--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: cigarette, flipped it on the table, and…" description: "\"“cigarette, flipped it on the table, and began on another. “Just like this.” That was when Mama finished her soup with a clank, suppressed a cardboard ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg" --- # cigarette, flipped it on the table, and began on another… ![“cigarette, flipped it on the table, and began on another. “Just like this.” That was when Mama finished her soup with a clank, suppressed a cardboard burp, and answered for him. “That Saukerl,” she said. “You know what he did? He rolled up all of his filthy cigarettes, went to the market when it…” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg) > ““cigarette, flipped it on the table, and began on another. “Just like this.” That was when Mama finished her soup with a clank, suppressed a cardboard burp, and answered for him. “That Saukerl,” she said. “You know what he did? He rolled up all of his filthy cigarettes, went to the market when it was in town, and traded them with some gypsy.” “Eight cigarettes per book.” Papa shoved one to his mouth, in triumph. He lit up and took in the smoke. “Praise the Lord for cigarettes, huh, Mama?” Mama only handed him one of her trademark looks of disgust, followed by the most common ration of her vocabulary. “Saukerl.” Liesel swapped a customary wink with her papa and finished eating her soup. As always, one of her books was next to her. She could not deny that the answer to her”” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A scene shows a mother’s sarcasm and a child’s defiant habit, highlighting coping through humor and rebellion. **In simple terms:** Children use humor and rebellion to cope with harsh realities. Key Takeaway Find humor in adversity. Themes family survival rebellion Mood darkly humorous ironic Type literary social commentary When to use this quote - war‑time home - family meals - youth rebellion - cultural exchange Key Concepts sarcasm coping defiance Questions to Reflect On - What does the cigarette trade symbolize? - How does sarcasm protect the speaker? A Different Perspective Humor can mask deeper pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cigarettes Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarettes-book-4200220/) [Cigarettes Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarettes-went-2455933/) [Filthy Cigarettes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filthy-cigarettes-4200221/) [Mama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mama/) [Mama Handed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mama-handed-4200222/) [Praise the lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise-the-lord/) ## Related quotes > [“None of that has anything to do with now by the way. Despite how promising I seem to have made the encounter with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-louise-bennett/none-of-that-has-anything-to-do-with-now-by-the-way-despite-how/) [Claire-Louise Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-louise-bennett/) > [“God damn, you were so beautiful, Mama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/god-damn-you-were-so-beautiful-mama/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Rudy handed it back. "Speaking of which, I think we're both slightly in for it when we get home. You especially." "Why me?" "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/rudy-handed-it-back-speaking-of-which-i-think-we-re-both-slightly-in/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I would praise the Lord above for a ticket to that ride.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-stark/i-would-praise-the-lord-above-for-a-ticket-to-that-ride/) [Lola Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-stark/) > [“No longer bound by fear, how high can we soar? How deep can we dive? How much delight can we experience? Yes, there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasi-eldredge/no-longer-bound-by-fear-how-high-can-we-soar-how-deep-can-we-dive-how/) [Stasi Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasi-eldredge/) > [I think sometimes we can use spirituality as a vehicle to go closer to the things that frighten us and sometimes we can use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/i-think-sometimes-we-can-use-spirituality-as-a-vehicle-to-go-closer/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [“We are like the moon. The moon shines anyway, but it does not produce its own light. It reflects the light illuminated onto its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/we-are-like-the-moon-the-moon-shines-anyway-but-it-does-not-produce/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spurgeon-c-h/well-was-it-so-ordered-in-the-temple-that-the-sacred-chant-never/) [SPURGEON C H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spurgeon-c-h/) > [“I praise you for healing all my diseases—diseases in my body, heart, and mind. Though I wish you would completely heal me before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-smith/i-praise-you-for-healing-all-my-diseases-diseases-in-my-body-heart/) [Scotty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-smith/) > [The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/the-lord-hath-sworn-by-his-right-hand-and-by-the-arm-of-his-strength/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“When I prepare, then I become pregnant... and then I produce. When I produce, then I praise the Lord... and then I become prosperous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/when-i-prepare-then-i-become-pregnant-and-then-i-produce-when-i/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Yo momma's so poor when she stepped on a roach she said clap your hands stomp yo feet praise the lord we got something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-glare/yo-momma-s-so-poor-when-she-stepped-on-a-roach-she-said-clap-your/) [Tony Glare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-glare/) > [My mother wanted me to go to church to meet women. That's wrong, ain't it? 'Praise the Lord! Hey, how ya doing? Nice dress.