--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How wrong Emily Dickinson was! Hope is…" description: "\"How wrong Emily Dickinson was! Hope is not \"the thing with feathers.\" The thing with feathers has turned out to be my nephew. I must take him to a spec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/woody-allen-176_feathers_how-wrong-emily-dickinson-was-hope-is-no_1361066.jpg" --- # How wrong Emily Dickinson was! Hope is not "the thing with… ![“How wrong Emily Dickinson was! Hope is not "the thing with feathers." The thing with feathers has turned out to be my nephew. I must take him to a specialist in Zurich.” quote by Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/woody-allen-176_feathers_how-wrong-emily-dickinson-was-hope-is-no_1361066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/woody-allen-176_feathers_how-wrong-emily-dickinson-was-hope-is-no_1361066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/woody-allen-176_feathers_how-wrong-emily-dickinson-was-hope-is-no_1361066.jpg) > “How wrong Emily Dickinson was! Hope is not "the thing with feathers." The thing with feathers has turned out to be my nephew. I must take him to a specialist in Zurich.” [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) ## 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 jokes that hope, traditionally a feathered metaphor, is actually a literal nephew needing medical care, blending absurdity with personal concern. **In simple terms:** Hope is not a feather; it's personal. Key Takeaway Take care of loved ones' health. Themes family absurdity care Mood wry empathetic Type personal humorous When to use this quote - family health - personal loss - caregiving Key Concepts hope metaphor personal crisis medical urgency Questions to Reflect On - How do you support a sick relative? - What does hope mean to you now? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay seriousness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Zurich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zurich/) ## Related quotes > [“Hope is the thing with feathers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Hope may or may not be a Thing with Feathers. But it’s definitely a Thing with Claws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/hope-may-or-may-not-be-a-thing-with-feathers-but-it-s-definitely-a/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [ “You know that book of poems I’m always carrying around? \[...\] In one of her poems, she calls hope the ‘thing with feathers,’ and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roshani-chokshi/you-know-that-book-of-poems-i-m-always-carrying-around-in-one-of-her/) [Roshani Chokshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roshani-chokshi/) > [Hope is a thing with feathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/hope-is-a-thing-with-feathers/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-that-perches-in-the-soul/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-that-perches-in-the-soul-and-sings-2/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops at al](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-that-perches-in-the-soul-and-sings/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [To be hopeful, to embrace one possibility after another--that is surely the basic instinct. Baser even than hate, the thing with teeth, which can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/to-be-hopeful-to-embrace-one-possibility-after-another-that-is-surely-2/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [TPC Louisiana, where the Zurich Classic is held, is an outstanding course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/tpc-louisiana-where-the-zurich-classic-is-held-is-an-outstanding/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [ The mathematical education of the young physicist \[Albert Einstein\] was not very solid, which I am in a good position to evaluate since he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-minkowski/the-mathematical-education-of-the-young-physicist-albert-einstein-was/) [Hermann Minkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-minkowski/) > [“He reasoned, even as a young man, that traditions may linger as he walked though the oracles of time. In later years he thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-coster/he-reasoned-even-as-a-young-man-that-traditions-may-linger-as-he-2/) Andrew Coster > [To be an artist at all is like living in Switzerland during a world war. To be an artist in Zurich, in 1917, implies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/to-be-an-artist-at-all-is-like-living-in-switzerland-during-a-world/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I don't want to compare my city to Zurich; thank God we're not that boring. Rio is advancing fast, but we're at a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-paes/i-don-t-want-to-compare-my-city-to-zurich-thank-god-we-re-not-that/) [Eduardo Paes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-paes/) > [Zurich in 1915,... While the thunder of the batteries rumbled in the distance, we pasted, we recited, we versified, we sang with all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-arp/zurich-in-1915-while-the-thunder-of-the-batteries-rumbled-in-the/) [Hans Arp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-arp/) > [“He reasoned, even as a young man, that traditions may linger as he walked though the oracles of time. In later years he thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-coster/he-reasoned-even-as-a-young-man-that-traditions-may-linger-as-he/) Andrew Coster ## More by Woody Allen > [“True, science has conquered many diseases, broken the genetic code, and even placed human beings on the moon, and yet when a man of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/true-science-has-conquered-many-diseases-broken-the-genetic-code-and/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Bisexuality immediately doubles your chances for a date on Saturday night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/bisexuality-immediately-doubles-your-chances-for-a-date-on-saturday/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [In every generation there are a few people who are authentically funny. The cosmetics change. You may not be able to articulate it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/in-every-generation-there-are-a-few-people-who-are-authentically/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I think Frank Capra was a much craftier filmmaker, a wonderful filmmaker. He had enormous technique, and he knew how to manipulate the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-think-frank-capra-was-a-much-craftier-filmmaker-a-wonderful/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [The food here is terrible, and the portions are too small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/the-food-here-is-terrible-and-the-portions-are-too-small/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Gauguin flew into a frenzy! He held my head under the X-ray machine for ten straight minutes and for several hours after I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/gauguin-flew-into-a-frenzy-he-held-my-head-under-the-x-ray-machine/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [What has gotten into you lately? Save a little craziness for menopause!