--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you’ve ever studied mortal age…" description: "\"“If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll remember this one. A coyote was always plotting the demise of a smirking long-necked bird. The coyo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png" --- # If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll… ![“If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll remember this one. A coyote was always plotting the demise of a smirking long-necked bird. The coyote never succeeded; instead, his plans always backfired. He would blow up, or get shot, or splat from a ridiculous height. And it was funny. Because…” quote by Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png) > ““If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll remember this one. A coyote was always plotting the demise of a smirking long-necked bird. The coyote never succeeded; instead, his plans always backfired. He would blow up, or get shot, or splat from a ridiculous height. And it was funny. Because no matter how deadly his failure, he was always back in the next scene, as if there were a revival center just beyond the edge of the animation cell. I’ve seen human foibles that have resulted in temporary maiming or momentary loss of life. People stumble into manholes, are hit by falling objects, trip into the paths of speeding vehicles. And when it happens, people laugh, because no matter how gruesome the event, that person, just like the coyote, will be back in a day or two, as good as new, and no worse—or wiser—for the wear. Immortality has turned us all into cartoons.”” [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human resilience is likened to cartoon characters who survive catastrophes, suggesting we recover quickly without lasting lessons. **In simple terms:** We bounce back from setbacks like cartoons. Key Takeaway Recognize true learning after failure. Themes resilience humor mortality Mood ironic lighthearted Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - injury recovery - daily mishaps - risk taking Key Concepts cartoon metaphor psychological coping Questions to Reflect On - Do you learn from your near‑misses? - What makes you laugh at serious events? A Different Perspective Recovery may be superficial without reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coyote/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Immortality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality/) [Loss Of Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [With 'Worst. Person. Ever.' I knew where it started and where it had to end, but I threw Raymond as many curveballs as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/with-worst-person-ever-i-knew-where-it-started-and-where-it-had-to/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [“A grown woman is like a coyote -she can get by on very little.Men are more like house cats. Leave them alone for too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottessa-moshfegh/a-grown-woman-is-like-a-coyote-she-can-get-by-on-very-little-men-are/) [Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottessa-moshfegh/) > [“At some point, Len was going to make a real pass at her, forcing her to make a real decision, and the game was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/at-some-point-len-was-going-to-make-a-real-pass-at-her-forcing-her-to/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [“She kept her ears permanently tuned to the chicken voices outside, so knew immediately when a coyote had crept into the yard, and barreled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/she-kept-her-ears-permanently-tuned-to-the-chicken-voices-outside-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Never dare a Coyote. Ever. It was a law, even the council knew to never dare them. They always accepted a dare. They always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lora-leigh/never-dare-a-coyote-ever-it-was-a-law-even-the-council-knew-to-never/) [Lora Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lora-leigh/) > [I was really interested in meeting Peter Coyote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-gretsch/i-was-really-interested-in-meeting-peter-coyote/) [Joel Gretsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-gretsch/) > [I could hear him laughing. Son of a bit\*h. I would kill him. I didn't care if he was coyote or the son of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-could-hear-him-laughing-son-of-a-bit-h-i-would-kill-him-i-didn-t/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [I have the look every woman dreams of: Wile E. Coyote right after something's blown up in his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/i-have-the-look-every-woman-dreams-of-wile-e-coyote-right-after/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) > [Usually, the kills are almost Wile E. Coyote kind of things in horror movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/usually-the-kills-are-almost-wile-e-coyote-kind-of-things-in-horror/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [This morning I saw a coyote walking through the sagebrush right at the very edge of the ocean ― next stop China. The coyote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/this-morning-i-saw-a-coyote-walking-through-the-sagebrush-right-at/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [“Sometimes animals could not be reintroduced into the wild because they’d lost their ability to hunt, had come to rely on humans for food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-hartnett/sometimes-animals-could-not-be-reintroduced-into-the-wild-because/) [Annie Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-hartnett/) > [“Coyote: A small canid (Canis latrans) native to western North America that is closely related to the American wolf and whose cry has often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/coyote-a-small-canid-canis-latrans-native-to-western-north-america/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Canis latrans,” Wolfenson finally remarked. Fincher furrowed his brow. “Latin for... barking dog?” “Yes, the coyote. They have a gift of making the