--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have the personalities down, you…" description: "\"If you have the personalities down, you understand them and identify with them; you can stick them in any situation and have a pretty good idea of how ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/bill-watterson-728_ambiguity_if-you-have-the-personalities-down-you-u_2417124.jpg" --- # If you have the personalities down, you understand them… ![“If you have the personalities down, you understand them and identify with them; you can stick them in any situation and have a pretty good idea of how they're going to respond. Then it's just a matter of sanding and polishing up the jokes. But if you've got more ambiguous characters or stock…” quote by Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/bill-watterson-728_ambiguity_if-you-have-the-personalities-down-you-u_2417124.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/bill-watterson-728_ambiguity_if-you-have-the-personalities-down-you-u_2417124.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/bill-watterson-728_ambiguity_if-you-have-the-personalities-down-you-u_2417124.jpg) > “If you have the personalities down, you understand them and identify with them; you can stick them in any situation and have a pretty good idea of how they're going to respond. Then it's just a matter of sanding and polishing up the jokes. But if you've got more ambiguous characters or stock stereotypes, the plastic comes through and they don't work as well. These two characters clicked for me almost immediately and I feel very comfortable working with them.” [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a character’s core traits lets you predict reactions and craft jokes, while vague stereotypes feel flat. **In simple terms:** Know characters well to write funny, realistic dialogue. Key Takeaway Focus on depth, avoid flat stereotypes. Themes character development humor writing creativity Mood playful reflective Type creative instructional When to use this quote - scriptwriting - comic creation - improvisation - character workshops Key Concepts psychology stereotype character arcs Questions to Reflect On - How can you deepen a flat character? - What traits make a character memorable? A Different Perspective Depth requires time; stereotypes may still slip through. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambiguity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) [Ambiguous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguous/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Personalities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities/) [Personalities Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personalities-understand-6104565/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Plastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plastic/) [Polishing Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polishing-jokes-6104566/) [Pretty good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-good/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Stereotype](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotype/) [Stereotypes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotypes/) [Stereotypes Plastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotypes-plastic-539094/) [Sticks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sticks/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [If you've got more ambiguous characters or stock stereotypes, the plastic comes through and they don't work as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/if-you-ve-got-more-ambiguous-characters-or-stock-stereotypes-the/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“I look for ambiguity because life is ambiguous!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-stout/i-look-for-ambiguity-because-life-is-ambiguous/) [Marko Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-stout/) > [“Looking but not seeing is the hearing but not understanding of the eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/looking-but-not-seeing-is-the-hearing-but-not-understanding-of-the-eye/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The notion of ambiguity must not be confused with that of absurdity. To declare that existence is absurd is to deny that it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-notion-of-ambiguity-must-not-be-confused-with-that-of-absurdity/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [“It is still cheating, even if nobody comes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/it-is-still-cheating-even-if-nobody-comes/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Ambiguity can't be ambiguous. It is often very vivid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-mustafa/ambiguity-can-t-be-ambiguous-it-is-often-very-vivid/) [Mohammad MUSTAFA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-mustafa/) > [everything is ambiguous. It's exciting, in a way, if you can tolerate ambiguity. I can't, but I'm taking a course where it's taught, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-ballantyne/everything-is-ambiguous-it-s-exciting-in-a-way-if-you-can-tolerate/) [Sheila Ballantyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-ballantyne/) > [There's the ambiguity of human relationships, for instance. A relationship between two people, just like a sequence of words, is ambiguous if it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-perlman/there-s-the-ambiguity-of-human-relationships-for-instance-a/) [Elliot Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-perlman/) > [Life is also a mixture of unsolved problems, ambiguous victories and vague defeats-with very few moments of clear peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/life-is-also-a-mixture-of-unsolved-problems-ambiguous-victories-and/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [“The more I protested about this ambiguity, the more Joanna pointed out to me that it was both a terrible and wonderful part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilda-radner/the-more-i-protested-about-this-ambiguity-the-more-joanna-pointed-out/) [Gilda Radner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilda-radner/) > [The United States has been ambiguous on the current situation in Nepal. They have not actually come out very strongly in terms of pushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-khan/the-united-states-has-been-ambiguous-on-the-current-situation-in/) [Irene Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-khan/) > [This is the power of images, the ambiguity. You are never completely sure of anything. With written language, it's more concrete. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-serra/this-is-the-power-of-images-the-ambiguity-you-are-never-completely/) [Albert Serra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-serra/) > [We will discuss the issue and the rumors surrounding it with the agency. It is not very sensitive or ambiguous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-reza-assefi/we-will-discuss-the-issue-and-the-rumors-surrounding-it-with-the/) [Hamid-Reza Assefi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-reza-assefi/) > [The Democratic leadership has expressed great concern for the incarceration rate in the commonwealth in the last few years. Now they want to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/the-democratic-leadership-has-expressed-great-concern-for-the/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [The Russian proposal is ambiguous. If they want to propose enrichment (only) in Russia we have said it is not acceptable. But if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamid-reza-assefi/the-russian-proposal-is-ambiguous-if-they-want-to-propose-enrichment/) [Hamid-Reza Assefi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamid-reza-assefi/) ## More by Bill Watterson > [Calvin: The more you know, the harder it is to take decisive action. Once you are informed, you start seeing complexities and shades of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-the-more-you-know-the-harder-it-is-to-take-decisive-action/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [For your information, I'm staying like this, and everyone else