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/what-has-gotten-into-you-lately-save-a-little-craziness-for-menopause/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [I enjoy the making of the film and it's something for me to do. If nobody ever comes to my films, if people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-enjoy-the-making-of-the-film-and-it-s-something-for-me-to-do-if/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Why does man kill? He kills for food. And not only food: frequently there must be a beverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/why-does-man-kill-he-kills-for-food-and-not-only-food-frequently/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [A stockbroker is someone who invests other people's money until it is all gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/a-stockbroker-is-someone-who-invests-other-people-s-money-until-it-is/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Man cannot live by bread alone. Every once in awhile he needs a salad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/man-cannot-live-by-bread-alone-every-once-in-awhile-he-needs-a-salad/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [All literature is a footnote to Faust. I have no idea what I mean by that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/all-literature-is-a-footnote-to-faust-i-have-no-idea-what-i-mean-by/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [There are two important things in the world, the first is sex. The other isn't all that important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/there-are-two-important-things-in-the-world-the-first-is-sex-the/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [You can't ride two horses with one behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/you-can-t-ride-two-horses-with-one-behind/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Is old age really so terrible? Not if you've brushed your teeth faithfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/is-old-age-really-so-terrible-not-if-you-ve-brushed-your-teeth/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) [Explore all 935 Woody Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) ## More Feathers quotes > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [Stefan: "Indian with a dot, not a feather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/stefan-indian-with-a-dot-not-a-feather/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/just-erotic-nothing-kinky-it-s-the-difference-between-using-a-feather/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Now I'm free of him and I'm light as a feather. There's no weight holding me down; I'm ready to spread my wings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/now-i-m-free-of-him-and-i-m-light-as-a-feather-there-s-no-weight/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [I often say if men were meant to fly we would have been born with either feathers and wings or at the very least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zakour/i-often-say-if-men-were-meant-to-fly-we-would-have-been-born-with/) [John Zakour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zakour/) > [The world is not a burden; we make it a burden by our desires. When the desires are removed, the world is as light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-hari-dass/the-world-is-not-a-burden-we-make-it-a-burden-by-our-desires-when-the/) [Baba Hari Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-hari-dass/) > [I've been doing 'The Bachelor' long enough that I don't really care whose feathers I ruffle and how many waves I cause, because my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-harrison/i-ve-been-doing-the-bachelor-long-enough-that-i-don-t-really-care/) [Chris Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-harrison/) > [“Featherweight by Suzy Kassem One evening, I sat by the ocean and questioned the moon about my destiny. I revealed to it that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/featherweight-by-suzy-kassem-one-evening-i-sat-by-the-ocean-and/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Birds, unlike us, lack countenance. But they make us smile when they connecting the sky with their dazzling feathers. They amaze us with how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ligori/birds-unlike-us-lack-countenance-but-they-make-us-smile-when-they/) Susan Ligori > [I have not the particular shining bauble or feather in my cap for crowds to gaze at or kneel to, but I have power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/i-have-not-the-particular-shining-bauble-or-feather-in-my-cap-for/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) > [Our respect for the dead, when they are just dead, is something wonderful, and the way we show it more wonderful still. We show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-respect-for-the-dead-when-they-are-just-dead-is-something/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [...wings—-vast shimmering wings, their reach so great they swept the walls on either side of the alley, each feather like the wind-tugged lick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/wings-vast-shimmering-wings-their-reach-so-great-they-swept-the-walls/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Erotica is using a feather; pornograpy is using the whole chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/erotica-is-using-a-feather-pornograpy-is-using-the-whole-chicken/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) Browse all 605 Feathers quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How wrong Emily Dickinson was! 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