howls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/canis-latrans-wolfenson-finally-remarked-fincher-furrowed-his-brow/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [You have a coyote inside you and you have to get it out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/you-have-a-coyote-inside-you-and-you-have-to-get-it-out/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) ## More by Neal Shusterman > [“Picking locks was not a skill he had ever cultivated, but he persisted day after day, turning the tip of his talon into different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/picking-locks-was-not-a-skill-he-had-ever-cultivated-but-he-persisted/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“If you come anywhere near my daughter, I will see to it that you are taken apart piece by bloody piece. Do I make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-come-anywhere-near-my-daughter-i-will-see-to-it-that-you-are/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Dead kids are put on pedestals, but mentally ill kids get hidden under the rug.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/dead-kids-are-put-on-pedestals-but-mentally-ill-kids-get-hidden-under/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“The fear of not living is a deep, abiding dread of watching your own potential decompose into irredeemable disappointment when “should be” gets crushed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-fear-of-not-living-is-a-deep-abiding-dread-of-watching-your-own/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [That's wisdom you can take to the grave, and dig up when you need it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/that-s-wisdom-you-can-take-to-the-grave-and-dig-up-when-you-need-it/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“And you know the darkness beyond despair, just as intimately as you know the soaring heights. Because in this and all universes, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/and-you-know-the-darkness-beyond-despair-just-as-intimately-as-you/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [You may feel a tugging sensation near your ankles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/you-may-feel-a-tugging-sensation-near-your-ankles/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“while an adult could rarely be universally loved, everyone could love the right kid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/while-an-adult-could-rarely-be-universally-loved-everyone-could-love/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“It's like art, you know? Picasso had to prove to the world he can paint the right way, before he goes putting both eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/it-s-like-art-you-know-picasso-had-to-prove-to-the-world-he-can-paint/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [The way I see it, the impossible happens all the time; but we're so good at taking it for granted, we forget it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-way-i-see-it-the-impossible-happens-all-the-time-but-we-re-so/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“a true leader never puts his ego ahead of his assets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/a-true-leader-never-puts-his-ego-ahead-of-his-assets/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [If you have to ask then you don't deserve an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-have-to-ask-then-you-don-t-deserve-an-answer/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“There was never anything wrong with my life. Perhaps that was the problem... The crack in my life was the fact that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/there-was-never-anything-wrong-with-my-life-perhaps-that-was-the/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“But fate is a freak when it comes to messing with your future in ways you don't see coming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/but-fate-is-a-freak-when-it-comes-to-messing-with-your-future-in-ways/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [“The sad truth about humanity, Risa was quick to realize, is that people believe what they are told. Maybe not the first time, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/the-sad-truth-about-humanity-risa-was-quick-to-realize-is-that-people/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) [Explore all 573 Neal Shusterman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll remember this one. A coyote was always plotting the demise of a smirking long-necked bird. The coyote never succeeded; instead, his plans always backfired. He would blow up, or get shot, or splat from a ridiculous height. And it was funny. Because no matter how deadly his failure, he was always back in the next scene, as if there were a revival center just beyond the edge of the animation cell. I’ve seen human foibles that have resulted in temporary maiming or momentary loss of life. People stumble into manholes, are hit by falling objects, trip into the paths of speeding vehicles. And when it happens, people laugh, because no matter how gruesome the event, that person, just like the coyote, will be back in a day or two, as good as new, and no worse—or wiser—for the wear. Immortality has turned us all into cartoons.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neal Shusterman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoons-you-ll-remember-this-one-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoons-you-ll-remember-this-one-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19a/neal-shusterman-412_comedy_if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoo_1858628.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you’ve ever studied mortal age cartoons, you’ll remember this one. A coyote was always plotting the…” — Neal Shusterman", "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": "Neal Shusterman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If you’ve ever studied mortal age...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoons-you-ll-remember-this-one-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/if-you-ve-ever-studied-mortal-age-cartoons-you-ll-remember-this-one-a/#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 } } ] } ```