Nobody would know me from my own description of myself; which is why, when called upon (rarely, I grant) to provide an account, I tailor it, I adapt, I try to provide an outline that can, in some way, correlate to the outline that people understand me to have -- that, I suppose, I actually have, at this point. But who I am in my head, very few people really get to see that. Almost none. It's the most precious gift I can give, to bring her out of hiding.
Interpretation
The quote explores the discrepancy between one's self-perception and how others perceive them, highlighting the struggle of revealing one's true self.
In this quote, Claire Messud reflects on the complexity of identity and self-representation. She acknowledges that the way she describes herself is often tailored to fit the expectations of those around her, suggesting that her true self is rarely seen by others. This speaks to the universal experience of feeling misunderstood or hidden, and emphasizes the value of authenticity and vulnerability in personal relationships. The act of revealing one's true self is portrayed as a precious and rare gift, which can deepen connections with others.
In practice
In a personal growth seminar discussing the importance of authenticity.
Years ago, I worked in a newspaper office, and there were men that would have fits of temper, and it was just accepted that that's who they were, and everyone would laugh about it, but if a woman got upset or angry, something wasn't right: she was 'hysterical' or 'a little unhinged.' It didn't have the same sort of connotation at all.
We think that - as kids, you know - that kids make up stories and live in a sort of fictional place, but that, as grown-ups, we tell the truth and live in fact. But, of course, the reality is we take the facts that we know, and then we fill in all the blanks.
If you ask a ten-year-old girl what she wants to do when she grows up and a fourteen-year-old girl what she wants to be when she grows up, in many cases, the older child will have a much less free sense of what's possible.
This survival of the fittest implies multiplication of the fittest.
Whatever you do, good or bad, people will always have something negative to say
I have noticed that whenever a person gives up his belief in the Word of God because it requires that he should believe a good deal, his unbelief requires him to believe a great deal more. If there be any difficulties in the faith of Christ, they are not one-tenth as great as the absurdities in any system of unbelief which seeks to take its place.
I never yet heard of a useless thing that was not ground out of existence by evolution sooner or later. Did you? And pain gets needless.
We didn't exactly believe your story.' Then --?' 'We believed your two hundred dollars.' 'You mean --' She seemed not to know what he meant. 'I mean that you paid us more than if you'd been telling the truth,' he explained blandly, 'and enough more to make it all right.
Religious doctrines β¦ are all illusions, they do not admit of proof, and no one can be compelled to consider them as true or to believe in them.
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