--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: careful those who fight with monsters…" description: "\"careful those who fight with monsters, that they might become monsters themeselves.\" — Roald Dahl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg" --- # careful those who fight with monsters, that they might… ![“careful those who fight with monsters, that they might become monsters themeselves.” quote by Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg) > “careful those who fight with monsters, that they might become monsters themeselves.” [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Warns that confronting evil may corrupt the challenger. **In simple terms:** Fighting monsters can turn you into one. Key Takeaway Guard your morality when confronting wrong. Themes ethics corruption conflict Mood cautionary thought‑provoking Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - legal battles - political activism - personal vendettas Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards protect your integrity? - Can you fight evil without changing? A Different Perspective Not all battles lead to moral decay. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Careful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) [Careful Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful-fight-2607885/) [Fight Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight-monsters-2583314/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Monsters Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters-monsters-753549/) [Monsters Themeselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters-themeselves-2864095/) ## Related quotes > [Be careful when you fight the monsters, lest you become one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/be-careful-when-you-fight-the-monsters-lest-you-become-one/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“All of Them are monsters, but not all monsters are Them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demitria-lunetta/all-of-them-are-monsters-but-not-all-monsters-are-them/) [Demitria Lunetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demitria-lunetta/) > [I believe in monsters. Monsters are the calories in food. Monsters are the size of my jeans. Monsters are the self hatred in me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-anderson/i-believe-in-monsters-monsters-are-the-calories-in-food-monsters-are/) [Mickey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-anderson/) > [“He who fight monsters must take care that he doesn't become one himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/he-who-fight-monsters-must-take-care-that-he-doesn-t-become-one/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [“Fight the monsters, then, Phillip. Don't fight the innocent bystanders who happen to come from the same place. You're not afraid of magic, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/fight-the-monsters-then-phillip-don-t-fight-the-innocent-bystanders/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“Monsters, monsters, big and small,” she sang cheerfully. “They’re gonna come and eat you all.” A shiver ran through him. “Corsai, Corsai, tooth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/monsters-monsters-big-and-small-she-sang-cheerfully-they-re-gonna/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [“Monsters, monsters! But there are no monsters! What you call monsters are superior forms, or forms beyond your understanding. Aren't the gods monsters? Isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/monsters-monsters-but-there-are-no-monsters-what-you-call-monsters/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [“They're monsters. We're all monsters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-anastasiu-glitch/they-re-monsters-we-re-all-monsters/) [Heather Anastasiu Glitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-anastasiu-glitch/) > [To fight monsters, we created monsters of our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-hunnam/to-fight-monsters-we-created-monsters-of-our-own/) [Charlie Hunnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-hunnam/) > [The Nephilim - the bogeyman for monsters, and all those who could be monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/the-nephilim-the-bogeyman-for-monsters-and-all-those-who-could-be/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“People unite against things. People fight when they're scared and threatened, not to change, not for the future. They get it wrong in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-bobet/people-unite-against-things-people-fight-when-they-re-scared-and/) [Leah Bobet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-bobet/) > [“We, at least I, need monsters. Without monsters, there are no heroes. Something has to be black and white. ~Lew Fonesca ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-m-kaminsky/we-at-least-i-need-monsters-without-monsters-there-are-no-heroes/) [Stuart M. Kaminsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-m-kaminsky/) > [“You don’t understand, child. Monsters will never show themselves as monsters. They will come hidden in various garbs. Sometimes they will look beautiful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-d-silva/you-don-t-understand-child-monsters-will-never-show-themselves-as/) [Neil D'Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-d-silva/) > [“We fight monsters and unholy creatures for a living here. Grotesque, evil, violent, dangerous; they’re certainly all these things. And yet, we somehow manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-blais/we-fight-monsters-and-unholy-creatures-for-a-living-here-grotesque/) [Bill Blais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-blais/) > [“You destroy buildings, fight monsters openly in the streets of the city, work with the police, show up in newspapers, advertise in the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-destroy-buildings-fight-monsters-openly-in-the-streets-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Roald Dahl > [Nowadays you can go anywhere in the world in a few hours, and nothing is fabulous any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/nowadays-you-can-go-anywhere-in-the-world-in-a-few-hours-and-nothing/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [When I walked to school in the mornings I would start out alone but would pick up four other boys along the way. