--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a fatal day when the public…" description: "\"It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen is mightier than the paving-stone and can be made as offensive as a brickbat.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg" --- # It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen… ![“It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen is mightier than the paving-stone and can be made as offensive as a brickbat.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg) > “It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen is mightier than the paving-stone and can be made as offensive as a brickbat.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The pen's power to influence can be as destructive as physical weapons when misused. **In simple terms:** Words can be as harmful as weapons. Key Takeaway Use words responsibly, avoid harm. Themes power communication responsibility Mood cautious reflective Type ethical critical When to use this quote - political campaigns - media commentary - advertising Key Concepts rhetoric propaganda Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure ethical communication? - When can words become harmful? A Different Perspective Words can be misinterpreted despite intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Paving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paving/) [Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword/) ## Related quotes > [It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen is mightier than the paving-stone, and can be made as offensive as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-discovered-that-the-pen-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The pen is mightier than the paving-stone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-paving-stone/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The very violence of a revolution may make the public grand and splendid for a moment. It was a fatal day when the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-very-violence-of-a-revolution-may-make-the-public-grand-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“The pen is mightier than the sword... an considerably easier to write with. - Marty Feldman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sechrist/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-an-considerably-easier-to-write/) Tom Sechrist > [Actions speak louder than words but the pen is mightier than the sword.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-speak-louder-than-words-but-the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The pen is mightier than the sword… if the sword is very small and the pen is very sharp.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-if-the-sword-is-very-small-and-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“We who hold the pen... and like bricks we use our words... how stupid of us... how naive... to even think for a second...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unauthor/we-who-hold-the-pen-and-like-bricks-we-use-our-words-how-stupid-of-us/) [unauthor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unauthor/) > [Beneath the rule of men entirely great, the pen is mightier than the sword.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beneath-the-rule-of-men-entirely-great-the-pen-is-mightier-than-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The pen is mightier than the sword… unless you are percy jackson and they are the same thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-unless-you-are-percy-jackson-and/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [They say the pen is mightier than the sword and I would like to have the ability to write things down and make them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olafur-darri-olafsson/they-say-the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-and-i-would-like-to-have/) [Olafur Darri Olafsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olafur-darri-olafsson/) > [“The pen is mightier than the sword unless it's a real sword in which case the guy with the pen should run away fast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-eschbacher/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-unless-it-s-a-real-sword-in-which/) Roger Eschbacher > [“The pen might be mightier than the sword, but the keyboard never runs out of ink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-landry/the-pen-might-be-mightier-than-the-sword-but-the-keyboard-never-runs/) [Jason Landry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-landry/) > [The pen is mightier than the sword, and is considerably easier to write with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-feldman/the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-and-is-considerably-easier-to/) [Marty Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-feldman/) > [Whoever Said Pen Is Mightier Than Sword Has Never Encountered Automatic Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whoever-said-pen-is-mightier-than-sword-has-never-encountered/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The man who said the pen was mightier than the sword ought to have tried reading "The Mill on the Floss" to Motor Mechanics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-sharpe/the-man-who-said-the-pen-was-mightier-than-the-sword-ought-to-have/) [Tom Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-sharpe/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. 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"Both, actually.  Pepperoni for you now, and a fatal aneurism to the woman in room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/so-what-are-you-delivering-today-pizza-or-death-both-actually/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Reverence is fatal to literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/reverence-is-fatal-to-literature/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Success is never final; failure is never fatal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conrad-hilton/success-is-never-final-failure-is-never-fatal/) [Conrad Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conrad-hilton/) > [I think if we can prevent a fatal disease, we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-pisani/i-think-if-we-can-prevent-a-fatal-disease-we-should/) [Elizabeth Pisani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-pisani/) > [It is fatal to one's artistic life to talk about something this is in process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/it-is-fatal-to-one-s-artistic-life-to-talk-about-something-this-is-in/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [“The habit of thinking in terms of comparison is a fatal one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-habit-of-thinking-in-terms-of-comparison-is-a-fatal-one/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Most people do not realize that they are one car crash away from death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/most-people-do-not-realize-that-they-are-one-car-crash-away-from-death/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [The most fatal thing a man can do is try to stand alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/the-most-fatal-thing-a-man-can-do-is-try-to-stand-alone/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [To hunt for symbols in a fairy tale is absolutely fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-hunt-for-symbols-in-a-fairy-tale-is-absolutely-fatal/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Travel is fatal to bigotry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/travel-is-fatal-to-bigotry/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Ignorance, as they say, is usually fatal, but sometimes it can be bliss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/ignorance-as-they-say-is-usually-fatal-but-sometimes-it-can-be-bliss/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [The fatal futility of Fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/the-fatal-futility-of-fact/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [“He came to destroy sin because it is fatal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/he-came-to-destroy-sin-because-it-is-fatal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Fatal is fatal, but it doesn't have to be all downhill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lansens/fatal-is-fatal-but-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-all-downhill/) [Lori Lansens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lansens/) > [“Pursuing a dream without God’s approval is as dangerous as walking on a rope bridge over a big gutter? Guess the end….!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/pursuing-a-dream-without-god-s-approval-is-as-dangerous-as-walking-on/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) Browse all 186 Fatal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen is mightier than the paving-stone and can be made as offensive as a brickbat.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-discovered-that-the-pen-is-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fatal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-discovered-that-the-pen-is-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c63/oscar-wilde-16_made_it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-disco_2159154.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was a fatal day when the public discovered that the pen is mightier than the paving-stone and can be made…” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It was a fatal day when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-discovered-that-the-pen-is-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-was-a-fatal-day-when-the-public-discovered-that-the-pen-is-2/#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 } } ] } ```