I just kind of conjured them up out of my subconscious and put them in order of ascending peculiarity.
Edward GoreyRead
I am a person before I am anything else. I never say I am a writer. I never say I am an artist...I am a person who does those things.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of identity beyond titles or roles.
Edward Gorey's quote suggests that the essence of a person's identity should not be limited to the roles they play in society, such as being a writer or artist. Instead, it highlights the idea that one's humanity and individuality come first, and that these roles are simply activities that individuals engage in, rather than defining who they truly are.
Themes
IdentityHumanityRolesSelf-PerceptionCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech to students about pursuing their passions.
More from Edward Gorey
All quotes →If something doesn't creep into a drawing that you're not prepared for, you might as well not have drawn it.
Edward GoreyRead
This is the theory… that anything that is art… is presumably about some certain thing, but is really always about something else, and it’s no good having one without the other, because if you just have the something it is boring and if you just have the something else it’s irritating.
Edward GoreyRead
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