--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Shut the door, they're coming through the…" description: "\"Shut the door, they're coming through the window, shut the window, they're coming through the door,\" are the words to an old song. They fit my lifestyl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/ray-bradbury-75_arriving_shut-the-door-they-re-coming-through-the_759476.jpg" --- # Shut the door, they're coming through the window, shut the… ![“Shut the door, they're coming through the window, shut the window, they're coming through the door," are the words to an old song. They fit my lifestyle with newly arriving butcher/censors every month. Only six weeks ago, I discovered that, over the years, some cubby-hole editors at Ballantine…” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/ray-bradbury-75_arriving_shut-the-door-they-re-coming-through-the_759476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/ray-bradbury-75_arriving_shut-the-door-they-re-coming-through-the_759476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f31/ray-bradbury-75_arriving_shut-the-door-they-re-coming-through-the_759476.jpg) > “Shut the door, they're coming through the window, shut the window, they're coming through the door," are the words to an old song. They fit my lifestyle with newly arriving butcher/censors every month. Only six weeks ago, I discovered that, over the years, some cubby-hole editors at Ballantine Books, fearful of contaminating the young, had, bit by bit, censored some 75 separate sections from the novel. Students, reading the novel which, after all, deals with censorship and book-burning in the future, write to tell me of this exquisite irony...” [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. The quote highlights the absurdity of censorship when the very act of suppressing ideas mirrors the content of the censored work, creating a paradoxical irony. **In simple terms:** Censorship can become self‑defeating and ironic. Key Takeaway Beware of censoring the very messages you wish to protect. Themes censorship irony freedom of expression literature paradox Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type literary philosophical satirical When to use this quote - schools - book clubs - publishing houses - policy debates Key Concepts dystopia self‑reference media control Questions to Reflect On - How does censoring a work about censorship change its impact? - What responsibilities do editors have toward controversial content? A Different Perspective Censorship may silence voices but cannot erase the underlying ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book burning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-burning/) [Censors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censors/) [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful/) [Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony/) [Lifestyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifestyle/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Old song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-song/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“And that's the most horrible thing about censorship: To avoid falling afoul of the censors, we question ourselves and censor ourselves and make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-r-reader/and-that-s-the-most-horrible-thing-about-censorship-to-avoid-falling/) [G.R. 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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. 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