--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Innocence is a desirable thing, a dainty…" description: "\"Innocence is a desirable thing, a dainty thing, an appealing thing, in its place; but carried too far, it is merely ridiculous.\" — Dorothy Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/dorothy-parker-700_behavior_innocence-is-a-desirable-thing-a-dainty_2333666.jpg" --- # Innocence is a desirable thing, a dainty thing, an… ![“Innocence is a desirable thing, a dainty thing, an appealing thing, in its place; but carried too far, it is merely ridiculous.” quote by Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/dorothy-parker-700_behavior_innocence-is-a-desirable-thing-a-dainty_2333666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/dorothy-parker-700_behavior_innocence-is-a-desirable-thing-a-dainty_2333666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12a/dorothy-parker-700_behavior_innocence-is-a-desirable-thing-a-dainty_2333666.jpg) > “Innocence is a desirable thing, a dainty thing, an appealing thing, in its place; but carried too far, it is merely ridiculous.” [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. Innocence is charming but becomes absurd when excessive. **In simple terms:** Too much innocence is ridiculous. Key Takeaway Balance innocence with realism. Themes innocence balance absurdity Mood wry critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - childhood - relationships - political discourse Key Concepts human nature social critique Questions to Reflect On - When has innocence become a hindrance? - How do you maintain healthy skepticism? A Different Perspective Excessive naiveté can hinder critical judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appealing Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appealing-thing-5623662/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Dainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dainty/) [Desirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desirable/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Innocence Desirable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence-desirable-5623661/) [Merely Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merely-ridiculous-5623663/) [Ridiculous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ridiculous/) [Thing Appealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-appealing-5623664/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) ## Related quotes > [It is not elegant to gnaw Indian corn. 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Does Venus squint?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/where-is-truth-forsooth-and-who-knoweth-it-is-beauty-beautiful-or-is/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [With all your music, loud and lustily, With every dainty joy of sight and smell, Prepare a banquet meet to entertain The Lord of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hartley-coleridge/with-all-your-music-loud-and-lustily-with-every-dainty-joy-of-sight/) [Hartley Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hartley-coleridge/) > [Nothing surely is as potent as a law that may not be disobeyed. It has the force of the water drop that hollows the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/nothing-surely-is-as-potent-as-a-law-that-may-not-be-disobeyed-it-has/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [I hope the day will come when a wasp-waist and a pair of thin shoulders will not be esteemed beauty: we have had our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/i-hope-the-day-will-come-when-a-wasp-waist-and-a-pair-of-thin/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) ## 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. 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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 Behavior quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. 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