--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets…" description: "\"“And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets they, who come and go, At bidding of vast formless things, that shift the scenery to and fro.'\" His voice was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg" --- # And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets they, who come… ![“And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets they, who come and go, At bidding of vast formless things, that shift the scenery to and fro.'" His voice was hushed and whispery in the earphones. "Mere puppets," he repeated. "It's Edgar Allen Poe." "So are we the vast formless things?" "Yep." I grinned…” quote by Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg) > ““And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets they, who come and go, At bidding of vast formless things, that shift the scenery to and fro.'" His voice was hushed and whispery in the earphones. "Mere puppets," he repeated. "It's Edgar Allen Poe." "So are we the vast formless things?" "Yep." I grinned up at him. "Are you calling me fat and unshapely?" His low laugh tickled my ears. "Quite the contrary," he said. "Jacob can be vast, and I shall be formless. Your form is very pleasing.”” [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are often controlled by unseen forces, yet we can choose our own shape and purpose despite that influence. **In simple terms:** We can shape ourselves even when manipulated. Key Takeaway Embrace agency and define your own form. Themes control identity agency influence self‑determination Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - relationships - overcoming manipulation Key Concepts determinism free will existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize when you are being manipulated? - What steps can you take to assert your own identity? A Different Perspective Even if forces seem vast, they are not absolute; personal choice matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Edgar allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edgar-allen/) ## Related quotes > [Edgar Allen Poe really started me when I was 8. I fell in love with everything of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/edgar-allen-poe-really-started-me-when-i-was-8-i-fell-in-love-with/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Edgar Allen Poe wrote a story in 1838 about a shipwreck and how three survivors killed and ate the third man, Richard Parker; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-anderson/edgar-allen-poe-wrote-a-story-in-1838-about-a-shipwreck-and-how-three/) [Adam Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-anderson/) > [“The sky was the color of Edgar Allen Poe's pajamas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-sky-was-the-color-of-edgar-allen-poe-s-pajamas/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I grew up on Edgar Allen Poe, and I loved Alfred Hitchcock's movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/i-grew-up-on-edgar-allen-poe-and-i-loved-alfred-hitchcock-s-movies/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [“Mimes in the form of God on high mutter and mumble low and hither and tither fly, mere puppets they who come and go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/mimes-in-the-form-of-god-on-high-mutter-and-mumble-low-and-hither-and/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [I remember when I was very young, I had a fever - a long rheumatic fever in bed for four months. And in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-argento/i-remember-when-i-was-very-young-i-had-a-fever-a-long-rheumatic-fever/) [Dario Argento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-argento/) > [“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore — While I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/once-upon-a-midnight-dreary-while-i-pondered-weak-and-weary-over-many-3/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“I am an invisible man. No I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe: Nor am I one of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/i-am-an-invisible-man-no-i-am-not-a-spook-like-those-who-haunted-2/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“Everyone knows the only reason Palmetto qualified for this division is because of your coach." "Funny, I'm pretty sure that's how Edgar Allen qualified.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/everyone-knows-the-only-reason-palmetto-qualified-for-this-division/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [Read this and thought of you: Through joy and through sorrow, I wrote. Through hunger and through thirst, I wrote. Through good report and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/read-this-and-thought-of-you-through-joy-and-through-sorrow-i-wrote/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You're a regular Edgar Allen Polack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-bunker/you-re-a-regular-edgar-allen-polack/) [Archie Bunker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-bunker/) > [I didn't even know a heart could beat so loudly...it reminds me of an Edgar Allen Poe story we had to read in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-didn-t-even-know-a-heart-could-beat-so-loudly-it-reminds-me-of-an/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [ “To me \[Edgar Allan Poe's\] prose is unreadable—like Jane Austin's \[sic\]. No there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-me-edgar-allan-poe-s-prose-is-unreadable-like-jane-austin-s-sic-no/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [But you have to understand, mental illness is like cholesterol. There is is good kind and the bad. Without the good kind- less flavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dorsey/but-you-have-to-understand-mental-illness-is-like-cholesterol-there/) [Tim Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dorsey/) ## More by Lili Wilkinson > [“Correct. That’s the Sucker Effect. You do something, while making the audience think you did something else. So they’re all busy feeling self-congratulatory that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/correct-that-s-the-sucker-effect-you-do-something-while-making-the/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“Jacob: 'So have you heard that in seventy years there won't be any gingers left on Earth?' Jules: 'Really? Huh. Nature. Awesome.' Sam: 'Actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/jacob-so-have-you-heard-that-in-seventy-years-there-won-t-be-any/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“School's okay. I mean, it's the usual oppressive regime of fascist dogma. But I'm surviving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/school-s-okay-i-mean-it-s-the-usual-oppressive-regime-of-fascist/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“That's what I need to figure out. I need to figure out who I am. What I want.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/that-s-what-i-need-to-figure-out-i-need-to-figure-out-who-i-am-what-i/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“A girl so full of wildness and passion and rage that maybe she couldn't contain the whole of herself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/a-girl-so-full-of-wildness-and-passion-and-rage-that-maybe-she-couldn/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“Ripples of sunset dance towards our feet, swirling into the colours from the graffiti, reflected on brown water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/ripples-of-sunset-dance-towards-our-feet-swirling-into-the-colours/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“Finally getting that sex change? I'm proud of you, brother. I mean, sister.