--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know that an author must be brave…" description: "\"I know that an author must be brave enough to chop away clinging tentacles of good taste for the sake of a great work. But this is no great work, you s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dorothy-parker-700_be-brave_i-know-that-an-author-must-be-brave-enou_2129800.jpg" --- # I know that an author must be brave enough to chop away… ![“I know that an author must be brave enough to chop away clinging tentacles of good taste for the sake of a great work. But this is no great work, you see.” quote by Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dorothy-parker-700_be-brave_i-know-that-an-author-must-be-brave-enou_2129800.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dorothy-parker-700_be-brave_i-know-that-an-author-must-be-brave-enou_2129800.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dorothy-parker-700_be-brave_i-know-that-an-author-must-be-brave-enou_2129800.jpg) > “I know that an author must be brave enough to chop away clinging tentacles of good taste for the sake of a great work. But this is no great work, you see.” [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great art requires daring to discard conventional taste, yet true greatness is elusive and demands humility. **In simple terms:** Great work needs boldness, but true greatness is rare. Key Takeaway Be brave, but stay humble. Themes art bravery humility Mood critical reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - painting - music composition - creative projects Key Concepts literary criticism creative risk Questions to Reflect On - When have you sacrificed taste for art? - How do you handle creative failure? A Different Perspective Boldness may alienate audiences; perfection is unattainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Author Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/author-brave-4384939/) [Be brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-brave/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Brave Chop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave-chop-4384941/) [Clinging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinging/) [Clinging Tentacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinging-tentacles-4384940/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Great work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-work/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste/) [Tentacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tentacles/) [Tentacles Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tentacles-good-4384938/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [I'm aware that because America is so powerful - with its tentacles reaching out to the world - one doesn't escape it by leaving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-robinson/i-m-aware-that-because-america-is-so-powerful-with-its-tentacles/) [Randall Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-robinson/) > [Young people now reside in a world in which there are few public spheres or social spaces autonomous from the reach of the market,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/young-people-now-reside-in-a-world-in-which-there-are-few-public/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [An amoeba is a formless thing which takes many shapes. It moves by thrusting out an arm, and flowing into the arm. It multiplies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-laird/an-amoeba-is-a-formless-thing-which-takes-many-shapes-it-moves-by/) [Charlton Laird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-laird/) > [The EU is deeply harmful, it is an anti-democratic monster. I want to prevent it from becoming fatter, from continuing to breathe, from grabbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/the-eu-is-deeply-harmful-it-is-an-anti-democratic-monster-i-want-to/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [I feel like I'm lost in an anime movie" I said, as Coyote picked the thing up. "One of the tentacle-monster ones." Most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-feel-like-i-m-lost-in-an-anime-movie-i-said-as-coyote-picked-the/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Any entity – no matter how many tentacles it has – has a soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-consolmagno/any-entity-no-matter-how-many-tentacles-it-has-has-a-soul/) [Guy Consolmagno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-consolmagno/) > [“His words thrummed in, deep, imprinting themselves on her very deepest, deepest, deep bits. “I believe I am your destiny. You are mine, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-silverwood/his-words-thrummed-in-deep-imprinting-themselves-on-her-very-deepest/) [Cari Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-silverwood/) > [“Nothing in the world has tentacles or fins or paws or claws. Nothing in the world soars. Nothing swims. Nothing purrs, barks, growls, roars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/nothing-in-the-world-has-tentacles-or-fins-or-paws-or-claws-nothing/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [A lot of my peer group think I'm an eccentric bisexual, like I may even have an ammonia-filled tentacle somewhere on my body. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-downey-jr/a-lot-of-my-peer-group-think-i-m-an-eccentric-bisexual-like-i-may/) [Robert Downey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-downey-jr/) > [The fact is that you can be a Nazi living in a little trailer in the middle of Montana and as awful as everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-theroux/the-fact-is-that-you-can-be-a-nazi-living-in-a-little-trailer-in-the/) [Louis Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-theroux/) > [I came," she said, "hoping you could talk me out of a fantasy." Cherish it!" cried Hilarious, fiercely. "What else do any of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/i-came-she-said-hoping-you-could-talk-me-out-of-a-fantasy-cherish-it/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [What you learn about yourself is that you continue to see that you're selfish. It's so easy, in our Laodicean culture with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-kampman/what-you-learn-about-yourself-is-that-you-continue-to-see-that-you-re/) [Aaron Kampman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-kampman/) > [ \[The Library of Congress\] is a multimedia encyclopedia. These are the tentacles of a nation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-library-of-congress-is-a-multimedia-encyclopedia-these-are-the/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [Despite a primitive brain, the octopus possesses an intricate system that helps it decide which tentacle to masturbate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/despite-a-primitive-brain-the-octopus-possesses-an-intricate-system/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [China and Russia play very