--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was too much for him, the knowledge…" description: "\"“It was too much for him, the knowledge that all of this had happened before. That he was the scion of a people abused; that those people’s forebears w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/n-k-jemisin-1466_abused_it-was-too-much-for-him-the-knowledge-th_1396773.png" --- # It was too much for him, the knowledge that all of this… ![“It was too much for him, the knowledge that all of this had happened before. That he was the scion of a people abused; that those people’s forebears were, too, in their turn; that the world as he knew it could not function without forcing someone into servitude.” quote by N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/n-k-jemisin-1466_abused_it-was-too-much-for-him-the-knowledge-th_1396773.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/n-k-jemisin-1466_abused_it-was-too-much-for-him-the-knowledge-th_1396773.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae2/n-k-jemisin-1466_abused_it-was-too-much-for-him-the-knowledge-th_1396773.png) > ““It was too much for him, the knowledge that all of this had happened before. That he was the scion of a people abused; that those people’s forebears were, too, in their turn; that the world as he knew it could not function without forcing someone into servitude.”” [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The weight of history and inherited trauma can feel overwhelming, shaping identity and societal structures. **In simple terms:** History and trauma shape us, often oppressively. Key Takeaway Recognize and break cycles of inherited oppression. Themes history trauma identity power Mood reflective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - family dynamics - community healing - cultural narratives Key Concepts generational trauma colonialism social hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How does knowing history empower change? - What steps can break oppressive cycles? A Different Perspective Ignoring personal agency can lead to fatalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) ## Related quotes > [I hate being used and abused by people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakey/i-hate-being-used-and-abused-by-people/) [Jakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakey/) > [There's a lot of talk about people being abused on Twitter, women being savagely insulted and degraded. I think, 'Why get into that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-berkoff/there-s-a-lot-of-talk-about-people-being-abused-on-twitter-women/) [Steven Berkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-berkoff/) > [There's war - there's always been war, as long as most of us have been alive. There have always been people being abused, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-matthews/there-s-war-there-s-always-been-war-as-long-as-most-of-us-have-been/) [Dave Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-matthews/) > [So many people have been abused. It's not rare; it's a very common human experience, and we survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/so-many-people-have-been-abused-it-s-not-rare-it-s-a-very-common/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [Not to have knowledge of what happened before you were born is to be condemned to live as a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/not-to-have-knowledge-of-what-happened-before-you-were-born-is-to-be/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [A lot of people who are actors and artists who work in Hollywood come from a background of abuse, and you can make abused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/a-lot-of-people-who-are-actors-and-artists-who-work-in-hollywood-come/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [“You are not mad. You are recovering from trauma. Mad people abused you,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-little/you-are-not-mad-you-are-recovering-from-trauma-mad-people-abused-you/) Alice Little > [If people are being abused or even killed during an arrest, this is highly disturbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/if-people-are-being-abused-or-even-killed-during-an-arrest-this-is/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [“It was easier to scribble over memories a person didn't want to remember, so they searched for these people - the abused and neglected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-delauder/it-was-easier-to-scribble-over-memories-a-person-didn-t-want-to/) [Sean DeLauder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-delauder/) > [When I was coming up, it was a dangerous world, and you knew exactly who they were. It was us versus them, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/when-i-was-coming-up-it-was-a-dangerous-world-and-you-knew-exactly/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Everybody in the world knew who I was before I knew who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/everybody-in-the-world-knew-who-i-was-before-i-knew-who-i-was/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [“The more I came to know of the world, the more I knew I knew it not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/the-more-i-came-to-know-of-the-world-the-more-i-knew-i-knew-it-not/) [Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/) > [Everybody in the world knew I was before I knew who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/everybody-in-the-world-knew-i-was-before-i-knew-who-i-was/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [It would be a better world if everyone in it knew all the truth about everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/it-would-be-a-better-world-if-everyone-in-it-knew-all-the-truth-about/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [For much of my life, the Navy was the only world I knew. It is still the world I know best and love most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/for-much-of-my-life-the-navy-was-the-only-world-i-knew-it-is-still/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) ## More by N.K. Jemisin > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [You are Insignificant. One of millions, neither special nor unique. I did not ask for this ignominy, and I resent the comparison. Fine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-are-insignificant-one-of-millions-neither-special-nor-unique-i/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“She feels closer than ever to her father in this moment of utter broken rage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/she-feels-closer-than-ever-to-her-father-in-this-moment-of-utter/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When a comm builds atop a fault line, do you blame its walls when they inevitably crush the people inside? No; you blame whoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/when-a-comm-builds-atop-a-fault-line-do-you-blame-its-walls-when-they/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“I don’t know how I feel about a canon anymore ... The sheer volume of books that exist out there means that a canon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/i-don-t-know-how-i-feel-about-a-canon-anymore-the-sheer-volume-of/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ “\[...