--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A gun is a terrible thing. It's a dark…" description: "\"“A gun is a terrible thing. It's a dark hole pointed at you, and that hole swallows up everything else in the world, your friends, your nerve, until th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/sarah-zettel-12795_dark_a-gun-is-a-terrible-thing-it-s-a-dark-ho_813338.png" --- # A gun is a terrible thing. It's a dark hole pointed at… ![“A gun is a terrible thing. It's a dark hole pointed at you, and that hole swallows up everything else in the world, your friends, your nerve, until there's nothing but you and what's waiting in that little round space of dark.” quote by Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/sarah-zettel-12795_dark_a-gun-is-a-terrible-thing-it-s-a-dark-ho_813338.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/sarah-zettel-12795_dark_a-gun-is-a-terrible-thing-it-s-a-dark-ho_813338.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60a/sarah-zettel-12795_dark_a-gun-is-a-terrible-thing-it-s-a-dark-ho_813338.png) > ““A gun is a terrible thing. It's a dark hole pointed at you, and that hole swallows up everything else in the world, your friends, your nerve, until there's nothing but you and what's waiting in that little round space of dark.”” [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence consumes the individual, eroding relationships and inner strength, leaving only isolation and fear. **In simple terms:** Violence isolates and destroys inner strength. Key Takeaway Recognize and avoid destructive forces. Themes violence isolation psychology Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - war zones - abusive relationships - personal crises - addiction recovery Key Concepts trauma darkness existential dread Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape your response to danger? - What can restore connection after loss? A Different Perspective Violence can also be a catalyst for resistance and change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark Hole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-hole-286037/) [Dust-girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust-girl/) [Gun Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-terrible-286036/) [Sarah-zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarah-zettel/) [Terrible thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-thing/) [Thing Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-dark-286038/) ## Related quotes > [“What's it like where they live?" "It's everything you want it to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/what-s-it-like-where-they-live-it-s-everything-you-want-it-to-be/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“I wasn't used to looking ahead. Not like Jack. Maybe that was why he had that ready grin. I could see through the dust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-wasn-t-used-to-looking-ahead-not-like-jack-maybe-that-was-why-he/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“I thought maybe I could just get away from everything. But you can't get away from a thing that's your own fault.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-thought-maybe-i-could-just-get-away-from-everything-but-you-can-t/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“I'd been right about Jack Holland. He had the kind of face that could make you believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-d-been-right-about-jack-holland-he-had-the-kind-of-face-that-could/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“Bullets sound like hornets when they pass too close to your head. After a while, the world closes down. You can't hear much, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/bullets-sound-like-hornets-when-they-pass-too-close-to-your-head/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“I wish I knew who I am," I whispered to the stars in Baya's eyes. Slowly, Baya shook his head. "Oh, Dust Girl, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-wish-i-knew-who-i-am-i-whispered-to-the-stars-in-baya-s-eyes-slowly/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“We're not in Fairyland! We're in Kansas!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/we-re-not-in-fairyland-we-re-in-kansas/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“The makers, the beautiful, the ones cast out because their light was too brilliant for the world beyond. The ones who wish true and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/the-makers-the-beautiful-the-ones-cast-out-because-their-light-was/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“I'd never have gotten this far without you," I said. Jack tipped his cap to me. My heart squirmed around to find a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-d-never-have-gotten-this-far-without-you-i-said-jack-tipped-his-cap/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“They were beautiful beyond words, beautiful beyond understanding. So beautiful, I wanted to tear out my heart and hand it over, because after seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/they-were-beautiful-beyond-words-beautiful-beyond-understanding-so/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“Now that you know the wishing ways, you'll feel the wishes around you. They'll make you itchy, 'cause you know you can do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/now-that-you-know-the-wishing-ways-you-ll-feel-the-wishes-around-you/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [An ugly woman with an ugly gun is a terrible thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-macdonald/an-ugly-woman-with-an-ugly-gun-is-a-terrible-thing/) [Ross MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-macdonald/) > [An ugly woman with a gun is a terrible thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-macdonald/an-ugly-woman-with-a-gun-is-a-terrible-thing/) [Ross Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-macdonald/) > [I think the