Fence Quote by Robert Newton Peck
““Fences sure are funny, aren't they, Papa?" "How so?" "Well, you be friends with Mr. Tanner and all. But we keep this fence up like it was war. I guess that humans are the only things on earth that take everything they own and fence it off.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Great Brain series, 1968
The narrator reflects on how humans create boundaries, both literal and metaphorical, to claim ownership.
In simple terms: People build fences to protect what they own, often unnecessarily.
Key Takeaway
Question the need for personal boundaries that limit freedom.
Themes
ownership
boundaries
human nature
Mood
contemplative
critical
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- property disputes
- community building
Key Concepts
psychology
social constructs
materialism
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we feel compelled to fence off possessions?
- When do boundaries become harmful?
A Different Perspective
Could ignore the protective purpose of some boundaries.
![“I really wanted to show [in "fences"] a marriage that is working. Not perfect, but working.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/db5/viola-davis-1174_fence_i-really-wanted-to-show-in-fences-a-marr_1429716.jpg)
![“[Rose from "Fences"] couldn't just jump out there. Not just because of economic reasons but because how she was looked at in society at the time. There were a lot of factors that made you stay I guess.” quote by Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/967/denzel-washington-1345_economic_rose-from-fences-couldn-t-just-jump-out_1082420.jpg)
![“Even though the story [Fences] is set during the 1950s, some contemporary women might have trouble understanding her decision.” quote by Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/21f/denzel-washington-1345_contemporary_even-though-the-story-fences-is-set-duri_798340.jpg)
![“You'll see some great performances [in Fences]. And I'm not just saying that because I directed it either! You'll see!” quote by Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d30/denzel-washington-1345_fence_you-ll-see-some-great-performances-in-fe_624268.jpg)
![“For me, that was a hard scene [in "Fences"] to do twenty-something times, which (laughing), I counted. That was difficult, but once I did it, I felt like I could do anything.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afd/viola-davis-1174_difficult_for-me-that-was-a-hard-scene-in-fences-t_352378.jpg)
![“By profession a biologist, [Thomas Henry Huxley] covered in fact the whole field of the exact sciences, and then bulged through its four fences. Absolutely nothing was uninteresting to him. His curiosity ranged from music to theology and from philosophy to history. He didn't simply know something…” quote by H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f46/h-l-mencken-245_absolutely-nothing_by-profession-a-biologist-thomas-henry-h_5368.jpg)
