---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I…"
description: "\"“But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I have already read it. And, not to lie to you, I liked it. But I am afraid. I am not afraid of you, Fidelia, S..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg"
---

#  But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I have already read…

![“But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I have already read it. And, not to lie to you, I liked it. But I am afraid. I am not afraid of you, Fidelia, Sania, Ania. I am afraid of you . (I put all this in my separate notebook. My doubtbook.)” quote by Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg)

> ““But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I have already read it. And, not to lie to you, I liked it. But I am afraid. I am not afraid of you, Fidelia, Sania, Ania. I am afraid of you . (I put all this in my separate notebook. My doubtbook.)””

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker confesses fear of a person despite claiming no fear of others, revealing personal vulnerability and the complexity of desire.

**In simple terms:** Fear can be personal and contradictory.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge hidden anxieties.

Themes

fear desire self‑reflection

Mood

introspective conflicted

Type

literary psychological

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- writing workshops
- personal journaling

Key Concepts

psychoanalysis identity intimacy

Questions to Reflect On

- What does this fear reveal about the self?
- How can confronting fear change relationships?

A Different Perspective

Fear may mask deeper longing.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-afraid/) [Afraid Fidelia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-fidelia-5966813/) [Afraid Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-read-2828267/) [Ania Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ania-afraid-5966814/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Liked Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-afraid-1625251/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [When I first saw you, I was afraid to talk to you. When I first talked to you, I was afraid to like you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-saw-you-i-was-afraid-to-talk-to-you-when-i-first-talked/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I’m afraid, Glory. Afraid of what I read in the papers. Of not knowing if Western Union will deliver a telegram from someone I’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-hayes/i-m-afraid-glory-afraid-of-what-i-read-in-the-papers-of-not-knowing/)

[Suzanne Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-hayes/)

> [When I first saw you I was afraid to meet you. When I met you I was afraid to like you. When I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooklyn-chance/when-i-first-saw-you-i-was-afraid-to-meet-you-when-i-met-you-i-was-2/)

[Brooklyn Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooklyn-chance/)

> [I was so afraid to even read a paper in front of my classmates. It is very funny because at that point my teachers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-nemcova/i-was-so-afraid-to-even-read-a-paper-in-front-of-my-classmates-it-is/)

[Petra Nemcova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-nemcova/)

> [When I first saw you I was afraid to talk to you, When I first talked to you I was afraid to like you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/when-i-first-saw-you-i-was-afraid-to-talk-to-you-when-i-first-talked-3/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [When I met you I was afraid to like you, when I liked you I was afraid to love you, now I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-met-you-i-was-afraid-to-like-you-when-i-liked-you-i-was-afraid/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I saw you I was afraid to talk to you. I talked to you I was afraid to like you. I liked you I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-saw-you-i-was-afraid-to-talk-to-you-i-talked-to-you-i-was-afraid-to/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [You cannot be afraid, Read the book. Smile at it. It's a great book-the greatest book you've ever read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-cannot-be-afraid-read-the-book-smile-at-it-it-s-a-great-book-the/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [What is my life for and what am I going to do with it? I don't know and I'm afraid. I can never read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/what-is-my-life-for-and-what-am-i-going-to-do-with-it-i-don-t-know/)

[Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/)

> [“Some books you never get over, like a first love. Some books that made an enormous impression on you when you were young you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-pinckney/some-books-you-never-get-over-like-a-first-love-some-books-that-made/)

[Darryl Pinckney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-pinckney/)

> [When I First Saw You I Was Afraid To Talk To You, When I First Talked To You I Was Afraid To Like You,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-saw-you-i-was-afraid-to-talk-to-you-when-i-first-talked-2/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“…What is my life for and what am I going to do with it? I don't know and I’m afraid. I can never read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/what-is-my-life-for-and-what-am-i-going-to-do-with-it-i-don-t-know-4/)

[Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/)

> [“The thing he was afraid of, he was afraid somebody'd say something smarter than he had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-thing-he-was-afraid-of-he-was-afraid-somebody-d-say-something/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [“Even now, I have a lot of trouble understanding why Sharon stayed – or why she married me in the first place, come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/even-now-i-have-a-lot-of-trouble-understanding-why-sharon-stayed-or/)

[Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/)

> [I'm afraid to be afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/i-m-afraid-to-be-afraid/)

[Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/)

## More by Hélène Cixous

> [“(Because Jonah’s real story is the one never told: never was he as stupendously happy as during those three days and three nights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/because-jonah-s-real-story-is-the-one-never-told-never-was-he-as/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“I, too, overflow; my desires have invented new desires, my body knows unheard-of songs. Time and again I, too, have felt so full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/i-too-overflow-my-desires-have-invented-new-desires-my-body-knows/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [What happens: events interiors, snatch them from the cradle, from the source. I want to watch watching arrive. I want to watch arrivances. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/what-happens-events-interiors-snatch-them-from-the-cradle-from-the/)

[Helene Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“And I? I drink, I burn, I gather dreams. And sometimes I tell a story. Because Promethea asks me for a bowl of words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/and-i-i-drink-i-burn-i-gather-dreams-and-sometimes-i-tell-a-story/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“The author of what I describe is not myself, it is the Other. First of all it is you, it is the woman, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/the-author-of-what-i-describe-is-not-myself-it-is-the-other-first-of/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [Perhaps what I do not manage to operate rapidly enough is the passage between the outside and the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/perhaps-what-i-do-not-manage-to-operate-rapidly-enough-is-the-passage/)

[Helene Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“To fly/steal is woman’s gesture, to steal into language to make it fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/to-fly-steal-is-woman-s-gesture-to-steal-into-language-to-make-it-fly/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“Those I love go in the direction of what they call the last hour—what Clarice Lispector calls, “the hour of the star,” “the hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/those-i-love-go-in-the-direction-of-what-they-call-the-last-hour-what/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“...and this morning I am without fire, my marrow is ash, I am very sad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/and-this-morning-i-am-without-fire-my-marrow-is-ash-i-am-very-sad/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [Me too, I make do, I anoint what cannot be fixed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/me-too-i-make-do-i-anoint-what-cannot-be-fixed/)

[Helene Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“Writing, in its noblest function, is the attempt to unerase, to unearth, to find the primitive picture again, ours, the one that frightens us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/writing-in-its-noblest-function-is-the-attempt-to-unerase-to-unearth/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“Here I am now. And it is hell. Paradise? Yes, I still am here, but who? only myself, with my small waist, my small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/here-i-am-now-and-it-is-hell-paradise-yes-i-still-am-here-but-who/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“Knowledge from experience: the heart goes blind because the need is stronger than anything else. Your ego is blind, your id is eager. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/knowledge-from-experience-the-heart-goes-blind-because-the-need-is/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“I see nothing. I do not move. It is an empty time, animal time, vigilant, I am submerged, under the earth and under time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/i-see-nothing-i-do-not-move-it-is-an-empty-time-animal-time-vigilant/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

> [“Go, fly, swim, bound descend, cross, love the unknown, love the uncertain, love what has not yet been seen, love no one, whom you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/go-fly-swim-bound-descend-cross-love-the-unknown-love-the-uncertain/)

[Hélène Cixous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

[Explore all 121 Hélène Cixous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/)

## More Afraid quotes

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/)

[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/)

[Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/)

[Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/)

> [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/)

[Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/)

> [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/)

[Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/)

> [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/)

[James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/)

> [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/)

[Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/)

> [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/)

[Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/)

> [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/)

[Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/)

[Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I have already read it. And, not to lie to you, I liked it. But I am afraid. I am not afraid of you, Fidelia, Sania, Ania. I am afraid of you . (I put all this in my separate notebook. My doubtbook.)”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hélène Cixous"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-have-already-read-it-and-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Afraid"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-have-already-read-it-and-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/h-l-ne-cixous-3823_afraid_but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-h_3205234.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But I may also be afraid. I am afraid. I have already read it. And, not to lie to you, I liked it. But I am…” — Hélène Cixous",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Hélène Cixous",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-cixous/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“But I may also be afraid....",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-have-already-read-it-and-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-cixous/but-i-may-also-be-afraid-i-am-afraid-i-have-already-read-it-and-not/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
