--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue…" description: "\"Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue orphans from a burning building? If so, you might want to make sure he didn't set the building on fire in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/richelle-mead-46_building_wow-what-d-he-do-to-deserve-that-rescue_151017.jpg" --- # Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue orphans from a… ![“Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue orphans from a burning building? If so, you might want to make sure he didn't set the building on fire in the first place.” quote by Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/richelle-mead-46_building_wow-what-d-he-do-to-deserve-that-rescue_151017.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/richelle-mead-46_building_wow-what-d-he-do-to-deserve-that-rescue_151017.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/010/richelle-mead-46_building_wow-what-d-he-do-to-deserve-that-rescue_151017.jpg) > “Wow. What'd he do to deserve that? Rescue orphans from a burning building? If so, you might want to make sure he didn't set the building on fire in the first place.” [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A sarcastic critique questions the hero’s motives, suggesting rescue actions could be a cover for wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** Questioning if heroic deeds hide darker motives. Key Takeaway Scrutinize actions before praising. Themes skepticism heroism motivation ethics Mood wry critical Type literary satirical When to use this quote - literary critique - storytelling - moral judgment Key Concepts critical analysis character study Questions to Reflect On - How do we differentiate genuine heroism from ulterior motives? - What evidence reveals true intentions? A Different Perspective May dismiss genuine heroism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Orphan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphan/) [Orphans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orphans/) [Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rose/) ## Related quotes > [There is a kind of virtue that lies not in extraordinary actions, not in saving poor orphans from burning buildings, but in steadfastly working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-cohen/there-is-a-kind-of-virtue-that-lies-not-in-extraordinary-actions-not/) [Randy Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-cohen/) > [My passion is kids, more than just kids is underprivileged kids and orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/my-passion-is-kids-more-than-just-kids-is-underprivileged-kids-and/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [In the United States, if one family out of every four churches adopted a child, there would be no orphans in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-warren/in-the-united-states-if-one-family-out-of-every-four-churches-adopted/) [Kay Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-warren/) > [We learned that orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/we-learned-that-orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [“In the English language there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parents who lose a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/in-the-english-language-there-are-orphans-and-widows-but-there-is-no/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [When you're in your twenties in a new city where no one's from here, we're all sort of orphans. The only people that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-in-a-new-city-where-no-one-s-from-here/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Is this a generation of orphans who are going to the improv to do stand-up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/is-this-a-generation-of-orphans-who-are-going-to-the-improv-to-do/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names; but once you know, everything changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/orphans-are-easier-to-ignore-before-you-know-their-names-but-once-you/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [Houses of evil similarity appeared like rows of disciplined, humiliated orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/houses-of-evil-similarity-appeared-like-rows-of-disciplined/) [Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/) > [I've never had much sympathy for orphans, I mean, when I was their age I would have killed to have no parents to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-ve-never-had-much-sympathy-for-orphans-i-mean-when-i-was-their-age/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [There are orphans who can be cared for; but this some will not venture to undertake; for it brings them more work than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/there-are-orphans-who-can-be-cared-for-but-this-some-will-not-venture/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [I write sets of books, but I've also written a lot of orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-abbey/i-write-sets-of-books-but-i-ve-also-written-a-lot-of-orphans/) [Lynn Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-abbey/) > [Without me, rap is just a bunch of orphans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/without-me-rap-is-just-a-bunch-of-orphans/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Your God loves your people and hates mine; he folds his strong arms lovingly around the white man and leads him as a father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/your-god-loves-your-people-and-hates-mine-he-folds-his-strong-arms/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [We tend to think of orphans as being the protagonist of stories we read when we're kids, and yet here you are: you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/we-tend-to-think-of-orphans-as-being-the-protagonist-of-stories-we/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) ## More by Richelle Mead > [“Jerome shrugged. “We’re back to the part where I don’t give a fuck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/jerome-shrugged-we-re-back-to-the-part-where-i-don-t-give-a-fuck/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“A piece of heaven?" I managed to ask. He slowly shook his head. "No. The other place. The one I'm going to burn in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/a-piece-of-heaven-i-managed-to-ask-he-slowly-shook-his-head-no-the/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,” Peter explained, “but that we should go ahead and draw for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/when-i-talked-to-him-earlier-he-said-he-had-to-work-tonight-peter/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [It was a nephilim.” “A nephi-what?” asked Hugh, startled. “Isn’t that a character on Sesame Street?” Peter spoke up for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/it-was-a-nephilim-a-nephi-what-asked-hugh-startled-isn-t-that-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Life and death were so unpredictable. So close to each other. 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No, of course it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/why-would-you-do-that-why-would-you-act-like-you-didn-t-know-how-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Everything I’d fought for, every challenge, every victory … all of it was empty if anything happened to him. Without him, I wouldn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/everything-i-d-fought-for-every-challenge-every-victory-all-of-it-was/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Is it true? You had a clean getaway and risked it all for me?" I Swallowed. "It wouldn't have been a clean getaway without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/is-it-true-you-had-a-clean-getaway-and-risked-it-all-for-me-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Keith was just bringing the glass to his lips when Adrian said, "Mmm. O positive, my favorite." Keith sprayed out the wine he'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/keith-was-just-bringing-the-glass-to-his-lips-when-adrian-said-mmm-o/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Life’s like that. As we grow and change, some things we’ve experienced before take on new meaning. It’ll happen for the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/life-s-like-that-as-we-grow-and-change-some-things-we-ve-experienced/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Hey Sydney," she said, giving me a small, crooked smile as she entered the room. Her flashing, dark eyes were friendly, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/hey-sydney-she-said-giving-me-a-small-crooked-smile-as-she-entered/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Sydney Katherine Sage,” he said, his green eyes full of love and earnestness. “Would you do a brooding, deadbeat Moroi the honor of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/sydney-katherine-sage-he-said-his-green-eyes-full-of-love-and/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) [Explore all 2,001 Richelle Mead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. 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We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. 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