--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Garrett,\" said Stendahl, \"do you know why…" description: "\"Garrett,\" said Stendahl, \"do you know why I've done this to you? Because you burned Mr. Poe's books without really reading them. You took other people'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg" --- # Garrett," said Stendahl, "do you know why I've done this… ![“Garrett," said Stendahl, "do you know why I've done this to you? Because you burned Mr. Poe's books without really reading them. You took other people's advice that they needed burning. Otherwise you'd have realized what I was going to do to you when we came down here a moment ago. Ignorance is…” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg) > “Garrett," said Stendahl, "do you know why I've done this to you? Because you burned Mr. Poe's books without really reading them. You took other people's advice that they needed burning. Otherwise you'd have realized what I was going to do to you when we came down here a moment ago. Ignorance is fatal, Mr. Garrett.” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance leads to destructive actions; true understanding requires reading and critical thinking. **In simple terms:** Not reading leads to harmful choices. Key Takeaway Read to avoid fatal mistakes. Themes knowledge responsibility consequences Mood cautionary reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - education - personal growth - media consumption - censorship Key Concepts critical thinking literacy authority Questions to Reflect On - How does knowledge without reflection affect decisions? - What responsibilities come with information? A Different Perspective Reading alone may not guarantee wisdom if not reflected upon. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) ## Related quotes > [“Ignorance is fatal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/ignorance-is-fatal/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I know everything I need to know already," Rigg always said... To which Father always replied,"See how ignorant you are? You don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-know-everything-i-need-to-know-already-rigg-always-said-to-which/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Our imagination is larger than the world around us; we go beyond our limits. This used to be called 'witchcraft,' but fortunately things have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/our-imagination-is-larger-than-the-world-around-us-we-go-beyond-our/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/what-progress-we-are-making-in-the-middle-ages-they-would-have-burned/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“and everything burned in blue, everything a star”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/and-everything-burned-in-blue-everything-a-star/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [It's just like John Mayer says in "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room". When it's this bad, you have to get out or you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/it-s-just-like-john-mayer-says-in-slow-dancing-in-a-burning-room-when/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [I hated my part in the charade of murder and horror. My efforts were contributing to the deaths, to the burning alive of children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-mcgehee/i-hated-my-part-in-the-charade-of-murder-and-horror-my-efforts-were/) Ralph McGehee > [After Hiroshima was bombed, I saw a photograph of the side of a house with the shadows of the people who had lived there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/after-hiroshima-was-bombed-i-saw-a-photograph-of-the-side-of-a-house/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Sulfur, when burning, absorbs oxygen gas; the resulting acid is considerably heavier than the sulfur burned; its weight is equal to the sum of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-lavoisier/sulfur-when-burning-absorbs-oxygen-gas-the-resulting-acid-is/) [Antoine Lavoisier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-lavoisier/) > [Some of the people who are now manipulating photos, such as Andreas Gursky, make the argument - rightly - that the 'straight' photographs of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sternfeld/some-of-the-people-who-are-now-manipulating-photos-such-as-andreas/) [Joel Sternfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sternfeld/) > [“e-books "smell like burned fuel”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/e-books-smell-like-burned-fuel/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You're the brightest thing I've ever seen, Kaylee. You're this beautiful ball of fire spitting sparks out at the world, burning fiercely, holding back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-re-the-brightest-thing-i-ve-ever-seen-kaylee-you-re-this/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Another method of eating burning coals employs small balls of burned cotton in a dish of burning alcohol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-houdini/another-method-of-eating-burning-coals-employs-small-balls-of-burned/) [Harry Houdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-houdini/) > [The sun burnt every day. It burnt Time. The world rushed in a circle and turned on its axis and time was busy burning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-sun-burnt-every-day-it-burnt-time-the-world-rushed-in-a-circle/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-must-be-something-in-books-something-we-can-t-imagine-to-make-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More by Ray Bradbury > [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/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Garrett,\" said Stendahl, \"do you know why I've done this to you? Because you burned Mr. Poe's books without really reading them. You took other people's advice that they needed burning. Otherwise you'd have realized what I was going to do to you when we came down here a moment ago. Ignorance is fatal, Mr. Garrett.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Bradbury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i-ve-done-this-to-you-because/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advice" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i-ve-done-this-to-you-because/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3d/ray-bradbury-75_advice_garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i_329021.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Garrett,\" said Stendahl, \"do you know why I've done this to you? Because you burned Mr. Poe's books without…” — Ray Bradbury", "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": "Ray Bradbury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Garrett,\" said Stendahl, \"do you know...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i-ve-done-this-to-you-because/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/garrett-said-stendahl-do-you-know-why-i-ve-done-this-to-you-because/#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 } } ] } ```