--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have an apple that thinks its a pear…" description: "\"I have an apple that thinks its a pear. And a bun that thinks it’s a cat. And a lettuce that thinks its a lettuce.\" \"It’s a clever lettuce, then.\" \"Har..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/patrick-rothfuss-145_apples_i-have-an-apple-that-thinks-its-a-pear-a_2805065.jpg" --- # I have an apple that thinks its a pear. And a bun that… ![“I have an apple that thinks its a pear. And a bun that thinks it’s a cat. And a lettuce that thinks its a lettuce." "It’s a clever lettuce, then." "Hardly," she said with a delicate snort. "Why would anything clever think it’s a lettuce?" "Even if it is a lettuce?" I asked. "Especially then," she…” quote by Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/patrick-rothfuss-145_apples_i-have-an-apple-that-thinks-its-a-pear-a_2805065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/patrick-rothfuss-145_apples_i-have-an-apple-that-thinks-its-a-pear-a_2805065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be3/patrick-rothfuss-145_apples_i-have-an-apple-that-thinks-its-a-pear-a_2805065.jpg) > “I have an apple that thinks its a pear. And a bun that thinks it’s a cat. And a lettuce that thinks its a lettuce." "It’s a clever lettuce, then." "Hardly," she said with a delicate snort. "Why would anything clever think it’s a lettuce?" "Even if it is a lettuce?" I asked. "Especially then," she said. "Bad enough to be a lettuce. How awful to think you are a lettuce too.” [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage humorously explores identity and perception through absurd anthropomorphic objects, highlighting how self‑conception can be distorted. **In simple terms:** Objects imagine themselves as something they aren't. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about identity. Themes identity perception absurdity humor self‑awareness Mood playful thoughtful quirky Type literary dialogue philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - character development - philosophical dialogue Key Concepts existentialism cognitive bias anthropomorphism Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to “be” something? - How do we recognize true identity? A Different Perspective The humor may mask deeper existential angst about self‑definition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apples/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Auri hopped down from the chimney and skipped over to where I stood, her hair streaming behind her. "Hello Kvothe." She took a half-step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/auri-hopped-down-from-the-chimney-and-skipped-over-to-where-i-stood/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [In the '80s, I thought I'd be a success as a woman if I were the president of a billion dollar company, had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/in-the-80s-i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-as-a-woman-if-i-were-the/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) > [Number one, like yourself. Number two, you have to eat healthy. And number three, you've got to squeeze your buns. That's my formula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-simmons/number-one-like-yourself-number-two-you-have-to-eat-healthy-and/) [Richard Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-simmons/) > [Enemy giants moved towards the breech, and Tyson picked up the fallen warrior’s club. He yelled something to his fellow blacksmiths – probably ‘FOR…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/enemy-giants-moved-towards-the-breech-and-tyson-picked-up-the-fallen/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [You can't start motoring up life's road until you get your buns in gear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-simmons/you-can-t-start-motoring-up-life-s-road-until-you-get-your-buns-in/) [Gene Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-simmons/) > [When I find that so much of my life has stolen unprofitably away, and that I can descry by retrospection scarcely a few single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/when-i-find-that-so-much-of-my-life-has-stolen-unprofitably-away-and/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Incubated. And then raised. And then beheaded. And then plucked. And then cut up. And then put on a grill. And then put on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/incubated-and-then-raised-and-then-beheaded-and-then-plucked-and-then/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Don't start,” he warned. “What?” she said, grinning. “I'm sure all the big, bad trappers have a bun-bun in their houses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-oliver/don-t-start-he-warned-what-she-said-grinning-i-m-sure-all-the-big-bad/) [Jana Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jana-oliver/) > [“No phones, no internet and no TV and we manage to make the news in at least three states. What are the odds?” Alex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-shaver/no-phones-no-internet-and-no-tv-and-we-manage-to-make-the-news-in-at/) Theresa Shaver > [“I think two side buns tonight. Do you agree, Your Highness?” “Whatever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/i-think-two-side-buns-tonight-do-you-agree-your-highness-whatever/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [I was at a restaurant, and I ordered a chicken sandwich, but I don't think the waitress understood me. She asked me, "How would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-was-at-a-restaurant-and-i-ordered-a-chicken-sandwich-but-i-don-t/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [It requires a certain kind of mind to see beauty in a hamburger bun,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/it-requires-a-certain-kind-of-mind-to-see-beauty-in-a-hamburger-bun/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [The fisherman fishes as the urchin eats cream buns, from lust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white-2/the-fisherman-fishes-as-the-urchin-eats-cream-buns-from-lust/) [T. H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white-2/) > [Go along, go along quickly, and set all you have on the table for