--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we try to describe one person to…" description: "\"When we try to describe one person to another …, what do we say? Not usually how or what that person ate, rarely what he wore, only occasionally how he..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/cleanth-brooks-53657_essence_when-we-try-to-describe-one-person-to-an_2191364.jpg" --- # When we try to describe one person to another …, what do… ![“When we try to describe one person to another …, what do we say? Not usually how or what that person ate, rarely what he wore, only occasionally how he managed his job—no, what we tell is what he said and, if we are good mimics, how he said it. We apparently consider a person's spoken words the…” quote by Cleanth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/cleanth-brooks-53657_essence_when-we-try-to-describe-one-person-to-an_2191364.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/cleanth-brooks-53657_essence_when-we-try-to-describe-one-person-to-an_2191364.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab3/cleanth-brooks-53657_essence_when-we-try-to-describe-one-person-to-an_2191364.jpg) > “When we try to describe one person to another …, what do we say? Not usually how or what that person ate, rarely what he wore, only occasionally how he managed his job—no, what we tell is what he said and, if we are good mimics, how he said it. We apparently consider a person's spoken words the true essence of his being.” [Cleanth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleanth-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests we judge people by their speech, not by material details, treating words as the core of identity. **In simple terms:** We define others by what they say and how they say it. Key Takeaway Listen closely to language to understand character. Themes identity communication perception Mood analytical reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - interviews - literary analysis - social interaction Key Concepts linguistics semantic identity authorial voice Questions to Reflect On - How do words shape our view of others? - Can speech fully represent a person? A Different Perspective Speech may not capture inner thoughts or actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Spoken word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoken-word/) [Spoken words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoken-words/) ## Related quotes > [“Is it possible to make a sharp distinction between the content and the the form, between the personality of the Texas auctioneer and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cleanth-brooks/is-it-possible-to-make-a-sharp-distinction-between-the-content-and/) [Cleanth Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cleanth-brooks/) > [I verily believe that the kingdom of God advances more on spoken words than it does on essays written and read; on words, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-salter-storrs/i-verily-believe-that-the-kingdom-of-god-advances-more-on-spoken/) [Richard Salter Storrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-salter-storrs/) > [In the speech sound wave, one word runs into the next seamlessly; there are no little silences between spoken words the way there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-the-speech-sound-wave-one-word-runs-into-the-next-seamlessly-there/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The poem springs from the half spoken words of the patient… When asked, how I have for so many years continued an equal interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carlos-williams/the-poem-springs-from-the-half-spoken-words-of-the-patient-when-asked/) [William Carlos Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carlos-williams/) > [Written words differ from spoken words in being material structures. 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One month ago, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/friendship-is-not-a-thing-i-have-ever-experienced-not-as-a-child-and-2/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Whenever a person says to you that they are as innocent as lambs in all concerning money, look well after your own money, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/whenever-a-person-says-to-you-that-they-are-as-innocent-as-lambs-in/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [We can't beg someone to stay if they want to leave, We have to consider that, We can't own a person but only to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-chique/we-can-t-beg-someone-to-stay-if-they-want-to-leave-we-have-to/) Ms ChiQue > [Outside certain parameters, I don't consider myself that serious a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/outside-certain-parameters-i-don-t-consider-myself-that-serious-a/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [When we can see things as they are, without projecting our mental models and fears, we are being objective. 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