--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish to please the people, but I want…" description: "\"I wish to please the people, but I want to make them cry, perhaps. There, I have said it.\" — Anna Held" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/anna-held-14490_cry_i-wish-to-please-the-people-but-i-want-t_3127306.png" --- # I wish to please the people, but I want to make them cry… ![“I wish to please the people, but I want to make them cry, perhaps. There, I have said it.” quote by Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/anna-held-14490_cry_i-wish-to-please-the-people-but-i-want-t_3127306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/anna-held-14490_cry_i-wish-to-please-the-people-but-i-want-t_3127306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb7/anna-held-14490_cry_i-wish-to-please-the-people-but-i-want-t_3127306.png) > “I wish to please the people, but I want to make them cry, perhaps. There, I have said it.” [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker desires to please others yet also provoke strong emotional reactions, acknowledging the complexity of public performance. **In simple terms:** Wanting to please and also move people emotionally. Key Takeaway Balance audience approval with emotional impact. Themes performance emotion audience conflict Mood thoughtful ambivalent Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - stage shows - public speaking - creative work Key Concepts pleasure crying artistic intent Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to elicit strong emotions? - Is it okay to cause discomfort for art? A Different Perspective Audience reaction may be unpredictable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [You said you'll make me cry and when I said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-said-you-ll-make-me-cry-and-when-i-said/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some words may make you happy, some may make you said. Maybe some will make you angry. What I hope. . . what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-maclachlan/some-words-may-make-you-happy-some-may-make-you-said-maybe-some-will/) [Patricia MacLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-maclachlan/) > [“Why did you make me?" you said. "I made you so that I could love you," I said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-tidbeck/why-did-you-make-me-you-said-i-made-you-so-that-i-could-love-you-i/) [Karin Tidbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-tidbeck/) > [“We’re not going to make it,” said”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-coes/we-re-not-going-to-make-it-said/) Ben Coes > [They're beautiful. But sad.' Everything's sad if you make it so, I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/they-re-beautiful-but-sad-everything-s-sad-if-you-make-it-so-i-said/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [You could never be sure that you would make it, but what I said to myself is that I would always give my best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bukayo-saka/you-could-never-be-sure-that-you-would-make-it-but-what-i-said-to/) [Bukayo Saka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bukayo-saka/) > [It was taken for granted that we had to make something of ourselves. Not much was said about it; it was just in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/it-was-taken-for-granted-that-we-had-to-make-something-of-ourselves/) [Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/) > [I just want to make things that people want to buy. I have no confusion about this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-marchionne/i-just-want-to-make-things-that-people-want-to-buy-i-have-no/) [Sergio Marchionne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-marchionne/) > [He cries. 'Please! I don't want to die.' I lean over. My hair smothers him. 'Then you should never have been born,' I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/he-cries-please-i-don-t-want-to-die-i-lean-over-my-hair-smothers-him/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [Many people believe that they were made by their parents: 'I didn't ask to be born.' they cry. This is completely wrong. Please try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kushi/many-people-believe-that-they-were-made-by-their-parents-i-didn-t-ask/) [Michio Kushi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kushi/) > [I approach everything the same. I try to make it as real as possible, whether you gotta make people laugh or make people cry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-approach-everything-the-same-i-try-to-make-it-as-real-as-possible/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [I wish more people would belabor the obvious, and more often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-warraq/i-wish-more-people-would-belabor-the-obvious-and-more-often/) [Ibn Warraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-warraq/) > [What do men want? They want a lot of pals, and they wish that people wouldn't get so mad at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/what-do-men-want-they-want-a-lot-of-pals-and-they-wish-that-people/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I would wish that people would accept people for who they are, not be judgemental, allow people to live their lives and enjoy themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barrowman/i-would-wish-that-people-would-accept-people-for-who-they-are-not-be/) [John Barrowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barrowman/) > [Although it sounds very trite, I wish people were nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/although-it-sounds-very-trite-i-wish-people-were-nice/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) ## More by Anna Held > [A woman must make her fortune before she is 30; or work after she is 30; or get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/a-woman-must-make-her-fortune-before-she-is-30-or-work-after-she-is/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [It is all very well for so-called sensible people to recommend flat heels and short skirts, but most of us prefer not