us. We don't want doughnuts, honey buns, poppy cakes, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/go-along-go-along-quickly-and-set-all-you-have-on-the-table-for-us-we/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [I didn’t like to dress up in high school. I wore pajamas all the time. Or I would have my hair in a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-morris/i-didn-t-like-to-dress-up-in-high-school-i-wore-pajamas-all-the-time/) [Heather Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-morris/) ## More by Patrick Rothfuss > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Prefiero tocar canciones que divierten a mis amigos que complacer a quienes me juzgan basándose solo en habladurías" - Kvothe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/prefiero-tocar-canciones-que-divierten-a-mis-amigos-que-complacer-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Wilem snorted."That doesn't sound suspicious at all," he said. "And you wonder why people talk about you." "I don't wonder why they talk," I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/wilem-snorted-that-doesn-t-sound-suspicious-at-all-he-said-and-you/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“The point isn't to win the game. The point is to play a beautiful game. (paraphrased)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-point-isn-t-to-win-the-game-the-point-is-to-play-a-beautiful-game/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was nervous about writing Slow Regard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-nervous-about-writing-slow-regard/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I am no poet. I do not love words for the sake of words. I love words for what they can accomplish. Similarly, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-am-no-poet-i-do-not-love-words-for-the-sake-of-words-i-love-words/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“There is something deeply satisfying in shaping something with your hands. Proper artificing is like a song made solid. It is an act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/there-is-something-deeply-satisfying-in-shaping-something-with-your/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [He had a bright, reckless tenor that was always wandering off, looking for notes in the wrong places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/he-had-a-bright-reckless-tenor-that-was-always-wandering-off-looking/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I smiled,"Deoch, my heart is made of stronger stuff than glass. When she strikes she'll find it strong as iron-bound brass, or gold and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-smiled-deoch-my-heart-is-made-of-stronger-stuff-than-glass-when-she/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I have a blog where I keep in touch with my fans. I write about things that are important to me. Sometimes on there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-have-a-blog-where-i-keep-in-touch-with-my-fans-i-write-about-things/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Soft fantasy worlds have a much looser cause-and-effect relationship. Alchemists can turn lead into gold and nobody wonders about how it will impact the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/soft-fantasy-worlds-have-a-much-looser-cause-and-effect-relationship/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/but-how-awful-would-that-be-how-terrible-to-live-surrounded-by-the/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ Here's the thing: Authors live or die by recommendations. \[That's one of the reason I review so many books on Goodreads.\] Giving books you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/here-s-the-thing-authors-live-or-die-by-recommendations-that-s-one-of/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I was pretty poor for a long time. Not \*poor\* poor. But college student poor. I lived for most of my adult life living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-was-pretty-poor-for-a-long-time-not-poor-poor-but-college-student/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) [Explore all 895 Patrick Rothfuss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More Apples quotes > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I think, however, that Astaire's coordination is better than Kelly's... his sense of rhythm is uncanny. Kelly, on the other hand, is the stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-think-however-that-astaire-s-coordination-is-better-than-kelly-s/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [“In the back of the fridge I checked out some stewed apples destined to fester. I examined them closely and reckoned they had only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-brown/in-the-back-of-the-fridge-i-checked-out-some-stewed-apples-destined/) [Helen Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-brown/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/) [Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/) > [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [I have a friend who is a juggler. If I'm at his house, I don't like to take food from him, if it's in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-have-a-friend-who-is-a-juggler-if-i-m-at-his-house-i-don-t-like-to/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/) Horace Dediu > [I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-have-always-said-if-there-ever-came-a-day-when-i-could-no-longer/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/) [Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/) > [Therein lies the rub of a place like Berkeley Bowl. You get seduced by an 11-pound apple that turns out to be a fake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jad-abumrad/therein-lies-the-rub-of-a-place-like-berkeley-bowl-you-get-seduced-by/) [Jad Abumrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jad-abumrad/) > [Now it is autumn and the falling fruit and the long journey towards oblivion. The apples falling like great drops of dew to bruise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/now-it-is-autumn-and-the-falling-fruit-and-the-long-journey-towards/) [D. H. 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