--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s how it was.” “How do you kill…" description: "\"“That’s how it was.” “How do you kill somebody accidentally?” ”\" — Sherman Alexie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png" --- # That’s how it was.” “How do you kill somebody accidentally?” ![“That’s how it was.” “How do you kill somebody accidentally?”” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png) > ““That’s how it was.” “How do you kill somebody accidentally?” ”” [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A rhetorical exchange highlighting the absurdity of accidental homicide. **In simple terms:** Shows how a casual question can reveal dark humor. Key Takeaway Question the seriousness of casual statements. Themes dark humor absurdity violence Mood ironic provocative Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - casual conversation - crime discussion Key Concepts ethics intentionality Questions to Reflect On - What does this reveal about societal attitudes toward violence? - How does humor affect perception of serious topics? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidentally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidentally/) [Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill/) [Kill Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-somebody-248162/) [Somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody/) [Somebody Accidentally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-accidentally-5369200/) ## Related quotes > [Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he isn't well connected. So it goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/before-you-kill-somebody-make-absolutely-sure-he-isn-t-well-connected/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“But the Gospels actually taught this: Before you kill somebody, make absolutely sure he isn’t well connected.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/but-the-gospels-actually-taught-this-before-you-kill-somebody-make/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [You can kill somebody, but I wouldn't advise that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-seagall/you-can-kill-somebody-but-i-wouldn-t-advise-that/) [John Seagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-seagall/) > [“The first thing a principle does is to kill somebody. --Gaudy Night”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-sayers/the-first-thing-a-principle-does-is-to-kill-somebody-gaudy-night/) [Dorothy Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-sayers/) > [“I love you madly,” she said. “I shall make you happy if I have to kill somebody to do it. But that ought not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-chase/i-love-you-madly-she-said-i-shall-make-you-happy-if-i-have-to-kill/) [Loretta Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-chase/) > [Might even kill somebody and YouTube it. To whoever think their words affect me is too stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/might-even-kill-somebody-and-youtube-it-to-whoever-think-their-words/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [When you kill somebody a good friend would keep it a secret. But your best friend would help you kill the person the help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-marie/when-you-kill-somebody-a-good-friend-would-keep-it-a-secret-but-your/) [Ally Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-marie/) > [The worst thing about this modern world is that people think you get killed on television with zero pain and zero blood. It must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-worst-thing-about-this-modern-world-is-that-people-think-you-get/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [“And if you decide to kill somebody, make it anybody and not somebody: some men are made of more special, precious parts: do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/and-if-you-decide-to-kill-somebody-make-it-anybody-and-not-somebody/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [When you carry a gun, you mean to harm somebody, kill somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/when-you-carry-a-gun-you-mean-to-harm-somebody-kill-somebody/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [Let's kill somebody to Sinatra! Or to early Elvis!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/let-s-kill-somebody-to-sinatra-or-to-early-elvis/) [Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/) > [Yes, I always had that sense it was wrong. I don’t think anybody can kill somebody and think that it’s right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/yes-i-always-had-that-sense-it-was-wrong-i-don-t-think-anybody-can/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [The problem to me is violence. It's not cool to kill somebody or hurt people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/the-problem-to-me-is-violence-it-s-not-cool-to-kill-somebody-or-hurt/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [The first thing a principle does is kill somebody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-first-thing-a-principle-does-is-kill-somebody/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Yeah, and by the way? How much does it suck that I'm an adult if I kill somebody, and not if I want a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/yeah-and-by-the-way-how-much-does-it-suck-that-i-m-an-adult-if-i-kill/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) ## More by Sherman Alexie > [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) [Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) ## More Accidentally quotes > [I'm accidentally in love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pheonysia-biden-missgerrard88/i-m-accidentally-in-love/) [Pheonysia Biden á¦â« (@missgerrard88](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pheonysia-biden-missgerrard88/) > [In my journey as a cartoonist, I seem to have accidentally stumbled into all sorts of traps, damnations and blacklists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/in-my-journey-as-a-cartoonist-i-seem-to-have-accidentally-stumbled/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [If you’d just center your thoughts and affections upon the Lord, you’d be better off accidentally than you’ve ever been on purpose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/if-you-d-just-center-your-thoughts-and-affections-upon-the-lord-you-d/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) > [Whether Earth was deliberately terraformed, in other words, or whether it was seeded with the spores of life from crashed comets or whether, indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-hancock/whether-earth-was-deliberately-terraformed-in-other-words-or-whether/) [Graham Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-hancock/) > [I'm not really one of those people who goes and writes some big back story and agonizes over characters. I think you kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-mcgowan/i-m-not-really-one-of-those-people-who-goes-and-writes-some-big-back/) [Rose McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-mcgowan/) > [No offense into love accidentally, but love not even God, who should forgive mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/no-offense-into-love-accidentally-but-love-not-even-god-who-should/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“Some people die accidentally. It's a fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/some-people-die-accidentally-it-s-a-fact/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [I just Fell Down the Stairs Holding a Guitar and Accidentally Wrote a One Direction Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-ferrell/i-just-fell-down-the-stairs-holding-a-guitar-and-accidentally-wrote-a/) [Will Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-ferrell/) > [How the fuck can you accidentally cheat on your girlfriend? Like, oops, I tripped and my clothes ripped off and I fell in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-the-fuck-can-you-accidentally-cheat-on-your-girlfriend-like-oops/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Accidentally dance-punched myself in the face during 'Livin' on a Prayer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-dennings/accidentally-dance-punched-myself-in-the-face-during-livin-on-a-prayer/) [Kat Dennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-dennings/) > [Keep in mind that when public figures get in trouble for something they said, it is usually not because they misspoke, but because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-carr/keep-in-mind-that-when-public-figures-get-in-trouble-for-something/) [David Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-carr/) > [How can I tell you that I love you,when you don't even smile at me when our eyes met accidentally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-rala/how-can-i-tell-you-that-i-love-you-when-you-don-t-even-smile-at-me/) [Joy Rala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-rala/) > [I accidentally bumped into my ex today...With my car...at 60mph...on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-accidentally-bumped-into-my-ex-today-with-my-car-at-60mph-on-purpose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I started in radio, again accidentally. I wasn't looking for this kind of work at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-elizondo/i-started-in-radio-again-accidentally-i-wasn-t-looking-for-this-kind/) [Hector Elizondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-elizondo/) > [It's almost like, when someone plays poker for the first time, they might be a professional poker player out of ignorance, just accidentally winning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/it-s-almost-like-when-someone-plays-poker-for-the-first-time-they/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) [Browse all 163 Accidentally quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidentally/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That’s how it was.” “How do you kill somebody accidentally?” ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sherman Alexie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebody-accidentally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accidentally" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebody-accidentally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2f/sherman-alexie-444_accidentally_that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebo_3100211.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That’s how it was.” “How do you kill somebody accidentally?”” — Sherman Alexie", "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": "Sherman Alexie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That’s how it was.” “How do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebody-accidentally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/that-s-how-it-was-how-do-you-kill-somebody-accidentally/#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 } } ] } ```