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-i-walked-to-school-in-the-mornings-i-would-start-out-alone-but/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“There's no earthly way of knowing Which direction we are going There's no knowing where we're rowing Or which way the river's flowing Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/there-s-no-earthly-way-of-knowing-which-direction-we-are-going-there/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“One of the vital things for a writer who’s writing a book, which is a lengthy project and is going to take about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/one-of-the-vital-things-for-a-writer-who-s-writing-a-book-which-is-a/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“When Bruce Bogtrotter had eaten his way through half of the entire enormous cake, he paused for just a couple of seconds and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-bruce-bogtrotter-had-eaten-his-way-through-half-of-the-entire/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Eschew all those beastly adjectives...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/eschew-all-those-beastly-adjectives/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Bunkum and tummyrot! You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that. Would Columbus have discovered America if he'd said 'What if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/bunkum-and-tummyrot-you-ll-never-get-anywhere-if-you-go-about-what/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [If the Good Lord intended for us to walk, he wouldn't have invented rollar skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/if-the-good-lord-intended-for-us-to-walk-he-wouldn-t-have-invented/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [The witching hour, somebody had once whispered to her, was a special moment in the middle of the night when every child and every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-witching-hour-somebody-had-once-whispered-to-her-was-a-special/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/those-who-don-t-believe-in-magic-will-never-find-it/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [But there was one other thing that the grown-ups also knew, and it was this: that however small the chance might be of striking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/but-there-was-one-other-thing-that-the-grown-ups-also-knew-and-it-was/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-writing-about-oneself-one-must-strive-to-be-truthful-truth-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“the world is a scary place for such a small child”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-world-is-a-scary-place-for-such-a-small-child/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [And above all, watch with glittering eyes the world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/and-above-all-watch-with-glittering-eyes-the-world-around-you-because/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“We must hurry!’ said Mr. Wonka. ‘We have so much time and so little to do! No! Wait! Strike that! Reverse it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/we-must-hurry-said-mr-wonka-we-have-so-much-time-and-so-little-to-do/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) [Explore all 318 Roald Dahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) ## More Careful quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) [Davan Yahya Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davan-yahya-khalil/) > [Be careful. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the worst Spanish student in the history of the language.” I laughed. “No problemo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/be-careful-i-wouldn-t-want-anything-to-happen-to-the-worst-spanish/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [If I held all the thoughts of the world in my hand, I would be careful not to open it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/if-i-held-all-the-thoughts-of-the-world-in-my-hand-i-would-be-careful/) [Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-le-bovier-de-fontenelle/) > [Physical beauty is not everything, but the beauty is more careful than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/physical-beauty-is-not-everything-but-the-beauty-is-more-careful-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think about what you do, if you become self-conscious about it, you've got to be very careful. Because I really like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-morgan/if-you-think-about-what-you-do-if-you-become-self-conscious-about-it/) [Peter Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-morgan/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [ \[A\]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/) > [Be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone-2/be-careful-the-friends-you-choose-for-you-will-become-like-them/) [W Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone-2/) > [A woman who is careful with her words is a gift to all who know her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-woman-who-is-careful-with-her-words-is-a-gift-to-all-who-know-her/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have to be careful to get out before I become the grotesque caricature of a hatchet-faced woman with big knockers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-have-to-be-careful-to-get-out-before-i-become-the-grotesque/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [ I just have to deal with it \[injuries\] if and when problems happen. It's obviously a concern and I've been very careful with my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-james/i-just-have-to-deal-with-it-injuries-if-and-when-problems-happen-it-s/) [Greg James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-james/) > [Our communications reflect in our countenance. Therefore, we must be careful not only what we communicate, but also how we do so. Souls can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-lionel-kendrick/our-communications-reflect-in-our-countenance-therefore-we-must-be/) [L. Lionel Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-lionel-kendrick/) [Browse all 2,861 Careful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "careful those who fight with monsters, that they might become monsters themeselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roald Dahl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-that-they-might-become-monsters/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Careful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-that-they-might-become-monsters/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/baa/roald-dahl-899_careful_careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-th_2718612.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“careful those who fight with monsters, that they might become monsters themeselves.” — Roald Dahl", "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": "Roald Dahl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "careful those who fight with monsters,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-that-they-might-become-monsters/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/careful-those-who-fight-with-monsters-that-they-might-become-monsters/#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 } } ] } ```