--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Boys play with death as though it were a…" description: "\"Boys play with death as though it were a game, cutting their teeth on daggers.\" — Sheri S. Tepper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/sheri-s-tepper-8133_boys_boys-play-with-death-as-though-it-were-a_607838.jpg" --- # Boys play with death as though it were a game, cutting… ![“Boys play with death as though it were a game, cutting their teeth on daggers.” quote by Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/sheri-s-tepper-8133_boys_boys-play-with-death-as-though-it-were-a_607838.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/sheri-s-tepper-8133_boys_boys-play-with-death-as-though-it-were-a_607838.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/sheri-s-tepper-8133_boys_boys-play-with-death-as-though-it-were-a_607838.jpg) > “Boys play with death as though it were a game, cutting their teeth on daggers.” [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children often treat danger as a game, learning harsh lessons through violent play. **In simple terms:** Kids treat death like a game, learning harshly. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect youthful exposure to violence. Themes youth violence learning danger games Mood concerned reflective Type cautionary observational When to use this quote - parenting - education - media influence - youth counseling Key Concepts psychology socialization risk perception Questions to Reflect On - How does play shape a child's view of mortality? - What safeguards can reduce harmful exposure? A Different Perspective Children may not grasp real consequences, leading to desensitization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Boys Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys-play-1449462/) [Cutting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cutting/) [Daggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daggers/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-game-1601811/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-death-1990236/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) [Teeth Daggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth-daggers-4942185/) ## Related quotes > [“I wanted to play with death, like a child with a new toy, I wanted to push all the buttons and see what would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hood/i-wanted-to-play-with-death-like-a-child-with-a-new-toy-i-wanted-to/) [Holly Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hood/) > [This World is nothing but a death game were people come and go, but if you live your life to the fullest you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-world-is-nothing-but-a-death-game-were-people-come-and-go-but-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Cheating death is not a game. It is a lifestyle we engage everyday until our hourglass runs out. Only then we will know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-weiland/cheating-death-is-not-a-game-it-is-a-lifestyle-we-engage-everyday/) [Cody Weiland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-weiland/) > [It's not life or death it's a game and at the end of the game there is going to be a winner and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-langer/it-s-not-life-or-death-it-s-a-game-and-at-the-end-of-the-game-there/) [Bernhard Langer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-langer/) > [I hate boys that play girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-boys-that-play-girls/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Boys should not play with weapons more dangerous than they understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-t-a-hoffmann/boys-should-not-play-with-weapons-more-dangerous-than-they-understand/) [E. T. A. Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-t-a-hoffmann/) > [Seeing boys play with little kids is probably one of the most attractive things ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-boys-play-with-little-kids-is-probably-one-of-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even at home I always play with the boys, I only play with the girls when I am closer to the tournament or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithali-raj/even-at-home-i-always-play-with-the-boys-i-only-play-with-the-girls/) [Mithali Raj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithali-raj/) > [“The boys can play football on the road, on the streets, but it doesn’t look good to a community if girls are playing sports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-okeowo/the-boys-can-play-football-on-the-road-on-the-streets-but-it-doesn-t/) [Alexis Okeowo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-okeowo/) > [Boys that play with your hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiara-leigh/boys-that-play-with-your-hair/) [Kiara Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiara-leigh/) > [It's hard for the older boys to play twice a week, so it's important for everyone in the squad to play their part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-van-der-sar/it-s-hard-for-the-older-boys-to-play-twice-a-week-so-it-s-important/) [Edwin van der Sar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-van-der-sar/) > [This days relationship boys play no string attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-emniz/this-days-relationship-boys-play-no-string-attached/) [Van Emniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-emniz/) > [In time, after a dozen years of centering their lives around the games boys play with one another, the boys' bodies change and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/in-time-after-a-dozen-years-of-centering-their-lives-around-the-games/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [A real man isn't a player. Little boys play games. A real man works for what he wants then appreciates it once he finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-man-isn-t-a-player-little-boys-play-games-a-real-man-works-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I watched other boys play baseball and other games, but I was too sickly to join in the fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-sammartino/i-watched-other-boys-play-baseball-and-other-games-but-i-was-too/) [Bruno Sammartino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-sammartino/) ## More by Sheri S. Tepper > [“We're so old that the winds of age echo along our ribs and pick at our eye sockets. We could be gone tomorrow. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/we-re-so-old-that-the-winds-of-age-echo-along-our-ribs-and-pick-at/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [Conflict acting on intelligence creates imagination. Faced with conflict, creatures are forced to imagine what will happen, where the next threat will come from.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/conflict-acting-on-intelligence-creates-imagination-faced-with/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [“cultures define their gods when they’re young and primitive, when their main concern is survival. They endow their gods with survival characteristics like omnipotence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/cultures-define-their-gods-when-they-re-young-and-primitive-when/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [Do you realize it’s been only a century that we’ve been able to go from house to car to office to car to wherever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/do-you-realize-it-s-been-only-a-century-that-we-ve-been-able-to-go/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [ \[T\]he scripture worshippers put the writings ahead of God. Instead of interpreting God's actions in nature, for example, they interpret nature in the light… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/t-he-scripture-worshippers-put-the-writings-ahead-of-god-instead-of/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [“They will set aside what they have believed about the world, divesting themselves of all preconceptions, all judgments… They will do it, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/they-will-set-aside-what-they-have-believed-about-the-world-divesting/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [“If the law does not do justice, the people will mock the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/if-the-law-does-not-do-justice-the-people-will-mock-the-law/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [“Faith healers. God-loves-you religions. State-supported lotteries. All that enormous energy expended to conquer nothing at all, stadia full of people watching no conquering going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/faith-healers-god-loves-you-religions-state-supported-lotteries-all/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [The sooner we can separate salvageable skeptics from self-righteous absolutists, the sooner we can move along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/the-sooner-we-can-separate-salvageable-skeptics-from-self-righteous/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [There are writers who say they have no social responsibility except to write a good book, but that doesn't satisfy me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/there-are-writers-who-say-they-have-no-social-responsibility-except/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [“Rich people didn't get in that kind of mess. They never had. Only the poor got trapped: by ignorance, by religion, by self-righteous laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/rich-people-didn-t-get-in-that-kind-of-mess-they-never-had-only-the/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [The expression of divinity is in variety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/the-expression-of-divinity-is-in-variety/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [I will raise up prophets to make conflicting pronouncements that inevitably will be garbled in transcription, resulting in mutually exclusive definitions of orthodoxy from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/i-will-raise-up-prophets-to-make-conflicting-pronouncements-that/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [Mankind accepts good fortune as his due, but when bad occurs, he thinks it was aimed at him, done to him, a hex, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/mankind-accepts-good-fortune-as-his-due-but-when-bad-occurs-he-thinks/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) > [“He told us that nations of men fell into disorder, so nations of law were set up instead. He told us that nations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-s-tepper/he-told-us-that-nations-of-men-fell-into-disorder-so-nations-of-law/) [Sheri S. Tepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) [Explore all 80 Sheri S. Tepper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-s-tepper/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? 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