/by-the-time-the-plan-s-wheels-touched-down-on-a-desolate-stretch-of/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“It was hard to imagine feeling that magical tingling sensation in the pit of her belly anytime soon. Best not to worry about it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/it-was-hard-to-imagine-feeling-that-magical-tingling-sensation-in-the/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Staring at her face, she began to fancy her outer layer had begun to melt away while she wasn't paying attention, and something --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/staring-at-her-face-she-began-to-fancy-her-outer-layer-had-begun-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“He listened like a cactus drinks the rain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/he-listened-like-a-cactus-drinks-the-rain/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Around Mik, my powers desert me. I lose basic motor function, like my brain focuses all neural activity on my lips and shifts into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/around-mik-my-powers-desert-me-i-lose-basic-motor-function-like-my/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Everything lined up. It has been easy, as if it were meant-" "Meant!" she said, amazed. She spun to face him, which, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/everything-lined-up-it-has-been-easy-as-if-it-were-meant-meant-she/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) [Explore all 715 Laini Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) ## More Devil quotes > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present us with objects of desire to awaken our power of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/and-so-it-is-that-both-the-devil-and-the-angelic-spirit-present-us/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”—Charles Baudelaire “The second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-greatest-trick-the-devil-ever-pulled-was-convincing-the-world-he/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) [Browse all 4,283 Devil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have been known to say that the devil gave me my first violin.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laini Taylor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil-gave-me-my-first-violin/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil-gave-me-my-first-violin/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/513/laini-taylor-258_devil_i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil_2974306.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have been known to say that the devil gave me my first violin.” — Laini Taylor", "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": "Laini Taylor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I have been known to say...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil-gave-me-my-first-violin/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/i-have-been-known-to-say-that-the-devil-gave-me-my-first-violin/#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 } } ] } ```