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/finally-getting-that-sex-change-i-m-proud-of-you-brother-i-mean-sister/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“This episode of my life is brought to you by the letters W, t, and F. I do not understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/this-episode-of-my-life-is-brought-to-you-by-the-letters-w-t-and-f-i/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“I don't believe in telling people what they should do, so I'll tell you what you shouldn't do instead... young people can't write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/i-don-t-believe-in-telling-people-what-they-should-do-so-i-ll-tell/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“Ava darling, I am willing to admit that these stage crew freaks you hang out with are not entirely made of evil. But please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/ava-darling-i-am-willing-to-admit-that-these-stage-crew-freaks-you/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“Parents aren't supposed to cry. They're not supposed to have emotions, apart from anger, disappointment and pride. And fatigue. But they're never supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/parents-aren-t-supposed-to-cry-they-re-not-supposed-to-have-emotions/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [“There was a crackle. Kobe's voice came through the cans. "What would you guys do," he said, apropos of nothing, "if Jules turned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/there-was-a-crackle-kobe-s-voice-came-through-the-cans-what-would-you/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [No, seriously,' choked Sam, his eyes streaming. 'You're such a loser, that you've actually stopped losing and have progressed to having just lost. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/no-seriously-choked-sam-his-eyes-streaming-you-re-such-a-loser-that/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [Her heart began to ache, and she felt the numbness slip away. Misery welled up inside her. She clamped down on it, trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/her-heart-began-to-ache-and-she-felt-the-numbness-slip-away-misery/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) > [I think that sometimes the whole larger-than-life gay thing is just another kind of closet. It's easier to be different if you're very different,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/i-think-that-sometimes-the-whole-larger-than-life-gay-thing-is-just/) [Lili Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) [Explore all 23 Lili Wilkinson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/) ## More Edgar allen quotes > [Edgar Allen Poe really started me when I was 8. I fell in love with everything of his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/edgar-allen-poe-really-started-me-when-i-was-8-i-fell-in-love-with/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [ “To me \[Edgar Allan Poe's\] prose is unreadable—like Jane Austin's \[sic\]. No there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/to-me-edgar-allan-poe-s-prose-is-unreadable-like-jane-austin-s-sic-no/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“The sky was the color of Edgar Allen Poe's pajamas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-sky-was-the-color-of-edgar-allen-poe-s-pajamas/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“I am an invisible man. No I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe: Nor am I one of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/i-am-an-invisible-man-no-i-am-not-a-spook-like-those-who-haunted-2/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore — While I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/once-upon-a-midnight-dreary-while-i-pondered-weak-and-weary-over-many-3/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [I remember when I was very young, I had a fever - a long rheumatic fever in bed for four months. And in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-argento/i-remember-when-i-was-very-young-i-had-a-fever-a-long-rheumatic-fever/) [Dario Argento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-argento/) > [I grew up on Edgar Allen Poe, and I loved Alfred Hitchcock's movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/i-grew-up-on-edgar-allen-poe-and-i-loved-alfred-hitchcock-s-movies/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [But you have to understand, mental illness is like cholesterol. There is is good kind and the bad. Without the good kind- less flavor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-dorsey/but-you-have-to-understand-mental-illness-is-like-cholesterol-there/) [Tim Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-dorsey/) > [“Everyone knows the only reason Palmetto qualified for this division is because of your coach." "Funny, I'm pretty sure that's how Edgar Allen qualified.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-sakavic/everyone-knows-the-only-reason-palmetto-qualified-for-this-division/) [Nora Sakavic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-sakavic/) > [Read this and thought of you: Through joy and through sorrow, I wrote. Through hunger and through thirst, I wrote. Through good report and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/read-this-and-thought-of-you-through-joy-and-through-sorrow-i-wrote/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You're a regular Edgar Allen Polack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-bunker/you-re-a-regular-edgar-allen-polack/) [Archie Bunker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-bunker/) > [I didn't even know a heart could beat so loudly...it reminds me of an Edgar Allen Poe story we had to read in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-didn-t-even-know-a-heart-could-beat-so-loudly-it-reminds-me-of-an/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Edgar Allen Poe wrote a story in 1838 about a shipwreck and how three survivors killed and ate the third man, Richard Parker; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-anderson/edgar-allen-poe-wrote-a-story-in-1838-about-a-shipwreck-and-how-three/) [Adam Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-anderson/) [Browse all 14 Edgar allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edgar-allen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets they, who come and go, At bidding of vast formless things, that shift the scenery to and fro.'\" His voice was hushed and whispery in the earphones. \"Mere puppets,\" he repeated. \"It's Edgar Allen Poe.\" \"So are we the vast formless things?\" \"Yep.\" I grinned up at him. \"Are you calling me fat and unshapely?\" His low laugh tickled my ears. \"Quite the contrary,\" he said. \"Jacob can be vast, and I shall be formless. Your form is very pleasing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lili Wilkinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets-they-who-come-and-go-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Edgar allen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets-they-who-come-and-go-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23f/lili-wilkinson-25429_edgar-allen_and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets_368730.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets they, who come and go, At bidding of vast formless things, that…” — Lili Wilkinson", "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": "Lili Wilkinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-wilkinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And hither and thither fly--Mere puppets...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets-they-who-come-and-go-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-wilkinson/and-hither-and-thither-fly-mere-puppets-they-who-come-and-go-at/#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 } } ] } ```