--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can’t give your heart to a wild thing." description: "\"You can’t give your heart to a wild thing.\" — Truman Capote" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/truman-capote-376_giving_you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thin_1278238.jpg" --- # You can’t give your heart to a wild thing. ![“You can’t give your heart to a wild thing.” quote by Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/truman-capote-376_giving_you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thin_1278238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/truman-capote-376_giving_you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thin_1278238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c0/truman-capote-376_giving_you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thin_1278238.jpg) > “You can’t give your heart to a wild thing.” [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. Loving an untamed or unpredictable being can lead to heartbreak and loss of control. **In simple terms:** Wild love is risky. Key Takeaway Guard your heart from unpredictable partners. Themes love risk wildness Mood cautious reflective Type advice warning When to use this quote - relationships - personal boundaries - self‑care Key Concepts emotional vulnerability unpredictability Questions to Reflect On - Are you chasing an unattainable love? - How do you protect yourself from emotional turbulence? A Different Perspective Love can be rewarding but may cause pain if the other is unsteady. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heartbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbreak/) [Heartbroken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heartbroken/) [Wild things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-things/) ## Related quotes > [Never love a wild thing, Mr. Bell,’ Holly advised him. ‘That was Doc’s mistake. He was always lugging home wild things. A hawk with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/never-love-a-wild-thing-mr-bell-holly-advised-him-that-was-doc-s-2/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“But you can't give your heart to a wild thing: the more you do the stronger they get. Until they're strong enough to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thing-the-more-you-do-the-2/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [You mustnt give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/you-mustnt-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thing-the-more-you-do-the/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [Never love a wild thing...If you let yourself love a wild thing. You'll end up looking at the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/never-love-a-wild-thing-if-you-let-yourself-love-a-wild-thing-you-ll/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“You musn't give your heart to a wild thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/you-musn-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thing/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [You mustn’t give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get, until they’re strong enough to run into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-golightly/you-mustn-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thing-the-more-you-do-the/) [Holly Golightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-golightly/) > [I've never seen a wild thing feel sorry for itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/i-ve-never-seen-a-wild-thing-feel-sorry-for-itself/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [A wild thing may say wild things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-williams/a-wild-thing-may-say-wild-things/) [Abigail Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-williams/) > [“Never love a wild thing, Mr. Bell,' Holly advised him. 'That was Doc's mistake. He was always lugging home wild things. A hawk with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/never-love-a-wild-thing-mr-bell-holly-advised-him-that-was-doc-s/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Never love a wild thing. You can’t give your heart to a wild thing: the more you do, the stronger they get. Until they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-golightly/never-love-a-wild-thing-you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thing-the/) [Holly Golightly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-golightly/) > [“But you can't give your heart to a wild thing: the more you do, the stronger they get. Until they're strong enough to run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/but-you-can-t-give-your-heart-to-a-wild-thing-the-more-you-do-the/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Wild Thing made their hearts sing. But he couldn't top everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-jones/wild-thing-made-their-hearts-sing-but-he-couldn-t-top-everything/) [Terry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-jones/) > [He licked his bowl and he looked at me, and then he did the wild thing on my leg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tone-loc/he-licked-his-bowl-and-he-looked-at-me-and-then-he-did-the-wild-thing/) Tone-Loc > [I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-saw-a-wild-thing-sorry-for-itself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's the trouble with loving a wild thing: You're always left watching the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-pattou/that-s-the-trouble-with-loving-a-wild-thing-you-re-always-left-2/) [Edith Pattou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-pattou/) ## 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 Giving quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [You've touched people and known it. You've touched people and never may know it. Either way, you have something to give. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/you-ve-touched-people-and-known-it-you-ve-touched-people-and-never/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. 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