--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Three or four threads may be agitated…" description: "\"Three or four threads may be agitated, like telegraph wires, at the same time, and if I were to tap them all I would reveal such a mixture of innocence..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png" --- # Three or four threads may be agitated, like telegraph… ![“Three or four threads may be agitated, like telegraph wires, at the same time, and if I were to tap them all I would reveal such a mixture of innocence and duplicity, generosity and calculation, fear and courage, I cannot tell the whole truth simply because I would have to write four journals at…” quote by Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png) > “Three or four threads may be agitated, like telegraph wires, at the same time, and if I were to tap them all I would reveal such a mixture of innocence and duplicity, generosity and calculation, fear and courage, I cannot tell the whole truth simply because I would have to write four journals at once.” [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Multiple conflicting emotions coexist, making truth complex and difficult to capture in a single narrative. **In simple terms:** Truth is tangled with many emotions. Key Takeaway Accept complexity in personal narratives. Themes complexity truth emotion Mood introspective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - journaling - therapy - creative writing - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology self‑reflection narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile opposing feelings? - Can one narrative hold all truths? A Different Perspective Simplifying truth can erase nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agitated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agitated/) [Duplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duplicity/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear and courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-and-courage/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I feel all agitated, like one of those snow globes you see resting peacefully on shop counters. I was perfectly happy being an ordinary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/i-feel-all-agitated-like-one-of-those-snow-globes-you-see-resting/) [Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/) > [The characteristic of 'Oxygene' is a mixture of innocence and ambition, of trying to do something different in a different way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-michel-jarre/the-characteristic-of-oxygene-is-a-mixture-of-innocence-and-ambition/) [Jean-Michel Jarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-michel-jarre/) > [Early music in all kinds of movements is always a mixture of innocence and ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-michel-jarre/early-music-in-all-kinds-of-movements-is-always-a-mixture-of/) [Jean-Michel Jarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-michel-jarre/) > [Except a person be part coward, it is not a compliment to say he is brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/except-a-person-be-part-coward-it-is-not-a-compliment-to-say-he-is/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Let us go forth with fear and courage and rage to save the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/let-us-go-forth-with-fear-and-courage-and-rage-to-save-the-world/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [“I call my accent Frenglian. A wee bit of French mixed with English and Sicilian." She emitted a small chuckle at her new made-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-hall/i-call-my-accent-frenglian-a-wee-bit-of-french-mixed-with-english-and/) Alyssa Hall > [“Life is a battle between fear and courage. When fear wins, you lose; when courage wins, you struggle to get stronger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/life-is-a-battle-between-fear-and-courage-when-fear-wins-you-lose/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/without-courage-we-cannot-practice-any-other-virtue-with-consistency/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I have not ceased being fearful, but I have ceased to let fear control me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/i-have-not-ceased-being-fearful-but-i-have-ceased-to-let-fear-control/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [Courage is more exhilarating than fear, and in the long run, it is easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/courage-is-more-exhilarating-than-fear-and-in-the-long-run-it-is-2/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I think, especially in this time in the world, there is very much a choice between fear and courage, and we all have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilly-singh/i-think-especially-in-this-time-in-the-world-there-is-very-much-a/) [Lilly Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilly-singh/) > [Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/peace-has-its-victories-but-it-takes-brave-men-and-women-to-win-them/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes over night. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/courage-is-more-exhilarating-than-fear-and-in-the-long-run-it-is/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The only thing we have to fear is fear itself-and possibly teh bogey man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-paulsen/the-only-thing-we-have-to-fear-is-fear-itself-and-possibly-teh-bogey/) [Pat Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-paulsen/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More by Anais Nin > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“…For love it is never the same. What goes on inside is never the same just like this music which changes every instant. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/for-love-it-is-never-the-same-what-goes-on-inside-is-never-the-same/) [Anaïs Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Jazz is the music of the body. The breath comes through brass. It is the body's breath, and the strings' wails and moans are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/jazz-is-the-music-of-the-body-the-breath-comes-through-brass-it-is/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [I have so strong a sense of creation, of tomorrow, that I cannot get drunk, knowing I will be less alive, less well, less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-have-so-strong-a-sense-of-creation-of-tomorrow-that-i-cannot-get/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [We don't have a language for the senses. Feelings are images, sensations are like musical sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/we-don-t-have-a-language-for-the-senses-feelings-are-images/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Strange, isn't it, that no chemical will give a human being the iridescence that illusions have given them? Give me your hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/strange-isn-t-it-that-no-chemical-will-give-a-human-being-the/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The personal, if it is deep enough, becomes universal, mythical, symbolic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-personal-if-it-is-deep-enough-becomes-universal-mythical-symbolic/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Introspection is a devouring monster. You have to feed it with much material, much experience, many people, many places, many loves, many