---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: it's better to look at the sky than live…"
description: "\"“it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.”\" — Truman ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg"
---

#  it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an…

![“it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg)

> ““it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.””

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker finds the sky more appealing than being confined within it, using it as a metaphor for seeking freedom from vague, empty existence.

**In simple terms:** Sky is freer than staying there

Key Takeaway

Seek openness beyond limiting environments

Themes

freedom existence imagery

Mood

contemplative poetic

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

- creative writing
- personal growth
- spiritual contemplation

Key Concepts

philosophy literature

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you escape mental confinement?
- What does the sky symbolize for you?

A Different Perspective

Physical presence can limit perception; balance imagination with reality

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Look Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-sky/) [Place Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place-vague-1675733/) [Things Disappear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-disappear-380457/) [Thunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder/) [Thunder Goes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder-goes-1675732/)

## Related quotes

> [“Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/such-an-empty-place-so-vague-just-a-country-where-the-thunder-goes/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [Good luck and believe me, dearest Doc - it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/good-luck-and-believe-me-dearest-doc-it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“It’s better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live-there-such-an-empty-place-so-2/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [It’s better to look at the sky than live there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live-there/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [“If closing my eyes would make unfair things disappear, I would do that”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isuna-hasekura/if-closing-my-eyes-would-make-unfair-things-disappear-i-would-do-that/)

[Isuna Hasekura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isuna-hasekura/)

> [“Or maybe, it's just gone. Sometimes things disappear and there's no getting them back. That's just how it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-otsuka/or-maybe-it-s-just-gone-sometimes-things-disappear-and-there-s-no/)

[Julie Otsuka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-otsuka/)

> [I lose things. I write things and they disappear from my desk, my life. I move a lot. I wanted to gather them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/i-lose-things-i-write-things-and-they-disappear-from-my-desk-my-life/)

[Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/)

> [The initial spark, your affection for the characters, all those things can disappear. It's a perilous thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/the-initial-spark-your-affection-for-the-characters-all-those-things/)

[Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/)

> [“It isn't the happy ending that Ingrid and I have dreamed up, but it's all a part of what I'm working through. The way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lacour/it-isn-t-the-happy-ending-that-ingrid-and-i-have-dreamed-up-but-it-s/)

[Nina LaCour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lacour/)

> [It's not very fashionable, but I love life, and I believe that things disappear and reappear and nothing ever solidifies, no matter how middle-class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/it-s-not-very-fashionable-but-i-love-life-and-i-believe-that-things/)

[Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/)

> [I think one of the coolest things you can do is disappear for a while, because it gives you the chance to re-emerge. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-homme/i-think-one-of-the-coolest-things-you-can-do-is-disappear-for-a-while/)

[Josh Homme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-homme/)

> [...that's how memory works ... Things disappear without your permission, then come back again without your permission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/that-s-how-memory-works-things-disappear-without-your-permission-then/)

[Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/)

> [The clouds are passing by slowly as the moon appears. Like the clouds, there are certain things which will disappear with the passing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jin-sun-mi/the-clouds-are-passing-by-slowly-as-the-moon-appears-like-the-clouds/)

[Jin Sun Mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jin-sun-mi/)

> [Some things are forgotten, some things disappear, some things die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/some-things-are-forgotten-some-things-disappear-some-things-die/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

## More by Truman Capote

> [“You can beat your brains out for her, and she’ll hand you horseshit on a platter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-beat-your-brains-out-for-her-and-she-ll-hand-you-horseshit-on/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“The walls of the cell fell away, the sky came down, I saw the big yellow bird.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/the-walls-of-the-cell-fell-away-the-sky-came-down-i-saw-the-big/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“Don't wanna ride on the devil's side...just wanna ride with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/don-t-wanna-ride-on-the-devil-s-side-just-wanna-ride-with-you/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [Wrinkles and bones, white hair and diamonds: I can't wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/wrinkles-and-bones-white-hair-and-diamonds-i-can-t-wait/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [You can't blame a writer for what the characters say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-can-t-blame-a-writer-for-what-the-characters-say/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [There is really no practical help that one can offer; it is a matter of self-discovery, of one's own convictions, or working with one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/there-is-really-no-practical-help-that-one-can-offer-it-is-a-matter/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“...Narcissus was so egotist...he was merely another of us who, in our unshatterable isolation, recognized, on seeing his reflection, the beautiful comrade, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/narcissus-was-so-egotist-he-was-merely-another-of-us-who-in-our/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“Is it - I'm not certain - possible to love someone if your first interest is the use you can make of him? Doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/is-it-i-m-not-certain-possible-to-love-someone-if-your-first-interest/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [One of the most difficult things in writing a novel or anything at all is to choose the point of view from which it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-in-writing-a-novel-or-anything-at/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [I've never worked for a newspaper. I've had some very bad reviews in newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-ve-never-worked-for-a-newspaper-i-ve-had-some-very-bad-reviews-in/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [But, my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incompleted episodes? 'We work in the dark, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-my-dear-so-few-things-are-fulfilled-what-are-most-lives-but-a/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“…she, glittery voyager of secure destination, steamed down the harbor with whistles whistling and confetti in the air.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/she-glittery-voyager-of-secure-destination-steamed-down-the-harbor/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“Because it's indeed difficult to portray, in any meaningful depth, another being, his appearance, speech, mentality, without to some degree, and often for quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/because-it-s-indeed-difficult-to-portray-in-any-meaningful-depth/)

