--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard…" description: "\"Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard to make that a happy story.\" — Michael Grant" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png" --- # Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard to make that a… ![“Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard to make that a happy story.” quote by Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png) > “Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard to make that a happy story.” [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence involving youths creates a stark contrast between innocence and horror, making storytelling difficult. **In simple terms:** Kids with guns clash with happy narratives. Key Takeaway Handle such themes carefully. Themes violence youth storytelling Mood somber thoughtful Type ethical analytical When to use this quote - writing fiction - media criticism - education policy Key Concepts moral conflict societal impact narrative challenge Questions to Reflect On - Should such topics be avoided? - How to balance realism and hope? A Different Perspective Depicting violence can glorify or traumatize audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Machine gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machine-gun/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [“Sam had a DVD in his hand. He said, "Yesterday I sent Edilio to the power plant to get two things. First, a cache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/sam-had-a-dvd-in-his-hand-he-said-yesterday-i-sent-edilio-to-the/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [ Nothing surprised me more, and meant more to me, than seeing an entire class of ninth graders mob Congressman \[John\] Lewis at a book… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/nothing-surprised-me-more-and-meant-more-to-me-than-seeing-an-entire/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) > [Ah, these diplomats! What chatterboxes! There's only one way to shut them up - cut them down with machine guns. Bulganin, go and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/ah-these-diplomats-what-chatterboxes-there-s-only-one-way-to-shut/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [How many times did someone have to run in front of a machine gun before it became an act of cowardice?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-herr/how-many-times-did-someone-have-to-run-in-front-of-a-machine-gun/) [Michael Herr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-herr/) > [WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR TYPEWRITER YOU LEAVE YOUR MACHINE GUN AND THE RATS COME POURING THROUGH.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/when-you-leave-your-typewriter-you-leave-your-machine-gun-and-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [There was, like, a week straight of shooting, where, like, all I did was shoot a machine gun. And I hate to - every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/there-was-like-a-week-straight-of-shooting-where-like-all-i-did-was/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [When the term 'machine gun' enters common parlance, the word 'machine' becomes much more sinister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/when-the-term-machine-gun-enters-common-parlance-the-word-machine/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [I don't believe that in the name of the holiness of the city you have to put barbed wires, machine gun nests, mine pins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-rabin/i-don-t-believe-that-in-the-name-of-the-holiness-of-the-city-you-have/) [Yitzhak Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-rabin/) > [There is ...a huge tacit conspiracy between the U.S. government, its agencies and its multinational corporations, on the one hand, and local business and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-s-herman/there-is-a-huge-tacit-conspiracy-between-the-u-s-government-its/) [Edward S. Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-s-herman/) > [I got drafted into the army and by pure chance was pushed into a silk-screen shop at this camp where I was, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-mackenzie/i-got-drafted-into-the-army-and-by-pure-chance-was-pushed-into-a-silk/) [Warren MacKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-mackenzie/) > [I noticed the bushes all around where I stood in my fight with the machine guns were all cut down. The bullets went over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-c-york/i-noticed-the-bushes-all-around-where-i-stood-in-my-fight-with-the/) [Alvin C. York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-c-york/) > [If, for instance, you put in a Malay officer who's very religious and who has family ties in Malaysia in charge of a machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/if-for-instance-you-put-in-a-malay-officer-who-s-very-religious-and/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [Visually I've always liked the 20s 30s for film. I do these because I like the music. I like the clothes. I like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/visually-i-ve-always-liked-the-20s-30s-for-film-i-do-these-because-i/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [My mind's a machine gun, my body's the bullets and the audience is the target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gg-allin/my-mind-s-a-machine-gun-my-body-s-the-bullets-and-the-audience-is-the/) [GG Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gg-allin/) > [No matter how many people you kill, using a machine gun in battle is not a war crime because it does not cause unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-junger/no-matter-how-many-people-you-kill-using-a-machine-gun-in-battle-is/) [Sebastian Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-junger/) ## More by Michael Grant > [The pain was her whole world now. Pain and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/the-pain-was-her-whole-world-now-pain-and-fear/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [So, Diana thought, that was the bait she had to lay out for Jack. Of course. What else? He might lust for Diana, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/so-diana-thought-that-was-the-bait-she-had-to-lay-out-for-jack-of/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [He wanted to go running home to Mommy, what can I say? Of course, it's hard for me to believe that anyone would choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/he-wanted-to-go-running-home-to-mommy-what-can-i-say-of-course-it-s/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [Here's the thing: I am not beautiful. I'm pretty. I'll allow that much. Pretty. But I'm not the girl boys long for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/here-s-the-thing-i-am-not-beautiful-i-m-pretty-i-ll-allow-that-much/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [It's Sanjit. It's a Hindu name. It means 'invincible.'" "That's great," Lana said. "Invincible. I can't be vinced." "That's not even a