--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In other words Yates had remembered the…" description: "\"“In other words Yates had remembered the lesson of his first great master, Fitzgerald—namely, that people rarely say what they mean, and good dialogue ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/blake-bailey-22734_communication_in-other-words-yates-had-remembered-the_2455706.jpg" --- # In other words Yates had remembered the lesson of his… ![“In other words Yates had remembered the lesson of his first great master, Fitzgerald—namely, that people rarely say what they mean, and good dialogue is a matter of catching one’s characters “in the very act of giving themselves away.” quote by Blake Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/blake-bailey-22734_communication_in-other-words-yates-had-remembered-the_2455706.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/blake-bailey-22734_communication_in-other-words-yates-had-remembered-the_2455706.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/74a/blake-bailey-22734_communication_in-other-words-yates-had-remembered-the_2455706.jpg) > ““In other words Yates had remembered the lesson of his first great master, Fitzgerald—namely, that people rarely say what they mean, and good dialogue is a matter of catching one’s characters “in the very act of giving themselves away.”” [Blake Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bailey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lesson is that true dialogue reveals characters by their unguarded moments, not just their words. **In simple terms:** Dialogue shows true character. Key Takeaway Listen for unguarded moments. Themes communication character writing authenticity Mood reflective analytical Type literary educational When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - interview coaching Key Concepts narrative technique psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you detect a character’s true motives? - What cues reveal hidden feelings? A Different Perspective People may mask intentions; subtle cues can be missed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitzgerald/) [Good Dialogue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-dialogue-607372/) [Master Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/master-fitzgerald-607370/) [Words Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-yates-607371/) [Yates Remembered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yates-remembered-607373/) ## Related quotes > [“Fitzgerald's work was almost entirely out of print when 'The Lost Weekend' was published in 1944—even 'Gatsby' seemed well on its way to being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-bailey/fitzgerald-s-work-was-almost-entirely-out-of-print-when-the-lost/) [Blake Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bailey/) > [I'm a big believer in writing really good dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-m-a-big-believer-in-writing-really-good-dialogue/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [Good dialogue is not real speech-it's the illusion of real speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/good-dialogue-is-not-real-speech-it-s-the-illusion-of-real-speech/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Eyes are the greatest tool in film. 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