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-hutcherson/my-mother-wanted-me-to-go-to-church-to-meet-women-that-s-wrong-ain-t/) [Warren Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-hutcherson/) > [It is everything I thought it would be; being the Olympic champion, it definitely is an amazing feeling. And I give all the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/it-is-everything-i-thought-it-would-be-being-the-olympic-champion-it/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [“I soon saw, however, that Creed's obsession with death was typical of most of the children. This came out in their play. "Let's play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/i-soon-saw-however-that-creed-s-obsession-with-death-was-typical-of/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Mama quotes > [Osama, yo Mama didn't raise you right. When you were young, she must have wrapped your turban too tight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevens/osama-yo-mama-didn-t-raise-you-right-when-you-were-young-she-must/) [Ray Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevens/) > [I'm a mama's boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hoechlin/i-m-a-mama-s-boy/) [Tyler Hoechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hoechlin/) > [To the newcomer to the south, hearing that a coworker plans a weekend visit to 'mama and them's' (the correct plural possessive, don'tchaknow), might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celia-rivenbark/to-the-newcomer-to-the-south-hearing-that-a-coworker-plans-a-weekend/) [Celia Rivenbark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celia-rivenbark/) > [I've never had a very quiet voice. I tried in choir to make it smaller, and it just didn't work out. And I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-ve-never-had-a-very-quiet-voice-i-tried-in-choir-to-make-it-smaller/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [“My boy doesn’t want to come out of there baby, he missed his mama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-silver/my-boy-doesn-t-want-to-come-out-of-there-baby-he-missed-his-mama/) [Jordan Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-silver/) > [“If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/if-mama-ain-t-happy-ain-t-nobody-happy/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [I SWAG not to Impress you; but to Impress my mama that gave birth to me while on SWAG.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swag-jagar/i-swag-not-to-impress-you-but-to-impress-my-mama-that-gave-birth-to/) [Swag Jagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swag-jagar/) > [Yo Mama's so fat, she's the reason they invented double doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yo-mama-s-so-fat-she-s-the-reason-they-invented-double-doors/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Your mama is so fat and dumb she walked to the traffic light, saw a sign that said No U Turn and she said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mama-is-so-fat-and-dumb-she-walked-to-the-traffic-light-saw-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The character of 'Mama' is so ambitious in a way that everything I did was always on the verge of being almost funny. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/the-character-of-mama-is-so-ambitious-in-a-way-that-everything-i-did/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [I'm just one woman away, my mother, from being the same as Mike Tyson. I would've ended up like him if my mama had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/i-m-just-one-woman-away-my-mother-from-being-the-same-as-mike-tyson-i/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) > [What'd you say about my mama?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-dog/what-d-you-say-about-my-mama/) [O-Dog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-dog/) > [Of emotions, of love, of breakup, of love and hate and death and dying, mama, apple pie, and the whole thing. It covers a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/of-emotions-of-love-of-breakup-of-love-and-hate-and-death-and-dying/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Calling Michelle 'Obama Barack's baby mama?' Tell me, is that acceptable? But the Obamas aren't the only targets. Fox's pattern of race-baiting and fear-mongering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/calling-michelle-obama-barack-s-baby-mama-tell-me-is-that-acceptable/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [When we were at school we were taught to sing the songs of the Europeans. How many of us were taught the songs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-nyerere/when-we-were-at-school-we-were-taught-to-sing-the-songs-of-the/) [Julius Nyerere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-nyerere/) [Browse all 895 Mama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mama/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“cigarette, flipped it on the table, and began on another. “Just like this.” That was when Mama finished her soup with a clank, suppressed a cardboard burp, and answered for him. “That Saukerl,” she said. “You know what he did? He rolled up all of his filthy cigarettes, went to the market when it was in town, and traded them with some gypsy.” “Eight cigarettes per book.” Papa shoved one to his mouth, in triumph. He lit up and took in the smoke. “Praise the Lord for cigarettes, huh, Mama?” Mama only handed him one of her trademark looks of disgust, followed by the most common ration of her vocabulary. “Saukerl.” Liesel swapped a customary wink with her papa and finished eating her soup. As always, one of her books was next to her. She could not deny that the answer to her”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Markus Zusak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-began-on-another-just-like-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mama" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-began-on-another-just-like-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/markus-zusak-165_mama_cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-be_1290192.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“cigarette, flipped it on the table, and began on another. “Just like this.” That was when Mama finished her…” — Markus Zusak", "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": "Markus Zusak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“cigarette, flipped it on the table,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-began-on-another-just-like-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/cigarette-flipped-it-on-the-table-and-began-on-another-just-like-this/#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 } } ] } ```