To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters the meaning of the object photographed.
Joan DidionRead
The truth is, it's easier for me to write than talk... to express the state I'm in at any time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Writing can be a more effective way to communicate one's emotions and thoughts than speaking.
In this quote, Joan Didion highlights the personal struggle of expressing oneself verbally, suggesting that the written word offers clarity and ease in conveying complex feelings and states of mind. This reflects a broader theme of the power of writing as a form of expression, allowing the author to articulate emotions that might be difficult to communicate in conversation.
Themes
TruthWritingExpressionCommunicationFeelings
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of personal expression, one might quote Didion to emphasize how writing plays a crucial role in understanding ourselves.
More from Joan Didion
All quotes βMemories are what you no longer want to remember.
Joan DidionRead
It was clear, for example, in 1988 that the political process had already become perilously remote from the electorate it was meant to represent.
Joan DidionRead
I mean maybe I was holding all the aces, but what was the game?
Joan DidionRead
Do not whine... Do not complain. Work harder. Spend more time alone.
Joan DidionRead
Why do you always have to be right. Why do you always have to have the last word. For once in your life just let it go.
Joan DidionRead
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Prose is admittedly an art rooted in social intercourse, and a fiction writer is faster to find a common denominator with his cell mates than a poet is.
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What I perceive in science fiction is that it's more about how everything looks than what's going on, which I think is just difficult if you're an action character. I think they are about character, not about what it looks like.
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