can just get used to it! If people don't like me the way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/for-your-information-i-m-staying-like-this-and-everyone-else-can-just/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [I think most of us would be horrified to meet ourselves and discover what everyone else already knows about us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-think-most-of-us-would-be-horrified-to-meet-ourselves-and-discover/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [As a kid, I knew I wanted to be either a cartoonist or an astronaut. The latter was never much of a possibility, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/as-a-kid-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-either-a-cartoonist-or-an-astronaut/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Miss Wormwood: Calvin, your test was an absolute disgrace! It's obvious you haven't read any of the material. Our first president was not Chef…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/miss-wormwood-calvin-your-test-was-an-absolute-disgrace-it-s-obvious/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Calvin: Today for show and tell, I've brought a tiny miracle of nature: a single snowflake! I think we might all learn a lesson…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-today-for-show-and-tell-i-ve-brought-a-tiny-miracle-of-nature/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [United Features had given me a development contract, which meant I was to work exclusively with them and rather than completing everything on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/united-features-had-given-me-a-development-contract-which-meant-i-was/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [What assurance do I have that your parenting isn't screwing me up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/what-assurance-do-i-have-that-your-parenting-isn-t-screwing-me-up/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [In the right hands, a comic strip attains a beauty and elegance that, really, I would put against any other art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/in-the-right-hands-a-comic-strip-attains-a-beauty-and-elegance-that/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [If you give a little credit to the concept of the artist, I think you ought to indulge excesses a bit, because that reflects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/if-you-give-a-little-credit-to-the-concept-of-the-artist-i-think-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [I tell you all this because it's worth recognizing that there is no such thing as an overnight success. You will do well to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-tell-you-all-this-because-it-s-worth-recognizing-that-there-is-no/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [The secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's even worse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/the-secret-to-enjoying-your-job-is-to-have-a-hobby-that-s-even-worse/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [By golly, life's too darn short to waste time trying to please every meddlesome moron who's got an idea how I ought to be!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/by-golly-life-s-too-darn-short-to-waste-time-trying-to-please-every/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet, raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-m-yet-another-resource-consuming-kid-in-an-overpopulated-planet/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) [Explore all 389 Bill Watterson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) ## More Ambiguity quotes > [The position is clear - there is no ambiguity in Sinn Fein's position. We, along with all the other parties, have signed up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-position-is-clear-there-is-no-ambiguity-in-sinn-fein-s-position/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [Ambiguity is necessary in some of my stories, not in all. In those, it certainly contributes to the richness of the story. I doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wolfe/ambiguity-is-necessary-in-some-of-my-stories-not-in-all-in-those-it/) [Gene Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wolfe/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [You cannot grow in the integrative dance of action and contemplation without a strong tolerance for ambiguity, an ability to allow, forgive, and contain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/you-cannot-grow-in-the-integrative-dance-of-action-and-contemplation/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [I blame my grandfather 100 percent for his oldest son's death. I don't think there's any ambiguity there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-l-trump/i-blame-my-grandfather-100-percent-for-his-oldest-son-s-death-i-don-t/) [Mary L. Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) > [I think the relationship between social-dominance orientation in people and the extent to which they're made uncomfortable by ambiguity and novelty is really important.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/i-think-the-relationship-between-social-dominance-orientation-in/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [Yet again, an ancient answer echoes across the centuries: Listen! Listen to stories! For what stories do, above all else, is hold up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-kurtz/yet-again-an-ancient-answer-echoes-across-the-centuries-listen-listen/) [Ernest Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-kurtz/) > [My path to wisdom began when I stopped pretending to know things I didn't know. When I explicitly admitted to the limits of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-max/my-path-to-wisdom-began-when-i-stopped-pretending-to-know-things-i/) [Tucker Max](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-max/) > [If there is a single tragic flaw that mars our biggest enterprises, it is conservatism - the failure to fail, and fail big, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/if-there-is-a-single-tragic-flaw-that-mars-our-biggest-enterprises-it/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can't take positions that are closed. Everything I've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-order-to-be-as-free-as-i-possibly-can-in-my-own-imagination-i-can/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [I've always been drawn to ambiguity in pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-ve-always-been-drawn-to-ambiguity-in-pop-music/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I believe that we can still have a genre of scientific books suitable for and accessible alike to professionals and interested laypeople. The concepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/i-believe-that-we-can-still-have-a-genre-of-scientific-books-suitable/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [I am in the utmost perplexity, yand have wished a hundred times, that if there is a A God, nature would manifest him without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/i-am-in-the-utmost-perplexity-yand-have-wished-a-hundred-times-that/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [There's a lot of ambiguity in life, and so often, our art is very neatly wrapped up at the end, when our lives never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-coon/there-s-a-lot-of-ambiguity-in-life-and-so-often-our-art-is-very/) [Carrie Coon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-coon/) > [“Man must not attempt to dispel the ambiguity of his being but, on the contrary, accept the task of realizing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/man-must-not-attempt-to-dispel-the-ambiguity-of-his-being-but-on-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) [Browse all 431 Ambiguity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambiguity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you have the personalities down, you understand them and identify with them; you can stick them in any situation and have a pretty good idea of how they're going to respond. 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