"Why slap them on the wrist with feather when you can belt them over the head with a sledgehammer"

This quote by Katharine Hepburn speaks to the concept that often mild or lenient penalties, represented here by slapping somebody with a feather, are inadequate to genuinely make a person understand the gravity of their misbehavior. In these cases, she recommends that a more powerful and harsh punishment, symbolized by belting somebody over the head with a sledgehammer, may be required in order to make the offender really comprehend the seriousness of their actions. This quote suggests that sometimes a difficult technique may be needed in order to make a lasting effect, instead of letting someone off gently and possibly allowing them to repeat their disobediences.