[truman capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“It's a bore, but the answer is good things only happen to you if you're good. Good? Honest is more what I mean. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-a-bore-but-the-answer-is-good-things-only-happen-to-you-if-you/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [“In the courtyard there was an angel of black stone, and its angel head rose above giant elephant leaves; the stark glass angel eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-the-courtyard-there-was-an-angel-of-black-stone-and-its-angel-head/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

[Explore all 585 Truman Capote quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

## More Thunder quotes

> [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/)

[Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/)

> [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our teeples, drowned the cocks! You sulphurour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/blow-winds-and-crack-your-cheeks-rage-blow-you-cataracts-and/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Think you a little din can daunt mine ears? Have I not in my time heard lions roar? Have I not heard the sea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/think-you-a-little-din-can-daunt-mine-ears-have-i-not-in-my-time/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [The sky is now indelible ink, The branches reft asunder; But you and I we do not shrink; We love the lovely thunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/the-sky-is-now-indelible-ink-the-branches-reft-asunder-but-you-and-i/)

[Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/)

> [Along the coast the sea roars, and inland the mountains roar – the roaring at the center, like a distant clap of thunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasunari-kawabata/along-the-coast-the-sea-roars-and-inland-the-mountains-roar-the/)

[Yasunari Kawabata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasunari-kawabata/)

> [Loud o'er my head though awful thunders roll, And vivid lightnings flash from pole to pole, Yet 'tis Thy voice, my God, that bids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/loud-o-er-my-head-though-awful-thunders-roll-and-vivid-lightnings/)

[Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/)

> [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/)

[Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/)

> [You know, you might not think that Wigglytuff can, like, throw a thunder or lightning-type move at you. But, oh, just you watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bowen-yang/you-know-you-might-not-think-that-wigglytuff-can-like-throw-a-thunder/)

[Bowen Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bowen-yang/)

> [When I'm manic, I'm so awake and alert, that my eyelashes fluttering on the pillow sound like thunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/when-i-m-manic-i-m-so-awake-and-alert-that-my-eyelashes-fluttering-on/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

> [And also, one is a mother in order to understand the inexplicable. One is a mother to lighten the darkness. One is a mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariama-b/and-also-one-is-a-mother-in-order-to-understand-the-inexplicable-one/)

[Mariama Bâ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariama-b/)

> [“The sound of you not here rolls through me like never-ending thunder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-toni-sorenson/the-sound-of-you-not-here-rolls-through-me-like-never-ending-thunder/)

[Dr. Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-toni-sorenson/)

> [I gave my heart to the mountains the minute I stood beside this river with its spray in my face and watched it thunder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-gave-my-heart-to-the-mountains-the-minute-i-stood-beside-this-river/)

[Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/)

> [A sudden gust of rain blew over them and then another - as if small liquid clouds were bouncing along the land. Lightning entered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/a-sudden-gust-of-rain-blew-over-them-and-then-another-as-if-small/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [ Your printers have made but one blunder,Correct it instanter, and then for the thunder!We'll see in a jiffy if this Mr S\[pencer\]Has the ghost… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-printers-have-made-but-one-blunder-correct-it-instanter-and-then/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Deliver thunder, God, if you dont choose to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/deliver-thunder-god-if-you-dont-choose-to-talk/)

[Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/)

[Browse all 574 Thunder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunder/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the thunder goes and things disappear.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Truman Capote"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live-there-such-an-empty-place-so/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Thunder"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live-there-such-an-empty-place-so/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/truman-capote-376_thunder_it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live_359994.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“it's better to look at the sky than live there. Such an empty place; so vague. Just a country where the…” — Truman Capote",
                "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": "Truman Capote",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“it's better to look at the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live-there-such-an-empty-place-so/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/it-s-better-to-look-at-the-sky-than-live-there-such-an-empty-place-so/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
