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To me there is a name for each person. I think it’s marvelous to have a name. A woman is not a woman. It’s either Gena or my mother or some other person.
John Cassavetes
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Names give individuality and significance to people, highlighting their unique identities.

In this quote, John Cassavetes emphasizes the importance of names as a means of recognizing individuality. Rather than viewing people as mere categories, he champions the idea that each person has a distinct identity that should be acknowledged and celebrated through their name, making personal relationships more meaningful.

Themes

IdentityNamesIndividualityRelationshipsRecognition

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech about the importance of personal connections, you could use this quote to emphasize how knowing someone's name enhances your relationship with them.

More from John Cassavetes

I have a one-track mind. That's all that I'm interested in - love. And the lack of it. When it stops.
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I like to act in films, I like to shoot 'em, I like to direct 'em, I like to be around 'em. I like the feel of it and it's something I respect. It doesn't make any difference whether it's a crappy film or a good film. Anyone who can make a film, I already love. But I feel sorry if they don't put any thought in it because then they missed the boat.
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There is no reason why a serious film, one about life, can't be enjoyable, maybe even fun. Emotions can be very entertaining, you know. I try to use them generously in my films.
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My parents allowed their two sons to be individuals. My family was a wild and wonderful place, with lots of friends and neighbors visiting and talking loud and eating loud and nobody telling the children to be quiet or putting them down.
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There's a difference between ad-libbing and improvising. And there's a difference between not knowing what to do and just saying something. Or making choices as an actor. As a writer also, as a person who's making a film, as a cameraman, everything is a choice. And it seems to me I don't really have to direct anyone or write down that somebody's getting drunk; all I have to do is say that there's a bottle there and put a bottle there and then they're going to get drunk.
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As an artist, I feel that we must try many things - but above all we must dare to fail.
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