--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he…" description: "\"“I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he became a rock.”\" — William Steig" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg" --- # I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he became a rock. ![“I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he became a rock.” quote by William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg) > ““I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he became a rock.”” [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desire to become unfeeling leads to literal transformation, reflecting escapism from emotional pain. **In simple terms:** Wanting to be a rock symbolizes wanting to avoid feeling. Key Takeaway Consider why you seek emotional numbness. Themes escapism identity vulnerability Mood melancholic reflective Type literary metaphorical When to use this quote - Coping with grief - dealing with anxiety - seeking emotional distance Key Concepts psychology self‑protection metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What emotions are you trying to avoid? - How might embracing feeling improve your life? A Different Perspective Becoming a rock eliminates feeling, which can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [Wishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wishes/) ## Related quotes > [I wish the rock 'n' roll scene to be back in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-fraser/i-wish-the-rock-n-roll-scene-to-be-back-in/) [Brendan Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-fraser/) > [I said, 'I'm a rock star. I can't preach in nobody's church. Are you crazy?' Let alone buy one. Oh, I wound up buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-green/i-said-i-m-a-rock-star-i-can-t-preach-in-nobody-s-church-are-you/) [Al Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-green/) > [I think a lot of people secretly wish they were a rock star, and I'm no exception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-crawford/i-think-a-lot-of-people-secretly-wish-they-were-a-rock-star-and-i-m/) [Cindy Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-crawford/) > [Someone had asked me who I thought was better, John Cena or Rock. I said Rock needs a teleprompter. Rock needs a writer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-orton/someone-had-asked-me-who-i-thought-was-better-john-cena-or-rock-i/) [Randy Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-orton/) > [“Any number of hours later, Mott came with a rock that he said was as shiny as the one I'd had before. He pointed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-a-nielsen/any-number-of-hours-later-mott-came-with-a-rock-that-he-said-was-as/) [Jennifer A. Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-a-nielsen/) > [“Now I'm going to tell you something I've kept to myself for years. None of you ever knew George Gipp. He was long before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/now-i-m-going-to-tell-you-something-i-ve-kept-to-myself-for-years/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [Chris Rock once said something that was really interesting. He said, "Women would run the world if they didn't hate each other." That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/chris-rock-once-said-something-that-was-really-interesting-he-said/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [“So the gods,” Moash said, nursing his own drink, “were pleased that you solved problems on your own . . . by going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-the-gods-moash-said-nursing-his-own-drink-were-pleased-that-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“You stopped for food on the way, Leyten,” Sigzil said. “Even Rock beat your time, and he was skipping like a girl the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-stopped-for-food-on-the-way-leyten-sigzil-said-even-rock-beat/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I'm waiting for the piece of shit to crawl out from under his rock. If it is who she said it is, then I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-z-green-2/i-m-waiting-for-the-piece-of-shit-to-crawl-out-from-under-his-rock-if/) A.Z.Green > [I have found it very important...to let go of my wishes and start hoping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-have-found-it-very-important-to-let-go-of-my-wishes-and-start-hoping/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [One day things will be so much better that everyone will look at me and wish I was like them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weller/one-day-things-will-be-so-much-better-that-everyone-will-look-at-me/) [Rachel Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weller/) > [“Be careful that you do not wait too long. Unspent wishes can be dangerous things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-m-aldridge/be-careful-that-you-do-not-wait-too-long-unspent-wishes-can-be/) Ethan M. Aldridge > [wishes for sons by Lucille Clifton i wish them cramps. i wish them a strange town and the last tampon. I wish them no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/wishes-for-sons-by-lucille-clifton-i-wish-them-cramps-i-wish-them-a/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [As far as stand-ups go, I always loved Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, and Sinbad. Basically, I love black comedians because they're the funniest. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/as-far-as-stand-ups-go-i-always-loved-richard-pryor-chris-rock-and/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) ## More by William Steig > [People are no damned good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/people-are-no-damned-good/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“Never had he been subjected to such rude treatment. How long could it last? How long, he wondered, could he abide it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/never-had-he-been-subjected-to-such-rude-treatment-how-long-could-it/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“The world was all magic, and he had a special bottle of it in his right hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/the-world-was-all-magic-and-he-had-a-special-bottle-of-it-in-his/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“Otchky-potchky, itchky-pitch, Pay attention to this witch. A donkey takes you to a knight -- Him you conquer in a fight. Then you wed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/otchky-potchky-itchky-pitch-pay-attention-to-this-witch-a-donkey/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [To tell the truth, I don't read children's books. I'm an adult. I just write them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/to-tell-the-truth-i-don-t-read-children-s-books-i-m-an-adult-i-just/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [did you ever see anybody so disgusting: said lightning to thunder, "never" thunder growled thunder, "lets give him the works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/did-you-ever-see-anybody-so-disgusting-said-lightning-to-thunder/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“How did the world ever manage without me before I was born?' he wondered. 