--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A boy can be two, three, four potential…" description: "\"A boy can be two, three, four potential people, but a man is only one. He murders the others.\" — Mordecai Richler" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/mordecai-richler-13361_boys_a-boy-can-be-two-three-four-potential-pe_1890506.jpg" --- # A boy can be two, three, four potential people, but a man… ![“A boy can be two, three, four potential people, but a man is only one. He murders the others.” quote by Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/mordecai-richler-13361_boys_a-boy-can-be-two-three-four-potential-pe_1890506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/mordecai-richler-13361_boys_a-boy-can-be-two-three-four-potential-pe_1890506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/452/mordecai-richler-13361_boys_a-boy-can-be-two-three-four-potential-pe_1890506.jpg) > “A boy can be two, three, four potential people, but a man is only one. He murders the others.” [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A boy can imagine many possible selves, but adulthood forces a single identity, often by suppressing alternatives. **In simple terms:** Youth imagines many selves; adulthood narrows to one. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity, resist killing parts of yourself. Themes identity growth self‑acceptance Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal development - creative pursuits - relationship choices Key Concepts psychology existentialism role theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you choose which parts of yourself to keep? - What costs arise from denying other possibilities? A Different Perspective May limit personal freedom and cause internal conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [ We've actually seen Black man murders \[in\] many a major city in the United States - New York City, St. Louis, Missouri, from Cleveland… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/we-ve-actually-seen-black-man-murders-in-many-a-major-city-in-the/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [Keep an eye on that boy... he has potential," Dr Nero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walden/keep-an-eye-on-that-boy-he-has-potential-dr-nero/) [Mark Walden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walden/) > [A man who murders another shortens by a few brief years the life of a human being; but he who votes to increase the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/a-man-who-murders-another-shortens-by-a-few-brief-years-the-life-of-a/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [“Keep an eye on that boy... he has potential”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walden/keep-an-eye-on-that-boy-he-has-potential/) [Mark Walden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walden/) > [75%-90% of the murders that occur in black and Latino communities are solvable. Everybody knows who did it or somebody knows. The reason nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/75-90-of-the-murders-that-occur-in-black-and-latino-communities-are/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [Hatchet murders were the house speciality of the Journal, whose front page was a virtual abattoir of murder most foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-israel/hatchet-murders-were-the-house-speciality-of-the-journal-whose-front/) Lee Israel > [I specialize in murders of quiet, domestic interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/i-specialize-in-murders-of-quiet-domestic-interest/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [If you think of most murders as being between people who know each other, it's very easy to figure out who the killer is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/if-you-think-of-most-murders-as-being-between-people-who-know-each/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [Film your murders like love scenes, and film your love scenes like murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/film-your-murders-like-love-scenes-and-film-your-love-scenes-like/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) > [You don't see Los Angeles erecting a museum dedicated to the birth place of the Crips and the Bloods and the Mexican Mafia, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-goldberg/you-don-t-see-los-angeles-erecting-a-museum-dedicated-to-the-birth/) [Tod Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-goldberg/) > [“It seems to me that people have vast potential. Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-seems-to-me-that-people-have-vast-potential-most-people-can-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am a big believer that everybody has unusual, and certainly untapped, potential. The more people like that we can line up with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-roney/i-am-a-big-believer-that-everybody-has-unusual-and-certainly-untapped/) [Blake Roney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-roney/) > [We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-are-going-to-die-and-that-makes-us-the-lucky-ones-most-people-are/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Commitment is the difference between people who "have potential" and people who have results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/commitment-is-the-difference-between-people-who-have-potential-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Education reveals the potential of people and market.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/education-reveals-the-potential-of-people-and-market/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) ## More by Mordecai Richler > [If you're writing a novel, you're in a room for three or four years. There's not much coming in from the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/if-you-re-writing-a-novel-you-re-in-a-room-for-three-or-four-years/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Canada is one of the few places left where the small decencies are observed. If, as a young man, I was scornful of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/canada-is-one-of-the-few-places-left-where-the-small-decencies-are/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [I obviously prefer writing novels but I take my journalism very seriously, and I enjoy doing it between novels. It gives me an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/i-obviously-prefer-writing-novels-but-i-take-my-journalism-very/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [I work every day - or at least I force myself into office or room. I may get nothing done, but you don't earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/i-work-every-day-or-at-least-i-force-myself-into-office-or-room-i-may/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [I'm world-famous ... all over Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/i-m-world-famous-all-over-canada/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Tomorrow country then, tomorrow country now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/tomorrow-country-then-tomorrow-country-now/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [My enduring feeling about René Lévesque is that if he had chosen to hang me, even as he tightened the rope round my neck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/my-enduring-feeling-about-ren-l-vesque-is-that-if-he-had-chosen-to/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [The process hasn't changed, but the writer has developed. I still get up every morning and go to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/the-process-hasn-t-changed-but-the-writer-has-developed-i-still-get/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [The Canadian kid who wants to grow up to be Prime Minister isn't thinking big, he is setting a limit to his ambitions rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/the-canadian-kid-who-wants-to-grow-up-to-be-prime-minister-isn-t/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [When a child is born, I once explained to the kids, some dads lay down bottles of wine for them that will mature when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/when-a-child-is-born-i-once-explained-to-the-kids-some-dads-lay-down/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Some of the attitudes of Barney are certainly attitudes I share, but not all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/some-of-the-attitudes-of-barney-are-certainly-attitudes-i-share-but/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [The revolution eats its own. Capitalism re-creates itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/the-revolution-eats-its-own-capitalism-re-creates-itself/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Thousands of miles of wheat, indifference, and self- apology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/thousands-of-miles-of-wheat-indifference-and-self-apology/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Actually, when it comes to knocking the Canadian cultural scene, nobody outdoes Canadians, myself included. We are veritable masters of self-deprecation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/actually-when-it-comes-to-knocking-the-canadian-cultural-scene-nobody/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [Well, when I was a young writer the people we read were Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Sartre, Camus, Celine, Malraux. And to begin with, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/well-when-i-was-a-young-writer-the-people-we-read-were-hemingway/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) [Explore all 45 Mordecai Richler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) MrAwesome > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A boy can be two, three, four potential people, but a man is only one. 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