--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who can tell whether the parallelogram…" description: "\"Who can tell whether the parallelogram, which in our ignorance we have defined and drawn, and the whole of whose properties we profess to know, may not..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/lewis-carroll-324_angle_who-can-tell-whether-the-parallelogram-w_1809705.jpg" --- # Who can tell whether the parallelogram, which in our… ![“Who can tell whether the parallelogram, which in our ignorance we have defined and drawn, and the whole of whose properties we profess to know, may not be all the while panting for exterior angles, sympathetic with the interior, or sullenly repining at the fact that it cannot be inscribed in a…” quote by Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/lewis-carroll-324_angle_who-can-tell-whether-the-parallelogram-w_1809705.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/lewis-carroll-324_angle_who-can-tell-whether-the-parallelogram-w_1809705.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15e/lewis-carroll-324_angle_who-can-tell-whether-the-parallelogram-w_1809705.jpg) > “Who can tell whether the parallelogram, which in our ignorance we have defined and drawn, and the whole of whose properties we profess to know, may not be all the while panting for exterior angles, sympathetic with the interior, or sullenly repining at the fact that it cannot be inscribed in a circle?” [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously suggests that geometric shapes might have hidden desires or feelings about their properties, reflecting on the limits of human definitions. **In simple terms:** Shapes may secretly wish for different properties. Key Takeaway Consider the unseen aspects of definitions. Themes geometry philosophy humor Mood playful thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - teaching geometry - creative writing - philosophical discussion Key Concepts perception metaphor mathematical abstraction Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do we make about mathematical objects? - How does humor reveal hidden complexities? A Different Perspective Geometric definitions are human constructs and may not capture all truths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angle/) [Circles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circles/) [Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/) [Exterior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exterior/) [Fact Inscribed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fact-inscribed-2103675/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Inscribed Circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inscribed-circle-2103674/) [Interiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interiors/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Parallelogram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parallelogram/) [Parallelogram Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parallelogram-ignorance-2103672/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Sympathetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathetic/) [Tell Parallelogram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-parallelogram-2103673/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [I consider my greatest accomplishment to be lifelong celibacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-consider-my-greatest-accomplishment-to-be-lifelong-celibacy/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [The centre of gravity of any parallelogram lies on the straight line joining the middle points of opposite sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archimedes/the-centre-of-gravity-of-any-parallelogram-lies-on-the-straight-line/) [Archimedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archimedes/) > [The landlady of a boarding-house is a parallelogram - that is, an oblong angular figure, which cannot be described, but which is equal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/the-landlady-of-a-boarding-house-is-a-parallelogram-that-is-an-oblong/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [ The vision shared by both \[French utopian\] Charles Fourier and Robert Owen was for an entire town to fit into one structure. 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A photographer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-boubat/sometimes-i-envy-painters-it-is-wonderful-to-remain-in-front-of-a/) [Edouard Boubat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edouard-boubat/) ## More by Lewis Carroll > [You're thinking about something, my dear, and that makes you forget to talk. I can't tell you just now what the moral of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/you-re-thinking-about-something-my-dear-and-that-makes-you-forget-to/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. 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Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/we-may-give-our-human-loves-the-unconditional-allegiance-which-we-owe/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [In the midst of the word he was trying to say In the midst of his laughter and glee, He had softly and suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/in-the-midst-of-the-word-he-was-trying-to-say-in-the-midst-of-his/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“But it must be borne in mind that, if there is a Scylla before me, there is also a Charybdis - and that, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/but-it-must-be-borne-in-mind-that-if-there-is-a-scylla-before-me/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might: He did his very best to make The billows smooth and bright--…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/the-sun-was-shining-on-the-sea-shining-with-all-his-might-he-did-his/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [“In vain we roared;in vain we tried To rouse her into laughter: Her pensive glances wandered wide From orchestra to rafter - "TIER UPON…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/in-vain-we-roared-in-vain-we-tried-to-rouse-her-into-laughter-her/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [For the snark was a boojum, you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/for-the-snark-was-a-boojum-you-see/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Thanks for your nice little note, though I am sorry to hear you find Through the Looking Glass so uninteresting. You see I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/thanks-for-your-nice-little-note-though-i-am-sorry-to-hear-you-find/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [You shouldn't make jokes if it makes you so unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/you-shouldn-t-make-jokes-if-it-makes-you-so-unhappy/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [We haven't any and you're too young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/we-haven-t-any-and-you-re-too-young/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [Everything is funny, if you can laugh at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/everything-is-funny-if-you-can-laugh-at-it/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I wish I hadn't cried so much!” said Alice, as she swam about, trying to find her way out. I shall be punished for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-wish-i-hadn-t-cried-so-much-said-alice-as-she-swam-about-trying-to/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) [Explore all 644 Lewis Carroll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) ## More Angle quotes > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [I like small things, I like small moments that are almost elliptical, that are not necessarily linear; they're natural things that happen in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-carter/i-like-small-things-i-like-small-moments-that-are-almost-elliptical/) [Keith Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-carter/) > [Los Angles to me seems to be a little bit more forgiving. They're just as rowdy and they're just as excited but they understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/los-angles-to-me-seems-to-be-a-little-bit-more-forgiving-they-re-just/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [Our mind is a flowing something. It oscillates. Concentration is merely the continuous return to the same problem from a million angles… So my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-laubach/our-mind-is-a-flowing-something-it-oscillates-concentration-is-merely/) [Frank Laubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-laubach/) > [There's only a very small representation of girls among you. Too little. Women have much to tell us in today’s society. Sometimes we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/there-s-only-a-very-small-representation-of-girls-among-you-too/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The genius is a genius by the first look he casts on any object. Is his eye creative? Does he not rest in angles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-genius-is-a-genius-by-the-first-look-he-casts-on-any-object-is/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Once I'd worked out that I couldn't possibly expect people to enjoy a monstrous, 3000-page book, I realised I could in fact create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/once-i-d-worked-out-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-expect-people-to-enjoy-a/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Writing is a intensely personal activity. I can pen down my best thoughts when I'm alone. But when one is elevated into the stature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/writing-is-a-intensely-personal-activity-i-can-pen-down-my-best/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [I have known a very good, fisher angle diligently four or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/i-have-known-a-very-good-fisher-angle-diligently-four-or-six-hours/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [“Distribution of weight is preferable to balancing everything on the head of a pin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psixaristw/distribution-of-weight-is-preferable-to-balancing-everything-on-the/) [Psixaristw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psixaristw/) > [He was not as soft as when I'd first met him, not as young, but the angles of his face, his quick gestures, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/he-was-not-as-soft-as-when-i-d-first-met-him-not-as-young-but-the/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [If somebody is really trying to take your head off with a baseball bat - I don't know how long you're supposed to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-somebody-is-really-trying-to-take-your-head-off-with-a-baseball/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Sometimes I sit and look at life from a different angle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/sometimes-i-sit-and-look-at-life-from-a-different-angle/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Teaching, like any truly human activity, emerges from one's inwardness, for better or worse. 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