--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He said it was as if Tommy had produced a…" description: "\"“He said it was as if Tommy had produced a key which fit a cage in the back of his mind, a cage like his own cell. Only instead of holding a man, that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg" --- # He said it was as if Tommy had produced a key which fit a… ![“He said it was as if Tommy had produced a key which fit a cage in the back of his mind, a cage like his own cell. Only instead of holding a man, that cage held a tiger, and that tiger's name was Hope. Williams produced the key that unlocked the cage and the tiger was out, willy-nilly, to roam his…” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg) > ““He said it was as if Tommy had produced a key which fit a cage in the back of his mind, a cage like his own cell. Only instead of holding a man, that cage held a tiger, and that tiger's name was Hope. Williams produced the key that unlocked the cage and the tiger was out, willy-nilly, to roam his brain.”” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A mind can imprison hope like a cage, but a key can release it, unleashing powerful possibilities. **In simple terms:** Hope can be trapped in thoughts but can be freed. Key Takeaway Find the key to unlock your hope. Themes psychology hope mindset Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative work - overcoming doubt Key Concepts cognitive freedom inner strength Questions to Reflect On - What mental cages hold your hope? - How can you create a key to release it? A Different Perspective Hope may be fleeting without nurturing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Tiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiger/) ## Related quotes > [“The cage is empty; the mind has flown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-nicholl/the-cage-is-empty-the-mind-has-flown/) [Charles Nicholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-nicholl/) > [I'm not sure why working at a homeless shelter made sense to me, except that I needed to immerse myself in some sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-flynn/i-m-not-sure-why-working-at-a-homeless-shelter-made-sense-to-me/) [Nick Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-flynn/) > [“Your mind is not a cage. It's a garden. And it requires cultivating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/your-mind-is-not-a-cage-it-s-a-garden-and-it-requires-cultivating/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/your-perspective-on-life-comes-from-the-cage-you-were-held-captive-in/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Perhaps the body was not a cage that held the soul, but a hand that gripped it like a cane, appearing to guide it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-r-beha/perhaps-the-body-was-not-a-cage-that-held-the-soul-but-a-hand-that/) Christopher R. Beha > [“They’s no use kiddin’ ourself any more,’ said Tommy Haley. ‘He might get down to thirty-seven in a pinch, but if he done below…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ring-lardner/they-s-no-use-kiddin-ourself-any-more-said-tommy-haley-he-might-get/) [Ring Lardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ring-lardner/) > [“Who’s teasing? I’m telling him the truth. He ain’t going to have it. Neither one of ‘em going to have it. And I’ll tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/who-s-teasing-i-m-telling-him-the-truth-he-ain-t-going-to-have-it/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You don't appreciate a faithful husband when you've got one,' said Tommy. 'All my friends tell me you never know with husbands,' said Tuppance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/you-don-t-appreciate-a-faithful-husband-when-you-ve-got-one-said/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [“Marriage is called all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage, and lots more.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/marriage-is-called-all-sorts-of-things-a-haven-and-a-refuge-and-a/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [ “ ‘Wow, dude, come in,’ said Tommy \[Lee\], when I rang the door-bell. ‘I can’t believe it. Ozzy Osbourne’s in my house.’ ” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/wow-dude-come-in-said-tommy-lee-when-i-rang-the-door-bell-i-can-t/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“I want you to stay the fuck away from him. Am I making myself clear?” “Crystal clear,” Corey said. Tommy nodded. “Good.” He glanced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darien-cox/i-want-you-to-stay-the-fuck-away-from-him-am-i-making-myself-clear/) [Darien Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darien-cox/) > [“You need me," he said. "And I'm all yours." ~Tommy aka "Ender”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-croft/you-need-me-he-said-and-i-m-all-yours-tommy-aka-ender/) [Sydney Croft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-croft/) > [“A few minutes passed wherein the truck hummed, country music twanged on the radio, and I read the same paragraph in my history book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/a-few-minutes-passed-wherein-the-truck-hummed-country-music-twanged/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [“I started showing them some of Tommy’s greatest acting hits. “Oh my God,” one of them said, laughing. “This is so terrible.” Another one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-sestero/i-started-showing-them-some-of-tommy-s-greatest-acting-hits-oh-my-god/) [Greg Sestero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-sestero/) > [I've said this before: myself and Tommy Shelby, he's the most unlike-me character I have ever played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-ve-said-this-before-myself-and-tommy-shelby-he-s-the-most-unlike-me/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) ## More by Stephen King > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## More Cage quotes > [“The cage has gotten bigger, and we can expect bigger beasts from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mallory/the-cage-has-gotten-bigger-and-we-can-expect-bigger-beasts-from-it/) Jason Mallory > [“If you can choose your way into a cage, you can choose your way out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-kempton/if-you-can-choose-your-way-into-a-cage-you-can-choose-your-way-out/) [Beth Kempton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-kempton/) > [If you have the mentality that Jon Jones has when he steps into the cage, no one will beat you on the mat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-anderson/if-you-have-the-mentality-that-jon-jones-has-when-he-steps-into-the/) [Corey Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-anderson/) > [I underestimated the difference of fighting in a cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirko-cro-cop/i-underestimated-the-difference-of-fighting-in-a-cage/) [Mirko Cro Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirko-cro-cop/) > [“Because knowledge is only a cage if you dwell in isolation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-reid/because-knowledge-is-only-a-cage-if-you-dwell-in-isolation/) [Penny Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-reid/) > [What do you fear, lady?' he asked. 'A cage,' she said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-do-you-fear-lady-he-asked-a-cage-she-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Soon, I found myself locked in my own cage of fear and desperation, where my experience of life was getting smaller and smaller.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/soon-i-found-myself-locked-in-my-own-cage-of-fear-and-desperation/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [Everyone at home sitting on their couches, they think it's so easy to fight. Stepping inside that cage is probably the hardest thing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-cerrone/everyone-at-home-sitting-on-their-couches-they-think-it-s-so-easy-to/) [Donald Cerrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-cerrone/) > [It's life or death for me every single time I step in the cage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gaethje/it-s-life-or-death-for-me-every-single-time-i-step-in-the-cage/) [Justin Gaethje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gaethje/) > [The sight of a cage is only frightening to the bird that has once been caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-field/the-sight-of-a-cage-is-only-frightening-to-the-bird-that-has-once/) [Rachel Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-field/) > [“Do you want to be kept in a little cage? No! Because it is a horror! But then why do you keep a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-you-want-to-be-kept-in-a-little-cage-no-because-it-is-a-horror-but/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > ['Luke Cage' is a gift. There's so many different ways you can look at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-younge/luke-cage-is-a-gift-there-s-so-many-different-ways-you-can-look-at-it/) [Adrian Younge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-younge/) > [“They let us be, here, in the cage of our ignorance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/they-let-us-be-here-in-the-cage-of-our-ignorance/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Tis Vanth's cage. You can just move it out of the way." "I already have," he grumbles. "With my shin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tis-vanth-s-cage-you-can-just-move-it-out-of-the-way-i-already-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t be a bird that can be restricted from flying by putting in the cage. Be the one, which can fly with the cage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lovely-goyal/don-t-be-a-bird-that-can-be-restricted-from-flying-by-putting-in-the/) [Lovely Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lovely-goyal/) [Browse all 431 Cage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He said it was as if Tommy had produced a key which fit a cage in the back of his mind, a cage like his own cell. Only instead of holding a man, that cage held a tiger, and that tiger's name was Hope. Williams produced the key that unlocked the cage and the tiger was out, willy-nilly, to roam his brain.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen King" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced-a-key-which-fit-a-cage-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced-a-key-which-fit-a-cage-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00e/stephen-king-13_cage_he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced_3025801.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He said it was as if Tommy had produced a key which fit a cage in the back of his mind, a cage like his own…” — Stephen King", "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": "Stephen King", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He said it was as if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced-a-key-which-fit-a-cage-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-said-it-was-as-if-tommy-had-produced-a-key-which-fit-a-cage-in-the/#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 } } ] } ```