--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cut off his fingers to get him to talk…" description: "\"“I cut off his fingers to get him to talk, and when he'd confessed everything I wanted to hear, I had his fucking tongue cut out, and the stump cauteri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png" --- # I cut off his fingers to get him to talk, and when he'd… ![“I cut off his fingers to get him to talk, and when he'd confessed everything I wanted to hear, I had his fucking tongue cut out, and the stump cauterized." Everyone in the room stared at him. "I called him an asshole, too," said Locke. "He didn't like that.” quote by Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png) > ““I cut off his fingers to get him to talk, and when he'd confessed everything I wanted to hear, I had his fucking tongue cut out, and the stump cauterized." Everyone in the room stared at him. "I called him an asshole, too," said Locke. "He didn't like that.”” [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A brutal interrogation method is described, highlighting extreme cruelty and psychological manipulation. **In simple terms:** Violent torture used to extract information. Key Takeaway Avoid cruelty; seek humane methods. Themes violence power morality Mood dark grim tense Type literary fictional dialogue When to use this quote - crime syndicate interrogation - prisoner questioning - authoritarian enforcement Key Concepts torture psychological control Questions to Reflect On - Is violence ever justified for truth? - What are the long‑term costs of such cruelty? A Different Perspective The act may achieve short‑term compliance but creates lasting trauma and moral decay. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asshole Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asshole-said-522887/) [Assholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes/) [Called Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-asshole-1312691/) [Said Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-locke-524124/) [Talk Confessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-confessed-5053409/) [Tongue Cut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue-cut-1761297/) [Tongues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongues/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[W\]hen you find yourself face to face with one \[Bondsmage\], you bow and scrape and mind your 'sirs' and 'madams.'" ... 'Nice bird, asshole,'… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/w-hen-you-find-yourself-face-to-face-with-one-bondsmage-you-bow-and/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“He called me an asshole and said, “I'll bury you!” like some comic book villain. I wanted to fucking scream my head off—I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/he-called-me-an-asshole-and-said-i-ll-bury-you-like-some-comic-book/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [“That's a sweet piece," said Jean, briefly forgetting to be aggravated. "You didn't snatch that off a street." "No," said Locke, before taking another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/that-s-a-sweet-piece-said-jean-briefly-forgetting-to-be-aggravated/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Someday, Locke Lamora,” he said, “someday, you’re going to fuck up so magnificently, so ambitiously, so overwhelmingly that the sky will light up and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/someday-locke-lamora-he-said-someday-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-so/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“These physikers are handy things,” said Locke, adjusting his (formerly Meraggio’s) coat cuffs, “but I think next time we should pay a bit extra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/these-physikers-are-handy-things-said-locke-adjusting-his-formerly/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“It’s an old Camorri tradition for when a bunch of people are planning something stupid,” said Locke. “Actually, we have a lot of traditions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/it-s-an-old-camorri-tradition-for-when-a-bunch-of-people-are-planning/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“I'm not gong to kill you," said Locke I'm going to play a little game I like to call 'Scream in pain until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-m-not-gong-to-kill-you-said-locke-i-m-going-to-play-a-little-game-i/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Chains used to claim that there’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated,” said Locke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/chains-used-to-claim-that-there-s-no-freedom-quite-like-the-freedom/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Mizzenmast,” bellowed Caldris, and Locke and Jean both fetched up short, breathing heavily. “Ship doesn’t bloody have one,” said Locke. “Just foremast and mainmast!”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/mizzenmast-bellowed-caldris-and-locke-and-jean-both-fetched-up-short/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Master Thorn... you have a curiously tender heart, for a thief of your appetites." "I'm a sworn brother of the Nameless Thirteenth, the Crooked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/master-thorn-you-have-a-curiously-tender-heart-for-a-thief-of-your/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“When you see the Crooked Warden," said Locke, twisting something in his hands, "tell him that Locke Lamora learns slowly, but he learns well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/when-you-see-the-crooked-warden-said-locke-twisting-something-in-his/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“We go now," said Locke, "or I leave you here to die. Understanding is a luxury; you don't get to have it. Sorry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/we-go-now-said-locke-or-i-leave-you-here-to-die-understanding-is-a/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Locke sighed. 'So this is winning,' he said. 'It is,' replied Jean. 'It can go fuck itself,' said Locke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/locke-sighed-so-this-is-winning-he-said-it-is-replied-jean-it-can-go/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“You've got that motherly concern in your eyes, Jean. I must look like I'm hammered as shit," said Locke. "Actually you look like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/you-ve-got-that-motherly-concern-in-your-eyes-jean-i-must-look-like-i/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“...I require a vacation from all of you, but I’m not leaving Camorr. You five will be making a journey to Espara. I’ve arranged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-require-a-vacation-from-all-of-you-but-i-m-not-leaving-camorr-you/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) ## More by Scott Lynch > [“Please, boy. Let’s not start out with either of us insulting the other’s intelligence. There are only three people in life you can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/please-boy-let-s-not-start-out-with-either-of-us-insulting-the-other/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Gentlemen Bastards." hissed Locke, "do not abandon one another, and we do not run when we owe vengeance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/gentlemen-bastards-hissed-locke-do-not-abandon-one-another-and-we-do/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Ha! Yes. When anyone tells you habits die hard, Locke, they’re lying—it seems they never die at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/ha-yes-when-anyone-tells-you-habits-die-hard-locke-they-re-lying-it/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“ESPARA, FORMERLY a seat of prestige only one step below Therim Pel itself, had descended from its imperial years the way some men and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/espara-formerly-a-seat-of-prestige-only-one-step-below-therim-pel/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Advice,' Doña Vorchenza chuckled. 