to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/it-is-all-very-well-for-so-called-sensible-people-to-recommend-flat/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [It is a temptation for me to wear all my rings at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/it-is-a-temptation-for-me-to-wear-all-my-rings-at-once/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [I do not care for the money, just for the glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/i-do-not-care-for-the-money-just-for-the-glory/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [Yes, I am seeking a husband. As soon as the right man asks me, I shall say, It is not good for a woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/yes-i-am-seeking-a-husband-as-soon-as-the-right-man-asks-me-i-shall/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [We must go fast, because the race is against time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/we-must-go-fast-because-the-race-is-against-time/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [Please do not ask me to talk about my divorce. Mr. Ziegfeld and I are such very good friends. It is only a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/please-do-not-ask-me-to-talk-about-my-divorce-mr-ziegfeld-and-i-are/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [People look at me and look, but I do not care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/people-look-at-me-and-look-but-i-do-not-care/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [One does not re-light a dead cigarette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/one-does-not-re-light-a-dead-cigarette/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [No one ever tells us the truth, even those we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/no-one-ever-tells-us-the-truth-even-those-we-love/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [An idea is our visual reaction to something seen - in real life, in our memory, in our imagination, in our dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/an-idea-is-our-visual-reaction-to-something-seen-in-real-life-in-our/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [I speak English, so I am no longer cute. My tongue itches for French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/i-speak-english-so-i-am-no-longer-cute-my-tongue-itches-for-french/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [My little dog, he did not get ill. It is so funny that people get ill on a boat and dogs do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/my-little-dog-he-did-not-get-ill-it-is-so-funny-that-people-get-ill/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [I think the eyes flirt most. There are so many ways to use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/i-think-the-eyes-flirt-most-there-are-so-many-ways-to-use-them/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) > [I hadn't even dreamed of getting another Academy Award, and there I was unhappy in my private life and miserable, I remember Odets drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-held/i-hadn-t-even-dreamed-of-getting-another-academy-award-and-there-i/) [Anna Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) [Explore all 46 Anna Held quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-held/) ## More Cry quotes > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [ That's probably why my face was looking so crazy when I was crying \[in "Hardball"\] because it was some real. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/that-s-probably-why-my-face-was-looking-so-crazy-when-i-was-crying-in/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [And then theres always the crying and the weeping that we hear-children, women, even men. And these images and these sounds are always with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/and-then-theres-always-the-crying-and-the-weeping-that-we-hear/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [My idea for 'BoneMan's Daughters' came from the loss of my own daughter when she left home to live with a monster at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/my-idea-for-boneman-s-daughters-came-from-the-loss-of-my-own-daughter/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [I grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood and was raised by a man who did not emote, ever... I always cry at movies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-quick/i-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-neighborhood-and-was-raised-by-a-man-who/) [Matthew Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-quick/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [I cry at the end of every book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/i-cry-at-the-end-of-every-book/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [ The most important thing I learned \[...\] was that when a person dies he only appears to die. He is still very much alive… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-was-that-when-a-person-dies-he/) [Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/) > [I would have done anything for him. Maybe that was my sickness. We made love in nothing places and turned the lights off. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-would-have-done-anything-for-him-maybe-that-was-my-sickness-we-made/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [It is easy to speak words of love, or to meditate lovingly upon those people with whom you are in harmony. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ponder/it-is-easy-to-speak-words-of-love-or-to-meditate-lovingly-upon-those/) [Catherine Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ponder/) > [I had rather be a Kitten, and cry mew, Than one of these same Meeter Ballad-mongers: I had rather heare a Brazen Candlestick turn'd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-had-rather-be-a-kitten-and-cry-mew-than-one-of-these-same-meeter/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 4,998 Cry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wish to please the people, but I want to make them cry, perhaps. 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