--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He took the mess that was Macbeth and…" description: "\"“He took the mess that was Macbeth and fixed it, and I wonder if he might, in some small way, be able to do the same for me.”\" — Sarah Dessen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png" --- # He took the mess that was Macbeth and fixed it, and I… ![“He took the mess that was Macbeth and fixed it, and I wonder if he might, in some small way, be able to do the same for me.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png) > ““He took the mess that was Macbeth and fixed it, and I wonder if he might, in some small way, be able to do the same for me.”” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Admiration for a director’s ability to improve a complex work, hoping for similar personal transformation. **In simple terms:** Wonders if a director can fix personal messes. Key Takeaway Seek guidance to improve personal challenges. Themes self‑improvement artistic influence hope Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - life challenges - creative inspiration - personal development Key Concepts narrative restructuring personal growth mentor impact Questions to Reflect On - What personal messes need fixing? - How can art inspire change? A Different Perspective Transformation may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Macbeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macbeth/) ## Related quotes > [And I felt comfort. Finally. All I'd wanted for so long was for someone to explain everything that had happened to me in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/and-i-felt-comfort-finally-all-i-d-wanted-for-so-long-was-for-someone/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Outside, the ocean was crashing, waves hitting sand, then pulling back to sea. I thought of everything being washed away, again and again. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/outside-the-ocean-was-crashing-waves-hitting-sand-then-pulling-back/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“Infected minds to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/infected-minds-to-their-deaf-pillows-will-discharge-their-secrets/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The most likely explanation is the most practical. 'Macbeth' is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out a theater,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-most-likely-explanation-is-the-most-practical-macbeth-is-a-very/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [When I was 16, I played Macbeth at school and my English teacher said, 'I think you may have acting talent. Try to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/when-i-was-16-i-played-macbeth-at-school-and-my-english-teacher-said/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [“What, you egg?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-you-egg/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“your son has paid the soldier’s price: death. He only lived long enough to become a man, and as soon as he proved that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/your-son-has-paid-the-soldier-s-price-death-he-only-lived-long-enough/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I've always wanted to play 'Lady Macbeth' and Strindberg's 'Miss Julie'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-d-abo/i-ve-always-wanted-to-play-lady-macbeth-and-strindberg-s-miss-julie/) [Olivia d'Abo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-d-abo/) > [For me, what Macbeth is about is people who cannot face their fears and pain and instead of facing them and going beyond, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/for-me-what-macbeth-is-about-is-people-who-cannot-face-their-fears/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [The idea of Macbeth as a conscience-torm ented man is a platitude as false as Macbeth himself. Macbeth has no conscience. His main concern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/the-idea-of-macbeth-as-a-conscience-torm-ented-man-is-a-platitude-as/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > ['Macbeth' is one of those books that demand all of your attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mannie-fresh/macbeth-is-one-of-those-books-that-demand-all-of-your-attention/) [Mannie Fresh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mannie-fresh/) > [“Macbeth's self-justifications were feeble – and his conscience devoured him. Yes, even Iago was a little lamb, too. The imagination and spiritual strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-solschenizyn/macbeth-s-self-justifications-were-feeble-and-his-conscience-devoured/) [Alexander Solschenizyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-solschenizyn/) > [“You're like Lady MacBeth without the murder." "Thank you. You have no idea how much of a compliment that is to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/you-re-like-lady-macbeth-without-the-murder-thank-you-you-have-no/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [Maybe because Im a nice and sweet person in life, I like the darker roles. The really dark one is Lady Macbeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-netrebko/maybe-because-im-a-nice-and-sweet-person-in-life-i-like-the-darker/) [Anna Netrebko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-netrebko/) > [Very fun! Here is one I like: Double, dubloe toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. ~ Shakespeare Macbeth Hope you Halloween is spirit-filled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin/very-fun-here-is-one-i-like-double-dubloe-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn/) Marvin ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. 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And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Macbeth quotes > [Very fun! Here is one I like: Double, dubloe toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. ~ Shakespeare Macbeth Hope you Halloween is spirit-filled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin/very-fun-here-is-one-i-like-double-dubloe-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn/) Marvin > [Maybe because Im a nice and sweet person in life, I like the darker roles. The really dark one is Lady Macbeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-netrebko/maybe-because-im-a-nice-and-sweet-person-in-life-i-like-the-darker/) [Anna Netrebko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-netrebko/) > [“You're like Lady MacBeth without the murder." "Thank you. You have no idea how much of a compliment that is to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corey-whaley/you-re-like-lady-macbeth-without-the-murder-thank-you-you-have-no/) [John Corey Whaley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corey-whaley/) > [“Macbeth's self-justifications were feeble – and his conscience devoured him. Yes, even Iago was a little lamb, too. The imagination and spiritual strength of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-solschenizyn/macbeth-s-self-justifications-were-feeble-and-his-conscience-devoured/) [Alexander Solschenizyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-solschenizyn/) > ['Macbeth' is one of those books that demand all of your attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mannie-fresh/macbeth-is-one-of-those-books-that-demand-all-of-your-attention/) [Mannie Fresh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mannie-fresh/) > [The idea of Macbeth as a conscience-torm ented man is a platitude as false as Macbeth himself. Macbeth has no conscience. His main concern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/the-idea-of-macbeth-as-a-conscience-torm-ented-man-is-a-platitude-as/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [For me, what Macbeth is about is people who cannot face their fears and pain and instead of facing them and going beyond, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/for-me-what-macbeth-is-about-is-people-who-cannot-face-their-fears/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [I've always wanted to play 'Lady Macbeth' and Strindberg's 'Miss Julie'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-d-abo/i-ve-always-wanted-to-play-lady-macbeth-and-strindberg-s-miss-julie/) [Olivia d'Abo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-d-abo/) > [“your son has paid the soldier’s price: death. He only lived long enough to become a man, and as soon as he proved that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/your-son-has-paid-the-soldier-s-price-death-he-only-lived-long-enough/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“What, you egg?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-you-egg/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [When I was 16, I played Macbeth at school and my English teacher said, 'I think you may have acting talent. Try to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suchet/when-i-was-16-i-played-macbeth-at-school-and-my-english-teacher-said/) [David Suchet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suchet/) > [The most likely explanation is the most practical. 'Macbeth' is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out a theater,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-most-likely-explanation-is-the-most-practical-macbeth-is-a-very/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [“Infected minds to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/infected-minds-to-their-deaf-pillows-will-discharge-their-secrets/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [My wide eyes make me look much younger without make-up, and although it's fun to have a line in innocence corrupted, I doubt I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talulah-riley/my-wide-eyes-make-me-look-much-younger-without-make-up-and-although/) [Talulah Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talulah-riley/) > [I hated teaching Shakespeare. In order for the students to understand what was going on, you had to tell them the story of 'Macbeth'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-hated-teaching-shakespeare-in-order-for-the-students-to-understand/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) [Browse all 132 Macbeth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macbeth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He took the mess that was Macbeth and fixed it, and I wonder if he might, in some small way, be able to do the same for me.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sarah Dessen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fixed-it-and-i-wonder-if-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Macbeth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fixed-it-and-i-wonder-if-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/sarah-dessen-110_macbeth_he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fi_2618147.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He took the mess that was Macbeth and fixed it, and I wonder if he might, in some small way, be able to do…” — Sarah Dessen", "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": "Sarah Dessen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He took the mess that was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fixed-it-and-i-wonder-if-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/he-took-the-mess-that-was-macbeth-and-fixed-it-and-i-wonder-if-he/#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 } } ] } ```