--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Are the computers going to fail?” one of…" description: "\"“Are the computers going to fail?” one of the artists asked him, licking ketchup off her thumb. She asked it like she was hoping he’d say yes. Lincoln ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg" --- # Are the computers going to fail?” one of the artists asked… ![“Are the computers going to fail?” one of the artists asked him, licking ketchup off her thumb. She asked it like she was hoping he’d say yes. Lincoln couldn't remember her name, but she had all-over-the-place hair and big brown eyes. He didn't like thinking about her with an X-Acto knife.” quote by Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg) > ““Are the computers going to fail?” one of the artists asked him, licking ketchup off her thumb. She asked it like she was hoping he’d say yes. Lincoln couldn't remember her name, but she had all-over-the-place hair and big brown eyes. He didn't like thinking about her with an X-Acto knife.”” [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## 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 juxtaposes anxiety about technology with surreal, vivid imagery, hinting at uncertainty and human longing. **In simple terms:** Tech worries mixed with strange scene. Key Takeaway Acknowledge fear while staying grounded. Themes anxiety technology surrealism Mood confusing enigmatic Type literary experimental When to use this quote - creative writing - psychological analysis - film noir Key Concepts existential dread artistic expression memory Questions to Reflect On - What does the ketchup‑licking scene symbolize? - How does the X‑Acto knife image affect tone? A Different Perspective The surreal detail may distract from the core concern. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artists Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists-asked-4668940/) [Asked Licking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-licking-4846405/) [Brown eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brown-eyes/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Licking Ketchup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/licking-ketchup-4846404/) [Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln/) [Lincoln Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lincoln-couldn-4846403/) ## Related quotes > [When I was 14-15 years old I was able to earn a little money from time to time but I'm not complaining since, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-clayderman/when-i-was-14-15-years-old-i-was-able-to-earn-a-little-money-from/) [Richard Clayderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-clayderman/) > [“The copy editors drank cheap beer and seemed kind of bitter. About everything. But Lincoln felt at home with them. They all read too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/the-copy-editors-drank-cheap-beer-and-seemed-kind-of-bitter-about/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“… ‘Didn’t you ever wonder what it would be like to be with someone else?’ And you’ll say… Lincoln, what will you say?” “I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/didn-t-you-ever-wonder-what-it-would-be-like-to-be-with-someone-else/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Lincoln had pictured himself building firewalls and protecting the newspaper from dangerous hackers—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/lincoln-had-pictured-himself-building-firewalls-and-protecting-the/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“¿No lo notas, Lincoln? Como si todo estuviera cambiando?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/no-lo-notas-lincoln-como-si-todo-estuviera-cambiando/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She was throwing stars at him. It was hard to listen. It was hard to look at her. He still felt like he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-was-throwing-stars-at-him-it-was-hard-to-listen-it-was-hard-to/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“You don't get to choose," Lincoln said. "It's just happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-don-t-get-to-choose-lincoln-said-it-s-just-happening/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [It all started in 2007 when I first saw you and I told my self I got to make this come true.your eyes got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jas-rob/it-all-started-in-2007-when-i-first-saw-you-and-i-told-my-self-i-got/) [Jas&rob](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jas-rob/) > [Having blue eyes is actually a mutation. Before the mutation occurred, all humans had brown eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/having-blue-eyes-is-actually-a-mutation-before-the-mutation-occurred/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He was very tall, with long arms and legs that would be gawky and awkward on anyone else, but were graceful and elegant on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/he-was-very-tall-with-long-arms-and-legs-that-would-be-gawky-and/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [“Oh, that is very generous of you.” And thoughtful. Her heart stirred strangely inside her as she looked up into his warm brown eyes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-dickerson/oh-that-is-very-generous-of-you-and-thoughtful-her-heart-stirred/) [Melanie Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-dickerson/) > [“Judy Pilger—and we followed them, crossing back and forth in a rowboat. But it was Frankie and Chris Nucci my sisters and I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-radziwill/judy-pilger-and-we-followed-them-crossing-back-and-forth-in-a-rowboat/) [Carole Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-radziwill/) > [A blue eye is a true eye; Mysterious is a dark one, Which flashes like a spark sun! A black eye is the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-rounseville-alger/a-blue-eye-is-a-true-eye-mysterious-is-a-dark-one-which-flashes-like/) [William Rounseville Alger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-rounseville-alger/) > [“His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?"No one ever asked that question.