word," Lana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/it-s-sanjit-it-s-a-hindu-name-it-means-invincible-that-s-great-lana/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [Paranoia," Sam muttered. "You're going slowly nuts, dude. Or maybe not so slowly, since you're talking to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/paranoia-sam-muttered-you-re-going-slowly-nuts-dude-or-maybe-not-so/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“I don’t care what your excuse is, I don’t care what you think God told you to do, if you are in the business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/i-don-t-care-what-your-excuse-is-i-don-t-care-what-you-think-god-told/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“I know something must be very wrong, or just possibly very right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/i-know-something-must-be-very-wrong-or-just-possibly-very-right/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“The computer's password protected. I try the basics: 1,2,3,4. QWERTY. YTREWQ, which is qwerty backward. PASSWORD. A few others. Whoever uses this computer isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/the-computer-s-password-protected-i-try-the-basics-1-2-3-4-qwerty/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [Say it. But..." "But what?" he asked. She whispered it, sounding too vulnerable. "But only if its the truth, Caine. Only. If." "I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/say-it-but-but-what-he-asked-she-whispered-it-sounding-too-vulnerable/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“ Rio : – What the hell is the point of worrying about it? I don’t see Geer or Pang or Stick moping. Jen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/rio-what-the-hell-is-the-point-of-worrying-about-it-i-don-t-see-geer/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“It's not like I've spent my life beating he boys back with a flaming torch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/it-s-not-like-i-ve-spent-my-life-beating-he-boys-back-with-a-flaming/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“Cabeza de turco.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/cabeza-de-turco/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [You don't look so much like a great hero,' Jarrah said. 'I'm pretty sure I'm not,' Mack said wearily. 'My throat is hoarse from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/you-don-t-look-so-much-like-a-great-hero-jarrah-said-i-m-pretty-sure/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“Lana said, “Sam, can you, you know, like burn that concrete off her hands?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/lana-said-sam-can-you-you-know-like-burn-that-concrete-off-her-hands/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) [Explore all 240 Michael Grant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) ## More Computers quotes > [I don't understand why we're all connected wirelessly via a little machine that goes in our pocket, to everybody in the world, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-don-t-understand-why-we-re-all-connected-wirelessly-via-a-little/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [“Probably it goes without saying, but time machine guys don't get a lot of action. Had a one night stand with something cute a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-yu/probably-it-goes-without-saying-but-time-machine-guys-don-t-get-a-lot/) [Charles Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-yu/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Issac:"I dislike living in a world without Augustus Waters." Computer: "I don't understand-" Issac: "Me neither. Pause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/issac-i-dislike-living-in-a-world-without-augustus-waters-computer-i/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Note found in the patron suggestion box: "You have SIGNS up near the computers that say BE QUIET, but people don't be quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-sheridan/note-found-in-the-patron-suggestion-box-you-have-signs-up-near-the/) [Gina Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-sheridan/) > [“You weren't born to be a cog in the giant industrial machine. You were trained to become a cog. There's an alternative available to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-weren-t-born-to-be-a-cog-in-the-giant-industrial-machine-you-were/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [The corporate state is an immensely powerful machine, ordered, legalistic, rational, yet utterly out of human control, wholly and perfectly indifferent to any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/the-corporate-state-is-an-immensely-powerful-machine-ordered/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) Jen-Hsun Huang > [The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying machines speeding across the Atlantic carrying innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern steam ships.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-pickering/the-popular-mind-often-pictures-gigantic-flying-machines-speeding/) William Henry Pickering > [“Alan Turing proposed the Turing Test: a computer is intelligent if you can't tell it from a human when you talk with it. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cjs-hayward/alan-turing-proposed-the-turing-test-a-computer-is-intelligent-if-you/) [CJS Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cjs-hayward/) > [Computers can be taught that certain tune or certain chords changes will sound pleasant together, but I don't think it's going to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/computers-can-be-taught-that-certain-tune-or-certain-chords-changes/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [“According to this model, human beings are, at least in one aspect, sensation-receiving machines; and although our receptory apparatus is competent to select and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cruce-stark/according-to-this-model-human-beings-are-at-least-in-one-aspect/) Cruce Stark > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) [Browse all 9,389 Computers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard to make that a happy story.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Grant" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard-to-make-that-a-happy-story/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Computers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard-to-make-that-a-happy-story/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/michael-grant-1391_computers_ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard_529855.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ninth graders with machine guns: its hard to make that a happy story.” — Michael Grant", "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": "Michael Grant", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ninth graders with machine guns: its...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard-to-make-that-a-happy-story/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/ninth-graders-with-machine-guns-its-hard-to-make-that-a-happy-story/#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 } } ] } ```