\] the kind of healer who knows that sometimes one must inflict terrible agony - rebreak a bone, carve off a limb, kill the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-kind-of-healer-who-knows-that-sometimes-one-must-inflict-terrible/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [So here is why I write what I do: We all have futures. We all have pasts. We all have stories. And we all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/so-here-is-why-i-write-what-i-do-we-all-have-futures-we-all-have/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“How can we prepare for the future if we won’t acknowledge the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/how-can-we-prepare-for-the-future-if-we-won-t-acknowledge-the-past/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“You waver, because you don’t really want to know … but you haven’t been a coward for some years now. So you steel yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-waver-because-you-don-t-really-want-to-know-but-you-haven-t-been/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“What can orogeny do against something like that? Keep her breathing, maybe. But breathing doesn't always mean living, and maybe... maybe genocide doesn't always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/what-can-orogeny-do-against-something-like-that-keep-her-breathing/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“What the rust do you matter? Who cares about you? Well, that’s the thing, isn’t it? Once, you did have people who cared about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/what-the-rust-do-you-matter-who-cares-about-you-well-that-s-the-thing/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“Let me say only that these vehicles float a few inches off the ground. No animals draw them. No steam or chemical fuels them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/let-me-say-only-that-these-vehicles-float-a-few-inches-off-the-ground/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [We can never be gods, after all--but we can become something less than human with frightening ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/we-can-never-be-gods-after-all-but-we-can-become-something-less-than/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“(This is not a digression.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/this-is-not-a-digression/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“He's not a parasite if she needs him, too, and if she gives what he will not take. (One day soon, she will learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/he-s-not-a-parasite-if-she-needs-him-too-and-if-she-gives-what-he/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) [Explore all 225 N.K. Jemisin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) ## More Abused quotes > [One of the most abused country on earth is Mexico. The marketing spills over the border, and people are persuaded to eat food that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-patel/one-of-the-most-abused-country-on-earth-is-mexico-the-marketing/) [Raj Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-patel/) > [“Too many cases thrown out of court, too much pop-psycho crap, satanic bullshit... if you FEEL you've been abused, you HAVE been!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kellerman/too-many-cases-thrown-out-of-court-too-much-pop-psycho-crap-satanic/) [Jonathan Kellerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kellerman/) > [“Rather than being incensed by the nature of the bruise, maybe we should be inspired by the possibilities in the bruise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/rather-than-being-incensed-by-the-nature-of-the-bruise-maybe-we/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“I used to teach at an abused children's home. I told the kids, "You all have a manure pile of memories. Nothing you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-o-donnell/i-used-to-teach-at-an-abused-children-s-home-i-told-the-kids-you-all/) [Rebecca O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-o-donnell/) > [Early on in my life, I had a broken soul. I was abused by my father, abandoned by my mother and ended up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/early-on-in-my-life-i-had-a-broken-soul-i-was-abused-by-my-father/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“I'm 80% done with The Darker Side of Trey : "It was a pitiful truth. That people seemed unwilling to see the abused, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-spears/i-m-80-done-with-the-darker-side-of-trey-it-was-a-pitiful-truth-that/) Tara Spears > [Praise makes me humble, but when I am abused, I know that I have touched the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyles-brandreth/praise-makes-me-humble-but-when-i-am-abused-i-know-that-i-have/) [Gyles Brandreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyles-brandreth/) > [I’ve abused myself a lot over the years. But my voice is still intact – really, it’s better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/i-ve-abused-myself-a-lot-over-the-years-but-my-voice-is-still-intact/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [I've been chased. I've been pushed. I've been screamed at. I've been verbally abused. I've been afraid for my safety. But I did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-mandel/i-ve-been-chased-i-ve-been-pushed-i-ve-been-screamed-at-i-ve-been/) [Howie Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-mandel/) > [“The book is open, spine cracked, abused in a way no one with respect for paper should ever do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-swyler/the-book-is-open-spine-cracked-abused-in-a-way-no-one-with-respect/) [Erika Swyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-swyler/) > [I ask my friend -what is your story?- because I want to give the answer of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ask-my-friend-what-is-your-story-because-i-want-to-give-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people have never been loved, they've only been disrespected, used, cheated on, abused and hurt that's why they don't trust anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/some-people-have-never-been-loved-they-ve-only-been-disrespected-used/) [SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The term 'doctor' has been so abused lately! I didn't live in a hospital for 10 years so that term could be bastardized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-pinsky/the-term-doctor-has-been-so-abused-lately-i-didn-t-live-in-a-hospital/) [Drew Pinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-pinsky/) > [“Abuse ambushed my life, I could not love myself truly and could never have a healthy relationship, they were either abused or completely impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/abuse-ambushed-my-life-i-could-not-love-myself-truly-and-could-never/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst...They are for nothing but to inspire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/books-are-the-best-of-things-well-used-abused-among-the-worst-they/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) Browse all 293 Abused quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was too much for him, the knowledge that all of this had happened before. 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