--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is it about the sound of clapping…" description: "\"“What is it about the sound of clapping hands? Why does it seem like an ocean of sound, breaking like waves on top of you? Why does it make a tide turn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png" --- # What is it about the sound of clapping hands? Why does it… ![“What is it about the sound of clapping hands? Why does it seem like an ocean of sound, breaking like waves on top of you? Why does it make a tide turn in you? Maybe it’s because it’s one of the most noble things humans do with their hands. I mean, humans make fists with their hands. They use them…” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png) > ““What is it about the sound of clapping hands? Why does it seem like an ocean of sound, breaking like waves on top of you? Why does it make a tide turn in you? Maybe it’s because it’s one of the most noble things humans do with their hands. I mean, humans make fists with their hands. They use them to hurt each other and steal things. When humans clap, it’s the one time they stand together and applaud other humans. I think they’re there to keep things. They hold moments together, to remember.”” [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. Clapping is described as a rare, noble act of unity that contrasts with humanity’s capacity for violence, symbolizing collective affirmation and memory. **In simple terms:** Clapping shows unity amid conflict. Key Takeaway Value moments of shared applause. Themes unity memory humanity Mood hopeful contemplative Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - public speaking - rituals - conflict resolution Key Concepts symbolism collective action contradiction Questions to Reflect On - When do you truly applaud? A Different Perspective Clapping can be performative, not sincere. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stand Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand-together/) ## Related quotes > [“What is it about the sound of clapping hands? It's only skin against slapping skin, so why can it make a tide turn in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-zusak/what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-hands-it-s-only-skin-against/) [Marcus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-zusak/) > [“Crusty and Cross here,' he says and I grin. He’s still playful Fifty. My inner goddess is clapping her hands with glee like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/crusty-and-cross-here-he-says-and-i-grin-he-s-still-playful-fifty-my/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“I look up after the last chord and smile. I tell Antony Barellan to shove it up his arse, and I see Dad clapping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-crowley/i-look-up-after-the-last-chord-and-smile-i-tell-antony-barellan-to/) [Cath Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-crowley/) > [“My inner goddess is jumping up and down, clapping her hands like a five year old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/my-inner-goddess-is-jumping-up-and-down-clapping-her-hands-like-a/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [When I came here in 1999, all one could hear was the sound of the guns as guns were booming all around. Today I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/when-i-came-here-in-1999-all-one-could-hear-was-the-sound-of-the-guns/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Clapping my hands with the echoes the summer moon begins to dawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/clapping-my-hands-with-the-echoes-the-summer-moon-begins-to-dawn/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [“Now they're really amused, and burst into laughter. Someone tries a variation while still clapping hands: 'Clipped prick… clipped prick.' Whereupon they begin alternating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacobo-timerman/now-they-re-really-amused-and-burst-into-laughter-someone-tries-a/) [Jacobo Timerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacobo-timerman/) > [“She celebrated frustration by clapping her hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/she-celebrated-frustration-by-clapping-her-hands/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“My heart applauds inside my ears, first like a roaring crowd, then slows and slows until it's a solitary person, clapping with unbridled sarcasm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/my-heart-applauds-inside-my-ears-first-like-a-roaring-crowd-then/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Intensity billows between us, and he fists his hands in my hair, his gray eyes fastened on me. “I see ye, Bree. I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-seabrook/intensity-billows-between-us-and-he-fists-his-hands-in-my-hair-his/) [C.M. Seabrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-m-seabrook/) > [If you strike the goads with your fists, your hands suffer most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/if-you-strike-the-goads-with-your-fists-your-hands-suffer-most/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [Sometimes when I see a bad performance and people still clap... I wonder if they're clapping because they liked what they saw or because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/sometimes-when-i-see-a-bad-performance-and-people-still-clap-i-wonder/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Politicians that proclaim big words without meaning rule in democracy. At best they allow themselves to discover that it's better to be rich and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janusz-korwin-mikke/politicians-that-proclaim-big-words-without-meaning-rule-in-democracy/) [Janusz Korwin-Mikke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janusz-korwin-mikke/) > [ I've always considered myself a failure: I feel I've never done anything wholly right. \[...