--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have often thought of doing a story…" description: "\"I have often thought of doing a story with someone either as a human being or as a robot who, by a series of stages, changes into the other end of the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/roger-zelazny-1604_end_i-have-often-thought-of-doing-a-story-wi_779508.png" --- # I have often thought of doing a story with someone either… ![“I have often thought of doing a story with someone either as a human being or as a robot who, by a series of stages, changes into the other end of the spectrum. By the story's end, he'd be either totally robotic or totally human, the opposite of what he once was. And possibly... bring him back…” quote by Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/roger-zelazny-1604_end_i-have-often-thought-of-doing-a-story-wi_779508.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/roger-zelazny-1604_end_i-have-often-thought-of-doing-a-story-wi_779508.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f12/roger-zelazny-1604_end_i-have-often-thought-of-doing-a-story-wi_779508.png) > “I have often thought of doing a story with someone either as a human being or as a robot who, by a series of stages, changes into the other end of the spectrum. By the story's end, he'd be either totally robotic or totally human, the opposite of what he once was. And possibly... bring him back again.” [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A narrative explores identity transformation between humanity and machine, culminating in reversal or restoration. **In simple terms:** Human and robot swap identities, possibly returning to original. Key Takeaway Consider fluidity of self and possibility of change. Themes identity transformation technology duality Mood thoughtful speculative curious Type literary philosophical speculative When to use this quote - creative writing - character development - conceptual art - theater - role‑playing games Key Concepts posthumanism philosophy of mind science fiction Questions to Reflect On - What defines humanity? - Can technology fully replace human experience? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex emotional consequences of such swaps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Human being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-being/) [Robot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robot/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [Unfortunately I am a human being and not a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-root/unfortunately-i-am-a-human-being-and-not-a-robot/) [Joe Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-root/) > [“Robot Boy Mr. an Mrs. Smith had a wonderful life. They were a normal, happy husband and wife. One day they got news that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/robot-boy-mr-an-mrs-smith-had-a-wonderful-life-they-were-a-normal/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [I'm only a human being. I'm not a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-narstie/i-m-only-a-human-being-i-m-not-a-robot/) [Big Narstie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-narstie/) > [It's tennis. I'm still human. I'm not a robot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-kvitova/it-s-tennis-i-m-still-human-i-m-not-a-robot/) [Petra Kvitova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-kvitova/) > [A hybrid human-robot mission to investigate an asteroid affords a realistic opportunity to demonstrate new technological capabilities for future deep-space travel and to test…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/a-hybrid-human-robot-mission-to-investigate-an-asteroid-affords-a/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Most American films have now become mindless. The human element has been removed, so you are just left with the surrogate human, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-berkoff/most-american-films-have-now-become-mindless-the-human-element-has/) [Steven Berkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-berkoff/) > [What I'm interested in doing in a story is bringing certain different languages, people, events together and then letting the reader make what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/what-i-m-interested-in-doing-in-a-story-is-bringing-certain-different/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [You didn't plan to write a story; it just happened. Well, it could be argued that the next thing you should do is find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-didn-t-plan-to-write-a-story-it-just-happened-well-it-could-be/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The story fails but your faith in the importance of doing the story doesn't fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/the-story-fails-but-your-faith-in-the-importance-of-doing-the-story/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [A novel means a new way of doing a story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-gunesekera/a-novel-means-a-new-way-of-doing-a-story/) [Romesh Gunesekera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-gunesekera/) > [Sometimes the music just has to tell the story without you trying to tell the story. It depends on the type of music you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/sometimes-the-music-just-has-to-tell-the-story-without-you-trying-to/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) > [Doing a story about my mundane, waking life, how much I don't like my job, or breaking up with someone, I don't think so.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/doing-a-story-about-my-mundane-waking-life-how-much-i-don-t-like-my/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [For narrative games, and also for the sake of the medium, we have to treat performance that way, as actors. You have to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-burch/for-narrative-games-and-also-for-the-sake-of-the-medium-we-have-to/) [Ashly Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-burch/) > [People should go see 'Premium' because it's a great story about love and the person who shaped us as the people we eventually become.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-missick/people-should-go-see-premium-because-it-s-a-great-story-about-love/) [Dorian Missick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-missick/) > [“A story conducted by the time of a clock and calendars alone would be a story not of human beings but of mechanical toys.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lascelles/a-story-conducted-by-the-time-of-a-clock-and-calendars-alone-would-be/) [Mary Lascelles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lascelles/) ## More by Roger Zelazny > [“I was willing to die fighting, but it was senseless for all these men to go down with me. Perhaps my blood was tainted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-was-willing-to-die-fighting-but-it-was-senseless-for-all-these-men/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I know, too, that death is the only god who comes when you call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-know-too-that-death-is-the-only-god-who-comes-when-you-call/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [There's no such thing as civilization. The word just means the art of living in cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/there-s-no-such-thing-as-civilization-the-word-just-means-the-art-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Time, too, is a function of Shadow, and even Dworkin did not know all of its ins and outs. Or perhaps he did. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/time-too-is-a-function-of-shadow-and-even-dworkin-did-not-know-all-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I've always been impulsive. My thinking is usually pretty good, but I always seem to do it after I do my talking — by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-ve-always-been-impulsive-my-thinking-is-usually-pretty-good-but-i/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“And again, damn. Of troubles I considered myself amply possessed. But those who have do seem to get. Some spiritual form of compound interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/and-again-damn-of-troubles-i-considered-myself-amply-possessed-but/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [“Far below, the ocean was a bluegray rug being pulled out from beneath us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/far-below-the-ocean-was-a-bluegray-rug-being-pulled-out-from-beneath/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [A powerful flight of the imagination . . . an entirely enjoyable reading experience, wrought by a pair of writers noted for excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/a-powerful-flight-of-the-imagination-an-entirely-enjoyable-reading/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [The function of criticism should not be confused with the function of reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/the-function-of-criticism-should-not-be-confused-with-the-function-of/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I always wanted to write, ever since I was a kid. 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This, because you are fairly adept at the various embalming arts and you occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/to-waste-you-are-unknown-and-unwanted-save-by-me-this-because-you-are/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [I watched the spinning stars, grateful, sad and proud, as only a man who has outlived his destiny and realizes he might yet forge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-watched-the-spinning-stars-grateful-sad-and-proud-as-only-a-man-who/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) [Explore all 220 Roger Zelazny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) ## More End quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. 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All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [I loved Twitter. But I was going to end up saying something that would get me into trouble. I have kept a clean nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-richards/i-loved-twitter-but-i-was-going-to-end-up-saying-something-that-would/) [Micah Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-richards/) > [I'm a humanist at heart: at the end of the day, we are all human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-m-a-humanist-at-heart-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-are-all-human-beings/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [At the end of the day, winning games is the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/at-the-end-of-the-day-winning-games-is-the-only-thing-that-matters/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. 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