'Advice. The years play a sort of alchemical trick, transmuting one's mutterings to a state of respectability. Give advice at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/advice-do-a-vorchenza-chuckled-advice-the-years-play-a-sort-of/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Ibelius," said Jean. "If what Locke is doing were lurking about, corpses could be acrobats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/ibelius-said-jean-if-what-locke-is-doing-were-lurking-about-corpses/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [Any man can fart in a closed room and say that he commands the wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/any-man-can-fart-in-a-closed-room-and-say-that-he-commands-the-wind/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“What an interesting choice of words. “Not real, and never were.” Could there be any more appropriate literature for men of our profession? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/what-an-interesting-choice-of-words-not-real-and-never-were-could/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Why were all his fantasies so calamitous for that table, which had done him no injury?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/why-were-all-his-fantasies-so-calamitous-for-that-table-which-had/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“I more proudly take a speck from a man with empty pockets,” said Sabetha, “than riches from a man whose purse stays heavy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-more-proudly-take-a-speck-from-a-man-with-empty-pockets-said/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“He was bewildered at how quickly he had escaped his old life and fallen into this new one with strangely pleasant crazy people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/he-was-bewildered-at-how-quickly-he-had-escaped-his-old-life-and/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [I think piracy is a bit like drinking. You want to stay out all night doing it, you pay the price the next day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-think-piracy-is-a-bit-like-drinking-you-want-to-stay-out-all-night/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“That's a sweet piece," said Jean, briefly forgetting to be aggravated. "You didn't snatch that off a street." "No," said Locke, before taking another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/that-s-a-sweet-piece-said-jean-briefly-forgetting-to-be-aggravated/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“But time’s a river, Locke, and we’ve always drifted farther down it than we think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/but-time-s-a-river-locke-and-we-ve-always-drifted-farther-down-it/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“I understand, my lord. I…don’t wish to embarrass you again.” “Embarrass me? Jean, you misunderstand.” Maranzalla kicked idly at the toy rapier, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-understand-my-lord-i-don-t-wish-to-embarrass-you-again-embarrass-me/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) [Explore all 241 Scott Lynch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) ## More Assholes quotes > [“Claiming to be offended is a great way to elevate yourself at the expense of others: “Look at me! I'm a much better person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/claiming-to-be-offended-is-a-great-way-to-elevate-yourself-at-the/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [Note To Females: You cant blame the entire male genre just because you were attracted to some assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/note-to-females-you-cant-blame-the-entire-male-genre-just-because-you/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“All men are assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-sanchez/all-men-are-assholes/) [Lisa Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-sanchez/) > [“World is so beautiful, but alas! There are so many assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/world-is-so-beautiful-but-alas-there-are-so-many-assholes/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [The grumpier you are, the more assholes you meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/the-grumpier-you-are-the-more-assholes-you-meet/) [Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/) > [“Half the time, people just want to be assholes, so they call it rebellion. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-konen/half-the-time-people-just-want-to-be-assholes-so-they-call-it/) [Leah Konen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-konen/) > [“What a mealy-mouth. Windier than a bag of assholes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-ross/what-a-mealy-mouth-windier-than-a-bag-of-assholes/) [Rodney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-ross/) > [Excuses are like assholes, everyone has one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/excuses-are-like-assholes-everyone-has-one/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [“You hear this kind of thing, rednecks and their guys and--" "Don't call them that," I say. "They're just assholes. Most people you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/you-hear-this-kind-of-thing-rednecks-and-their-guys-and-don-t-call/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [Guys annoy me so much -.- it's like they study to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-annoy-me-so-much-it-s-like-they-study-to-be-an-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their inner asshole. I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“People hate it when you call them on jackassery. That's a big fact of human nature: Not a lot of people want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lili-st-crow/people-hate-it-when-you-call-them-on-jackassery-that-s-a-big-fact-of/) [Lili St. Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lili-st-crow/) > [“Don't you think she's had her quota of assholes?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/don-t-you-think-she-s-had-her-quota-of-assholes/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [Friends are like assholes, everyone's got one but some are more full of shit than other's!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-carrion/friends-are-like-assholes-everyone-s-got-one-but-some-are-more-full/) [Diana Carrion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-carrion/) [Browse all 238 Assholes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I cut off his fingers to get him to talk, and when he'd confessed everything I wanted to hear, I had his fucking tongue cut out, and the stump cauterized.\" Everyone in the room stared at him. \"I called him an asshole, too,\" said Locke. \"He didn't like that.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Lynch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk-and-when-he-d-confessed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assholes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk-and-when-he-d-confessed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef2/scott-lynch-1437_assholes_i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk_1424228.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I cut off his fingers to get him to talk, and when he'd confessed everything I wanted to hear, I had his…” — Scott Lynch", "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": "Scott Lynch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I cut off his fingers to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk-and-when-he-d-confessed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/i-cut-off-his-fingers-to-get-him-to-talk-and-when-he-d-confessed/#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 } } ] } ```