different roles. They both are getting involved across the world in all different pockets. Their tentacles are everywhere. Russia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/china-and-russia-play-very-different-roles-they-both-are-getting/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) ## More by Dorothy Parker > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Writing is the art of applying the ass to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/writing-is-the-art-of-applying-the-ass-to-the-seat/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Hollywood is the one place on earth where you could die of encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/hollywood-is-the-one-place-on-earth-where-you-could-die-of/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-two-most-beautiful-words-in-the-english-language-are-check/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Sometimes I think Ill give up trying, and just go completely Russian and sit on a stove and moan all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/sometimes-i-think-ill-give-up-trying-and-just-go-completely-russian/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [I was always sweet, at first. Oh, it's so easy to be sweet to people before you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/i-was-always-sweet-at-first-oh-it-s-so-easy-to-be-sweet-to-people/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Now to me, Edith looks like something that would eat her young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/now-to-me-edith-looks-like-something-that-would-eat-her-young/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Misfortune, and recited misfortune especially, can be prolonged to the point where it ceases to excite pity and arouses only irritation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/misfortune-and-recited-misfortune-especially-can-be-prolonged-to-the/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [The sun's gone dim, and the moon's gone black. For I loved him, and he didn't love back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-sun-s-gone-dim-and-the-moon-s-gone-black-for-i-loved-him-and-he/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wisecracking-and-wit-wit-has/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/oh-life-is-a-glorious-cycle-of-song-a-medley-of-extemporanea-and-love/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Enjoyed it! One more drink and I'd have been under the host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/enjoyed-it-one-more-drink-and-i-d-have-been-under-the-host/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Flowers are heaven's masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/flowers-are-heaven-s-masterpiece/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It costs me never a stab nor squirm / To tread by chance upon a worm. / Aha, my little dear, / I say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/it-costs-me-never-a-stab-nor-squirm-to-tread-by-chance-upon-a-worm/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) [Explore all 398 Dorothy Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## More Be brave quotes > [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) > [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [To be able to live and train in Iraq under these circumstances you need to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-able-to-live-and-train-in-iraq-under-these-circumstances-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be brave! Be strong! Be fearless! Once you have taken up the spiritual life, fight as long as there is any life in you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-brave-be-strong-be-fearless-once-you-have-taken-up-the-spiritual/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Sometimes I think I'm a nihilist because it doesn't matter, none of this matters. We're all following the will of some unknowable higher power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottessa-moshfegh/sometimes-i-think-i-m-a-nihilist-because-it-doesn-t-matter-none-of/) [Ottessa Moshfegh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottessa-moshfegh/) > [Let us be brave in the face of adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/let-us-be-brave-in-the-face-of-adversity/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [So that my life be brave, what though not long?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-drummond/so-that-my-life-be-brave-what-though-not-long/) [William Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-drummond/) > [You can plan to be brave - it's even better if you just try to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/you-can-plan-to-be-brave-it-s-even-better-if-you-just-try-to-be-brave/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [We are in a tight corner, now, I agree. But we have been in tight corners before and come out of them. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-hoffman/we-are-in-a-tight-corner-now-i-agree-but-we-have-been-in-tight/) [Mary Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-hoffman/) > [ Before \[Hindus and Moslems\] dare think of freedom, they must be brave enough to love one another, to tolerate one another's religion, even prejudices… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/before-hindus-and-moslems-dare-think-of-freedom-they-must-be-brave/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The real problem with big issues like Medicare is that both parties have to be brave at the same time. Every pollster will tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/the-real-problem-with-big-issues-like-medicare-is-that-both-parties/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [Fear is the raw material from which courage is manufactured. Without it, we wouldn't even know what it means to be brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/fear-is-the-raw-material-from-which-courage-is-manufactured-without/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [Pain nourishes courage. You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you. Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional. Physical pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara/pain-nourishes-courage-you-can-t-be-brave-if-you-ve-only-had/) [Barbara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara/) > [You make choices and sometimes they're good and sometimes they backfire. The most important thing is to be brave, forgive yourself when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersey-clemons/you-make-choices-and-sometimes-they-re-good-and-sometimes-they/) [Kiersey Clemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersey-clemons/) [Browse all 333 Be brave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-brave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know that an author must be brave enough to chop away clinging tentacles of good taste for the sake of a great work. 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