\] Everybody will tell you, "Oh no, how can you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-drew/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-failure-i-feel-i-ve-never-done/) Ronnie Drew > [“It feels like the mornings clap their hands. To make me wake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-feels-like-the-mornings-clap-their-hands-to-make-me-wake/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## 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 Clap quotes > [For me it's the same thing if the fans boo or not, because my role is the villain. I'm happy when you clap me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-del-rio/for-me-it-s-the-same-thing-if-the-fans-boo-or-not-because-my-role-is/) [Alberto Del Rio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-del-rio/) > [“No, no,” he said. “She can’t raise it at all. She may only clap. Women must be very careful of their voices. If”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-brooks/no-no-he-said-she-can-t-raise-it-at-all-she-may-only-clap-women-must/) [Geraldine Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-brooks/) > [Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharrell-williams/clap-along-if-you-feel-like-that-s-what-you-wanna-do/) [Pharrell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharrell-williams/) > [We all can't be princesses cause someone has 2 clap when I go by...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misundertood/we-all-can-t-be-princesses-cause-someone-has-2-clap-when-i-go-by/) Misundertood > [In Japan, the way they act at shows is very different from home because they don't yell, they clap for about 10 seconds after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-ross/in-japan-the-way-they-act-at-shows-is-very-different-from-home/) [Ryan Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-ross/) > [Let his herald your end,and begone with the thundder clap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masashi-kishimoto/let-his-herald-your-end-and-begone-with-the-thundder-clap/) [Masashi Kishimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masashi-kishimoto/) > [Don't clap too hard - it's a very old building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-osborne/don-t-clap-too-hard-it-s-a-very-old-building/) [John Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-osborne/) > [Clap, clap, let em fall slow. I know you had your fears, you can let em all go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/clap-clap-let-em-fall-slow-i-know-you-had-your-fears-you-can-let-em/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [“every thunderstorm has more than one thunder clap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sable-sylvan/every-thunderstorm-has-more-than-one-thunder-clap/) Sable Sylvan > [“My heart applauds inside my ears, first like a roaring crowd, then slows and slows until it's a solitary person, clapping with unbridled sarcasm.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/my-heart-applauds-inside-my-ears-first-like-a-roaring-crowd-then/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I transitioned into theater and acting when I was about 9, community theater and musicals, being, like, chorus-kid-number-78 or whatever. But I just loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-transitioned-into-theater-and-acting-when-i-was-about-9-community/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [“I think you've been sleeping on the job; the city isn't exactly paradise," she said caustically. "Every time you clap your hands, another person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-oates/i-think-you-ve-been-sleeping-on-the-job-the-city-isn-t-exactly/) [Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-oates/) > [“In Ankh-Morpork you can be whoever you want to be and sometimes people laugh and sometimes they clap, and mostly and beautifully, they don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-ankh-morpork-you-can-be-whoever-you-want-to-be-and-sometimes/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Wasting time to get it right, And you will see what I'm about. Cause I'm working a sweat but it's all good, I'm breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/wasting-time-to-get-it-right-and-you-will-see-what-i-m-about-cause-i/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [“Just as you cannot wave your hands and reappear in your simple life before coming here, so you cannot merely clap them to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-berk/just-as-you-cannot-wave-your-hands-and-reappear-in-your-simple-life/) [Ari Berk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-berk/) Browse all 148 Clap quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What is it about the sound of clapping hands? Why does it seem like an ocean of sound, breaking like waves on top of you? Why does it make a tide turn in you? Maybe it’s because it’s one of the most noble things humans do with their hands. I mean, humans make fists with their hands. They use them to hurt each other and steal things. When humans clap, it’s the one time they stand together and applaud other humans. I think they’re there to keep things. They hold moments together, to remember.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Markus Zusak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-hands-why-does-it-seem-like-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clap" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-hands-why-does-it-seem-like-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/726/markus-zusak-165_clap_what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-h_356194.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What is it about the sound of clapping hands? Why does it seem like an ocean of sound, breaking like waves…” — 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": "“What is it about the sound...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-hands-why-does-it-seem-like-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/what-is-it-about-the-sound-of-clapping-hands-why-does-it-seem-like-an/#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 } } ] } ```