--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One knew, of course, that it was not the…" description: "\"One knew, of course, that it was not the red cape any more than it was the boots, the tights, the trunks, or the trademark \"S\" that gave Superman the a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/michael-chabon-627_ability_one-knew-of-course-that-it-was-not-the-r_2464646.jpg" --- # One knew, of course, that it was not the red cape any more… ![“One knew, of course, that it was not the red cape any more than it was the boots, the tights, the trunks, or the trademark "S" that gave Superman the ability to fly. That ability derived from the effects of the rays of our yellow sun on Superman's alien anatomy, which had evolved under the red sun…” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/michael-chabon-627_ability_one-knew-of-course-that-it-was-not-the-r_2464646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/michael-chabon-627_ability_one-knew-of-course-that-it-was-not-the-r_2464646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/122/michael-chabon-627_ability_one-knew-of-course-that-it-was-not-the-r_2464646.jpg) > “One knew, of course, that it was not the red cape any more than it was the boots, the tights, the trunks, or the trademark "S" that gave Superman the ability to fly. That ability derived from the effects of the rays of our yellow sun on Superman's alien anatomy, which had evolved under the red sun of Krypton. And yet you had only to tie a towel around your shoulders to feel the strange vibratory pulse of flight stirring in the red sun of your heart.” [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Superman's powers come from his alien biology reacting to Earth's yellow sun, not his costume or symbols. **In simple terms:** Power is internal, not external symbols. Key Takeaway Recognize inner sources of strength. Themes identity power biology heroism Mood inspired reflective Type literary analytical When to use this quote - personal empowerment - creative storytelling - character analysis Key Concepts Kryptonian physiology solar radiation symbolic attire Questions to Reflect On - How do you cultivate inner power beyond external symbols? - What internal traits fuel your achievements? A Different Perspective Costume may inspire but cannot grant actual abilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Anatomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anatomy/) [Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Stirring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stirring/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Superman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superman/) [Ties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ties/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) [Yellow sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow-sun/) ## Related quotes > [Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton and sent here by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/contrary-to-the-rumors-you-have-heard-i-was-not-born-in-a-manger-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The way I'm doing it is I'm trying to think to myself, "Okay, I have the name Superman, and he's going to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/the-way-i-m-doing-it-is-i-m-trying-to-think-to-myself-okay-i-have-the/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [Who is Barack Obama? Contrary to the rumors you have heard, I was not born in a manger. I was actually born on Krypton…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/who-is-barack-obama-contrary-to-the-rumors-you-have-heard-i-was-not/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Many of you know that I got my name, Barack, from my father. What you may not know is Barack is actually Swahili for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/many-of-you-know-that-i-got-my-name-barack-from-my-father-what-you/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Son of Krypton!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstin-van-dyke/son-of-krypton/) Kirstin van Dyke > [Your mom is so fat, superman found something more effective than planet Krypton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mom-is-so-fat-superman-found-something-more-effective-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sky was yellow and the sun was blue...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/the-sky-was-yellow-and-the-sun-was-blue/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Oh, I have walked in Kansas Through many a harvest field, And piled the sheaves of glory there And down the wild rows reeled:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vachel-lindsay/oh-i-have-walked-in-kansas-through-many-a-harvest-field-and-piled-the/) [Vachel Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vachel-lindsay/) > [“The sky is blue today, Max, and there is a big long cloud, and it's stretched out, like a rope. At the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-sky-is-blue-today-max-and-there-is-a-big-long-cloud-and-it-s/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I was attracted to 'Half of a Yellow Sun' because of the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-was-attracted-to-half-of-a-yellow-sun-because-of-the-story/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Your life belongs to you and you alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/your-life-belongs-to-you-and-you-alone/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/far-out-in-the-uncharted-backwaters-of-the-unfashionable-end-of-the-3/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Because of her, he had learned to look for the birds - the darting flight of wild canaries (yellow sun on yellow wings), the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-kay/because-of-her-he-had-learned-to-look-for-the-birds-the-darting/) Terry Kay > [The big yellow one is the sun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-regan/the-big-yellow-one-is-the-sun/) [Brian Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-regan/) > [No monster vibration, no snake universe hallucinations. Many tiny jeweled violet flowers along the path of a living brook that looked like Blake's illustration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/no-monster-vibration-no-snake-universe-hallucinations-many-tiny/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) ## More by Michael Chabon > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. It did not seem to revolt him, but it was nothing he needed ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/badass-my-grandfather-sampled-the-flavor-of-the-word-it-did-not-seem/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-from-the-yiddish-policemen-s/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Life blew in gusts from the hole in the side of the elephant with a rank smell and a comic flatulence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/life-blew-in-gusts-from-the-hole-in-the-side-of-the-elephant-with-a/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Not only would I never want to belong to any club that would have me for a member--if elected I would wear street shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/not-only-would-i-never-want-to-belong-to-any-club-that-would-have-me/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/that-s-the-best-thing-about-writing-when-you-re-in-that-zone-you-re/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Most science fiction seemed to be written for people who already liked science fiction; I wanted to write stories for anyone, anywhere, living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/most-science-fiction-seemed-to-be-written-for-people-who-already/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ “For as long as I could remember, I'd been making vague and confident assurances that any day I would finish the thing \[my book\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-d-been-making-vague-and-confident/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) [Explore all 436 Michael Chabon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One knew, of course, that it was not the red cape any more than it was the boots, the tights, the trunks, or the trademark \"S\" that gave Superman the ability to fly. 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