Enlightenment is leading us into a dark hole, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-think-the-enlightenment-is-leading-us-into-a-dark-hole-really/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [When I find myself in that same dark hole, I know that you will be there standing at the edge waiting for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-find-myself-in-that-same-dark-hole-i-know-that-you-will-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sarah Zettel > [Then, I realized that there is an indigenous presence in the Solar System. It's us. So, then, I got to wondering what would happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/then-i-realized-that-there-is-an-indigenous-presence-in-the-solar/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [When I'm not at the keyboard, I'm generally reading, practicing tai chi or middle eastern dance, or cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/when-i-m-not-at-the-keyboard-i-m-generally-reading-practicing-tai-chi/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“What's it like where they live?" "It's everything you want it to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/what-s-it-like-where-they-live-it-s-everything-you-want-it-to-be/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [So, one of the things I was doing with the aliens in The Quiet Invasion was creating that advanced society which had ideas about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/so-one-of-the-things-i-was-doing-with-the-aliens-in-the-quiet/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“Sometimes it's not good for people to find out who you really are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/sometimes-it-s-not-good-for-people-to-find-out-who-you-really-are/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [I have to do more close research and fact checking for the science fiction. 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So beautiful, I wanted to tear out my heart and hand it over, because after seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/they-were-beautiful-beyond-words-beautiful-beyond-understanding-so/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [Now, Venus is an extremely hostile environment, and as such presents a lot of challenges for a science fiction author who wants to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/now-venus-is-an-extremely-hostile-environment-and-as-such-presents-a/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [First and foremost, The Quiet Invasion is a first contact story. What would we do if we actually found evidence of alien life out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/first-and-foremost-the-quiet-invasion-is-a-first-contact-story-what/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [Becoming a mother cannot help but change things. An author's life is reflected in their writing, whether they want it to be or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/becoming-a-mother-cannot-help-but-change-things-an-author-s-life-is/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“But art is supposed to enlighten, isn’t it? Not just reflect? It’s to show us the best of the present modeled in the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/but-art-is-supposed-to-enlighten-isn-t-it-not-just-reflect-it-s-to/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [I think the diversity of authors and readers is expanding, which is wonderful, because it means the type of story being told is also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-think-the-diversity-of-authors-and-readers-is-expanding-which-is/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [“I'd never have gotten this far without you," I said. Jack tipped his cap to me. My heart squirmed around to find a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/i-d-never-have-gotten-this-far-without-you-i-said-jack-tipped-his-cap/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) [Explore all 53 Sarah Zettel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) ## More Dark quotes > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“I could see her will leaving and death seeping through her skin to skewer her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/i-could-see-her-will-leaving-and-death-seeping-through-her-skin-to/) [J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/) > [The soul wanders in the dark, until it finds love. And so, wherever our love goes, there we find our soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-zimmerman/the-soul-wanders-in-the-dark-until-it-finds-love-and-so-wherever-our/) [Mary Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-zimmerman/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [All comedy comes from a dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katt-williams/all-comedy-comes-from-a-dark-place/) [Katt Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katt-williams/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/) [Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Let death bless me with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-death-bless-me-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what do you call/that space between the dark geographies of sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethaway/what-do-you-call-that-space-between-the-dark-geographies-of-sex/) [Natasha Trethaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethaway/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) > [Even in the dark your shadow is like a guide to me! you are my rising sun that brings forth hope just as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkemjika-linus/even-in-the-dark-your-shadow-is-like-a-guide-to-me-you-are-my-rising/) [Nkemjika Linus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkemjika-linus/) [Browse all 10,198 Dark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A gun is a terrible thing. 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