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/his-dark-brown-eyes-shifted-to-my-covered-arms-you-didn-t-do-that-did/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [“He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked at her through those intense brown eyes she loved. "I wanted you when I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-gibson/he-wrapped-his-arms-around-her-waist-and-looked-at-her-through-those/) [Rachel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-gibson/) ## More by Rainbow Rowell > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Someone was knocking on her windshield. Georgie lifted her head off the steering wheel. It was Kendrick. She couldn’t really hear what he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/someone-was-knocking-on-her-windshield-georgie-lifted-her-head-off/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [Maybe Park had paralyzed her with his ninja magic, his Vulcan handhold, and now he was going to eat her. That would be awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/maybe-park-had-paralyzed-her-with-his-ninja-magic-his-vulcan-handhold/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She wouldn't pick up a fight him just because she was bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-wouldn-t-pick-up-a-fight-him-just-because-she-was-bored/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“That person thought that wearing an ugly dress on the happiest day of someone else's life was just the beginning-the line you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/that-person-thought-that-wearing-an-ugly-dress-on-the-happiest-day-of/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Is this where you tell me that I'm a scoundrel, and I say that I think you like me because I'm a scoundrel? Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/is-this-where-you-tell-me-that-i-m-a-scoundrel-and-i-say-that-i-think/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Te informo de que mi respuesta a tus próximas doce afirmaciones va a ser: «¿Cómo dices?»”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/te-informo-de-que-mi-respuesta-a-tus-pr-ximas-doce-afirmaciones-va-a/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Dude. Let it go. Good riddance to bad rubbers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/dude-let-it-go-good-riddance-to-bad-rubbers/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [He looked exactly like a rat. Like the human being version of a rat. Like the villain in a Don Bluth movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/he-looked-exactly-like-a-rat-like-the-human-being-version-of-a-rat/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Tell me more about the mountains, Georgie said, because she wasn't really sure what to ask. Because ' tell me where I went wrong'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/tell-me-more-about-the-mountains-georgie-said-because-she-wasn-t/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [God, his chin. She wanted to make an honest woman of his chin. She wanted to lock it down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/god-his-chin-she-wanted-to-make-an-honest-woman-of-his-chin-she/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Wait, I really do need your help with this." He turned his computer monitor toward her and pointed. "Is this funny? It's a Snoopy/Snoop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/wait-i-really-do-need-your-help-with-this-he-turned-his-computer/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“You need to cool down first.” “I’m cool.” “Simon. You’re never cool.” “That hurts, Penny.” “It shouldn’t. It’s one of the reasons I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/you-need-to-cool-down-first-i-m-cool-simon-you-re-never-cool-that/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“She'd get out of the shower the next morning, and it would be written in the steam on the mirror. Dance. Dress. Try a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/she-d-get-out-of-the-shower-the-next-morning-and-it-would-be-written/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) [Explore all 1,108 Rainbow Rowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Are the computers going to fail?” one of the artists asked him, licking ketchup off her thumb. She asked it like she was hoping he’d say yes. Lincoln couldn't remember her name, but she had all-over-the-place hair and big brown eyes. He didn't like thinking about her with an X-Acto knife.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rainbow Rowell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-the-artists-asked-him-licking/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-the-artists-asked-him-licking/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/982/rainbow-rowell-135_art_are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-t_592439.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Are the computers going to fail?” one of the artists asked him, licking ketchup off her thumb. She asked it…” — Rainbow Rowell", "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": "Rainbow Rowell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Are the computers going to fail?”...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-the-artists-asked-him-licking/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-the-computers-going-to-fail-one-of-the-artists-asked-him-licking/#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 } } ] } ```