--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A criminal has a kind of freedom by…" description: "\"A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the ordinary citizen doesn't have. The criminal's able to realize himself in ways not available to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/william-monahan-3226_able_a-criminal-has-a-kind-of-freedom-by-defi_771665.jpg" --- # A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the… ![“A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the ordinary citizen doesn't have. The criminal's able to realize himself in ways not available to the general population, if you want to put it that way. They're interesting and unpredictable. Characters always have to break some sort of bound…” quote by William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/william-monahan-3226_able_a-criminal-has-a-kind-of-freedom-by-defi_771665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/william-monahan-3226_able_a-criminal-has-a-kind-of-freedom-by-defi_771665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32d/william-monahan-3226_able_a-criminal-has-a-kind-of-freedom-by-defi_771665.jpg) > “A criminal has a kind of freedom by definition that the ordinary citizen doesn't have. The criminal's able to realize himself in ways not available to the general population, if you want to put it that way. They're interesting and unpredictable. Characters always have to break some sort of bound or other to be interesting. It also helps if they're paradoxical.” [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criminals experience a unique liberty to act outside societal norms, allowing self‑realization unavailable to most people. **In simple terms:** Criminals have freedom to be themselves. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden freedoms in constraints. Themes freedom identity conflict paradox creativity Mood introspective tense curious Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - Storytelling - character development - risk assessment - personal growth Key Concepts Existentialism psychology social norms Questions to Reflect On - How does societal restriction shape identity? - When does freedom become a burden? A Different Perspective Freedom can lead to moral compromise and isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Available](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/available/) [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Criminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal/) [Criminal Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-able-5963154/) [Criminal Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-kind-3429091/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Doesn Criminal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-criminal-5963153/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-citizen-336231/) [Ordinary citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-citizens/) [Paradoxical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradoxical/) [Population](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/population/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Unpredictable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpredictable/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [The importance of the ordinary citizen is very greatly underestimated - not so much by those in authority as by the ordinary citizen himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-struther/the-importance-of-the-ordinary-citizen-is-very-greatly-underestimated/) [Jan Struther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-struther/) > [It is in a way a mystery that, instead of demanding that their governments give primary attention to their own needs and aspirations, most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/it-is-in-a-way-a-mystery-that-instead-of-demanding-that-their/) [J. 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