creations, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/introspection-is-a-devouring-monster-you-have-to-feed-it-with-much/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [In each studio there is a human being dressed in the full regalia of his myth fearing to expore a vulnerable opening, spreading not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/in-each-studio-there-is-a-human-being-dressed-in-the-full-regalia-of/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [I don't mind working, holding my ground intellectually, artistically; but as a woman, oh, God, as a woman I want to be dominated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-don-t-mind-working-holding-my-ground-intellectually-artistically/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [“Laughter and tears are not separate experiences, with intervals of rest: they rush out together and it is like walking with a sword between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/laughter-and-tears-are-not-separate-experiences-with-intervals-of/) [Anaïs Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The basis of insincerity is the idealized image we hold of ourselves and wish to impose on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-basis-of-insincerity-is-the-idealized-image-we-hold-of-ourselves/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [I write emotional algebra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-write-emotional-algebra/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. Most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-role-of-the-writer-is-not-to-say-what-we-can-all-say-but-what-we/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [I say quotations are literary. They are good only when dealing with ideas, not with experience. Experience should be pure, unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-say-quotations-are-literary-they-are-good-only-when-dealing-with/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) [Explore all 715 Anais Nin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) ## More Agitated quotes > [“If lies comfort, and truth disturbs - self is being agitated as a result of prideful living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/if-lies-comfort-and-truth-disturbs-self-is-being-agitated-as-a-result/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) > [I keep myself away from negativity because it leaves me agitated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishnu-vishal/i-keep-myself-away-from-negativity-because-it-leaves-me-agitated/) [Vishnu Vishal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishnu-vishal/) > [Anxiety is our agitated soul scrambling for control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/anxiety-is-our-agitated-soul-scrambling-for-control/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“…Elizabeth, agitated and confused, rather knew that she was happy, than felt herself to be so…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/elizabeth-agitated-and-confused-rather-knew-that-she-was-happy-than/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Don't fucking quote me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roni-batti-kajou/don-t-fucking-quote-me/) Roni Batti Kajou > [I think that you have to let yourself be agitated and annoyed and not be fully comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-spektor/i-think-that-you-have-to-let-yourself-be-agitated-and-annoyed-and-not/) [Regina Spektor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-spektor/) > [“Roman’s eyes narrowed. He had an inkling what had his men so agitated. It wasn’t even the boy’s pretty face or blowjob lips. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-hazard/roman-s-eyes-narrowed-he-had-an-inkling-what-had-his-men-so-agitated/) [Alessandra Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-hazard/) > [She was feeling, thinking, trembling about everything; agitated, happy, miserable, infinitely obliged, absolutely angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/she-was-feeling-thinking-trembling-about-everything-agitated-happy/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Well aware that to bring the voice of sober reason to bear upon the exaggerations of agitated females was both fruitless and perilous, Freddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgette-heyer/well-aware-that-to-bring-the-voice-of-sober-reason-to-bear-upon-the/) [Georgette Heyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgette-heyer/) > [Because of my bipolar disorder, I tend to these mixed states, which are depressed but loud and agitated. So I can be terribly irritable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/because-of-my-bipolar-disorder-i-tend-to-these-mixed-states-which-are/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [“I just called to tell you good night. Get some sleep, Theia. Tomorrow is a big day.” “I would sleep much better if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-hayes/i-just-called-to-tell-you-good-night-get-some-sleep-theia-tomorrow-is/) [Gwen Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-hayes/) > [I don't want to be agitated so much on television. I don't need to watch any more agitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-don-t-want-to-be-agitated-so-much-on-television-i-don-t-need-to/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [Your mind is like this water my friend, when it is agitated it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oogway/your-mind-is-like-this-water-my-friend-when-it-is-agitated-it-becomes/) Oogway > [When he held her that way, she felt so happy that it disturbed her. After he left, it would take her hours to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gaitskill/when-he-held-her-that-way-she-felt-so-happy-that-it-disturbed-her/) [Mary Gaitskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gaitskill/) > [Minds that are ill at ease are agitated by both hope and fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/minds-that-are-ill-at-ease-are-agitated-by-both-hope-and-fear/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) [Browse all 71 Agitated quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agitated/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Three or four threads may be agitated, like telegraph wires, at the same time, and if I were to tap them all I would reveal such a mixture of innocence and duplicity, generosity and calculation, fear and courage, I cannot tell the whole truth simply because I would have to write four journals at once.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anais Nin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-like-telegraph-wires-at-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agitated" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-like-telegraph-wires-at-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/anais-nin-288_agitated_three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-li_1692250.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Three or four threads may be agitated, like telegraph wires, at the same time, and if I were to tap them all…” — Anais Nin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anais Nin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Three or four threads may be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-like-telegraph-wires-at-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/three-or-four-threads-may-be-agitated-like-telegraph-wires-at-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```