I feel like I am always the one tearing everything up and forever sewing it back together.
Saadat Hasan MantoRead
If you cannot bear these stories then the society is unbearable. Who am I to remove the clothes of this society, which itself is naked. I don't even try to cover it, because it is not my job, that's the job of dressmakers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the uncomfortable truth of society and the role of artists in revealing its flaws.
Saadat Hasan Manto's quote reflects on the challenging nature of confronting societal issues. He suggests that if one cannot endure the harsh realities and stories of society, then they contribute to an unbearable environment. Manto highlights his role as a storyteller who exposes the naked truths of society, asserting that it is not his responsibility to disguise these truths, as that task belongs to those who create societal norms and appearances.
Themes
SocietyTruthStoriesArtRealityExposure
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the role of art in social commentary.
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All quotes →Hindustan had become free. Pakistan had become independent soon after its inception but man was still slave in both these countries -- slave of prejudice … slave of religious fanaticism … slave of barbarity and inhumanity.
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But love, whether in Multan or on Siberia's icy tundra, whether in the winter or the summer, whether among the rich or the poor, whether among the beautiful or the ugly, whether among the crude or refined, love is always just love. There's no difference.
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If you find my stories dirty, the society you are living in is dirty. With my stories, I only expose the truth
Saadat Hasan MantoRead
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