--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We sat there in silence. A masculine…" description: "\"“We sat there in silence. A masculine silence. Thick and strong. Oh, I'm full of shit. We were terrified and clueless.”\" — Sherman Alexie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/sherman-alexie-444_silence_we-sat-there-in-silence-a-masculine-sile_2545309.png" --- # We sat there in silence. A masculine silence. Thick and… ![“We sat there in silence. A masculine silence. Thick and strong. Oh, I'm full of shit. We were terrified and clueless.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/sherman-alexie-444_silence_we-sat-there-in-silence-a-masculine-sile_2545309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/sherman-alexie-444_silence_we-sat-there-in-silence-a-masculine-sile_2545309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9df/sherman-alexie-444_silence_we-sat-there-in-silence-a-masculine-sile_2545309.png) > ““We sat there in silence. A masculine silence. Thick and strong. Oh, I'm full of shit. We were terrified and clueless.”” [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. Silence can be heavy, masking fear and confusion, especially among men. **In simple terms:** Male silence hides fear. Key Takeaway Acknowledge hidden emotions. Themes masculinity silence fear Mood introspective somber Type psychological social When to use this quote - friendship - mental health - conflict resolution Key Concepts emotional intelligence gender norms Questions to Reflect On - What does silence reveal about vulnerability? - How can men express fear safely? A Different Perspective Breaking silence may be socially risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Terrified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified/) ## Related quotes > [“I hoped she didn't know just how much she affected me, because I was shit terrified of what the future meant for us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-winters/i-hoped-she-didn-t-know-just-how-much-she-affected-me-because-i-was/) [Pepper Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepper-winters/) > [We sat in silence, both of us looking up at the stars. He was probably envisioning a machine headed for Pluto. I wished i…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chandler/we-sat-in-silence-both-of-us-looking-up-at-the-stars-he-was-probably/) [Elizabeth Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chandler/) > [“We sat in silence, holding hands until it hurt, until the sun fell away–behind the words, behind the glass and the trees”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/we-sat-in-silence-holding-hands-until-it-hurt-until-the-sun-fell-away/) [Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia-and-margaret-stohl/) > [“They sat in silence. Feathers, Phoebe thought, searching in vain for some moment of her own that could rival the beauty and mystery of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/they-sat-in-silence-feathers-phoebe-thought-searching-in-vain-for/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [“Raskolnikov sat in silence, listening with disgust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/raskolnikov-sat-in-silence-listening-with-disgust/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [He sat down. I sat down next to him. And after a silence, he spoke again. 'The stars are beautiful because of a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/he-sat-down-i-sat-down-next-to-him-and-after-a-silence-he-spoke-again/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“I did not pray for her, because prayer has no efficacy; I did not cry for her, or for myself, because only extroverts cry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/i-did-not-pray-for-her-because-prayer-has-no-efficacy-i-did-not-cry/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“When I sat down beside them, their silence was lined with tenderness. We have to admire the world for not ending on us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/when-i-sat-down-beside-them-their-silence-was-lined-with-tenderness/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“They sat in silence for a full minute, the air between them growing heavy, as if they both wanted to speak, and yet had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/they-sat-in-silence-for-a-full-minute-the-air-between-them-growing/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [“We sat in silence for so long that I wondered if Nathan had evil twin who kept charming me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-farrell/we-sat-in-silence-for-so-long-that-i-wondered-if-nathan-had-evil-twin/) [Claire Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-farrell/) > [I love to scare the already terrified assholes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-love-to-scare-the-already-terrified-assholes/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [You know, I read the papers and I watch the news a lot. I watch 'Dateline' and '48 Hours'. And I think we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-galecki/you-know-i-read-the-papers-and-i-watch-the-news-a-lot-i-watch/) [Johnny Galecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-galecki/) > [The idea of a bowed and terrified liberal minority during McCarthy's 'reign of terror' is poppycock. Then as now, all elite opinion was against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/the-idea-of-a-bowed-and-terrified-liberal-minority-during-mccarthy-s/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## 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 Silence quotes > [Let us have the luxury of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/let-us-have-the-luxury-of-silence/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“A word is not filling in the gaps, but the fertilization of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-word-is-not-filling-in-the-gaps-but-the-fertilization-of-silence/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“I’m not like her. I don’t steal people.” Mr. Tibbalt watched her, saying nothing. The silence made Victoria bristle. “Well, I don’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-legrand/i-m-not-like-her-i-don-t-steal-people-mr-tibbalt-watched-her-saying/) [Claire Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-legrand/) > [Silence can be the world's strongest weapon in torturing people's emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/silence-can-be-the-world-s-strongest-weapon-in-torturing-people-s/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“When all are one sentience, Language withers and fades away. Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [True friendship is sitting together in silence and feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friendship-is-sitting-together-in-silence-and-feeling-like-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I suppose he'll just have to do," she amended. "You'll have to suffer in silence with your male model...I feel for you." "Oh, stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/i-suppose-he-ll-just-have-to-do-she-amended-you-ll-have-to-suffer-in/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [The silent majority is silent, and that is best for everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-kocher/the-silent-majority-is-silent-and-that-is-best-for-everybody/) [Gerhard Kocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-kocher/) > [“I once asked you what anxiety felt like, and you told me that most days left you riddled with bullet holes. Every morning came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-s/i-once-asked-you-what-anxiety-felt-like-and-you-told-me-that-most/) d.a.s [Browse all 8,731 Silence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We sat there in silence. A masculine silence. Thick and strong. Oh, I'm full of shit. 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