'Didn't they feel something was missing?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/how-did-the-world-ever-manage-without-me-before-i-was-born-he/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“Why had he wanted to be rich, or to feel rich? Was he an unhappy mouse before? Didn't he see the King himself often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/why-had-he-wanted-to-be-rich-or-to-feel-rich-was-he-an-unhappy-mouse/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [How deeply one felt when alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/how-deeply-one-felt-when-alone/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“Somewhere out there, in the night sky-and it could only be night-were the glittering stars, and among them his, the one he had always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/somewhere-out-there-in-the-night-sky-and-it-could-only-be-night-were/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“The damp occupants of the cave stood close together in the vaulted entrance like actors who had played their parts and could now watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/the-damp-occupants-of-the-cave-stood-close-together-in-the-vaulted/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [Oh, Life, I am yours. Whatever it is you want of me, I am ready to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/oh-life-i-am-yours-whatever-it-is-you-want-of-me-i-am-ready-to-give/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [I've always despised old people. I got angry at my father when he began to show signs of age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/i-ve-always-despised-old-people-i-got-angry-at-my-father-when-he/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“Abel also kept busy taking it easy. Only when taking it easy, he'd learned, could one properly do one's wondering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/abel-also-kept-busy-taking-it-easy-only-when-taking-it-easy-he-d/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) > [“He was able to love them again, but he loved them now in a wiser way, knowing their weakness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/he-was-able-to-love-them-again-but-he-loved-them-now-in-a-wiser-way/) [William Steig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) [Explore all 24 William Steig quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/) ## More Rock quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [I like Louis C.K., Chris Rock. Old schools like Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-like-louis-c-k-chris-rock-old-schools-like-richard-pryor-and-eddie/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [I build on Christ, the rock of ages; on his sure mercies described in his word, and on his promises, all which I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-build-on-christ-the-rock-of-ages-on-his-sure-mercies-described-in/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [No, I don't think rock 'n' roll will ever fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-clark/no-i-don-t-think-rock-n-roll-will-ever-fade/) [Dave Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-clark/) > [When I made my debut as an actor in 'Rock On!' I was confident to get in front of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-akhtar/when-i-made-my-debut-as-an-actor-in-rock-on-i-was-confident-to-get-in/) [Farhan Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-akhtar/) > [I'm always into rock n' roll and indie rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mischa-barton/i-m-always-into-rock-n-roll-and-indie-rock/) [Mischa Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mischa-barton/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [At the risk of sounding grandiose, I will say that, to me, rock 'n' roll is sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/at-the-risk-of-sounding-grandiose-i-will-say-that-to-me-rock-n-roll/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [If you think you are too old to rock 'n roll, then you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/if-you-think-you-are-too-old-to-rock-n-roll-then-you-are/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [I'd like to say that I'm a rock star, but I'm not - I'm honestly more of a relationship kind of guy. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-d-like-to-say-that-i-m-a-rock-star-but-i-m-not-i-m-honestly-more-of/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Let there be light, sound, drums, guitar. Let there be rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/acdc/let-there-be-light-sound-drums-guitar-let-there-be-rock/) [ACDC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/acdc/) > [The Clash is pretty much my favorite band, and their songs like 'Rock the Casbah' are political dance tracks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/the-clash-is-pretty-much-my-favorite-band-and-their-songs-like-rock/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I went through a string of A&R men who all thought I should be doing something different. One thought I should be a dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/i-went-through-a-string-of-a-r-men-who-all-thought-i-should-be-doing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) [Browse all 2,140 Rock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he became a rock.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Steig" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-became-a-rock/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Rock" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-became-a-rock/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dec/william-steig-24495_rock_i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-beca_2948779.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wish I were a rock,' he said, and he became a rock.” — William Steig", "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": "William Steig", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-steig/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I wish I were a rock,'...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-became-a-rock/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-steig/i-wish-i-were-a-rock-he-said-and-he-became-a-rock/#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 } } ] } ```