--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have scars on my hands from touching…" description: "\"I have scars on my hands from touching certain people...Certain heads, certain colours and textures of human hair leave permanent marks on me. Other th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/j-d-salinger-2-3505_certain_i-have-scars-on-my-hands-from-touching-c_2164117.jpg" --- # I have scars on my hands from touching certain… ![“I have scars on my hands from touching certain people...Certain heads, certain colours and textures of human hair leave permanent marks on me. Other things, too. Charlotte once ran away from me, outside the studio, and I grabbed her dress to stop her, to keep her near me. A yellow cotton dress I…” quote by J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/j-d-salinger-2-3505_certain_i-have-scars-on-my-hands-from-touching-c_2164117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/j-d-salinger-2-3505_certain_i-have-scars-on-my-hands-from-touching-c_2164117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e34/j-d-salinger-2-3505_certain_i-have-scars-on-my-hands-from-touching-c_2164117.jpg) > “I have scars on my hands from touching certain people...Certain heads, certain colours and textures of human hair leave permanent marks on me. Other things, too. Charlotte once ran away from me, outside the studio, and I grabbed her dress to stop her, to keep her near me. A yellow cotton dress I loved because it was too long for her. I still have a lemon-yellow mark on the palm of my right hand. Oh God, if I'm anything by a clinical name, I'm a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.” [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes compulsive, physical reactions to certain people and sensory cues, suggesting a deep‑seated, possibly pathological, need for control and intimacy. **In simple terms:** Physical marks reflect obsessive emotional attachment. Key Takeaway Recognize and seek help for compulsive behaviors. Themes obsession control intimacy psychopathology Mood introspective troubling Type psychological literary When to use this quote - personal relationships - therapy - self‑reflection - artistic expression Key Concepts trauma attachment boundary issues Questions to Reflect On - What drives the need to physically mark others? - Can these urges be redirected health? A Different Perspective Compulsive actions may mask deeper insecurity rather than genuine affection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Charlotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlotte/) [Clinicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinicals/) [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cotton/) [Dresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dresses/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hands Touching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-touching-662525/) [Happy life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-life/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Lemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lemons/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Make me happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-me-happy/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mark/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Oh god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oh-god/) [Palms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palms/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Permanent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent/) [Permanent Marks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent-marks-662524/) [Ran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ran/) [Reverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverse/) [Right hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-hand/) [Scar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scar/) [Scars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scars/) [Scars Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scars-hands-662523/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Studios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studios/) [Suspects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspects/) [Texture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texture/) [Too long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-long/) [Touching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touching/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) ## Related quotes > [I have scars on my hands from touching certain people…Certain heads, certain colours and textures of human hair leave permanent marks on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-scars-on-my-hands-from-touching-certain-people-certain-heads/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have scars on my hands from touching certain people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-have-scars-on-my-hands-from-touching-certain-people/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [According to scriptures at least I know the Bible states not to make any permanent marks on your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/according-to-scriptures-at-least-i-know-the-bible-states-not-to-make/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“If or when I do start going to an analyst, I hope to God he has the foresight to let a dermatologist sit in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/if-or-when-i-do-start-going-to-an-analyst-i-hope-to-god-he-has-the/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [They say you're either a cutter or a burner. I never cut myself. I had been chopping vegetables with my mother since I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-prinze-jr-2/they-say-you-re-either-a-cutter-or-a-burner-i-never-cut-myself-i-had/) [Freddie Prinze Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-prinze-jr-2/) > [“Anoop had obviously worked quite hard to earn the money to buy that glitzy little bracelet. He certainly had enough calluses and deep scars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/anoop-had-obviously-worked-quite-hard-to-earn-the-money-to-buy-that/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [“But her shoulder was against my arm, and the backs of our hands were touching, and although I was not looking at Margo, pressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-her-shoulder-was-against-my-arm-and-the-backs-of-our-hands-were/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I held her eyes in mind, took her hand in mine. The feeling of our hands touching was strange, sudden. It was a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/i-held-her-eyes-in-mind-took-her-hand-in-mine-the-feeling-of-our/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [“The sound of your voice makes the chaos around me vanish. The smell of your hair calms my soul. The sight of your smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kessler/the-sound-of-your-voice-makes-the-chaos-around-me-vanish-the-smell-of/) [Lisa Kessler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kessler/) > [“four behaviors that trigger concerns about trustworthiness: leaning away; crossing arms; touching, rubbing, or grasping hands together; and touching the face, stomach, or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-neffinger/four-behaviors-that-trigger-concerns-about-trustworthiness-leaning/) [John Neffinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-neffinger/) > [Silently within... With your smooth caring hands touching the skin of my chest brings shock to me that breaks my disease and finally I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ctate-saliva/silently-within-with-your-smooth-caring-hands-touching-the-skin-of-my/) [CTate & Saliva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ctate-saliva/) > [Hands, touching hands, reaching out, touching me, touching you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/hands-touching-hands-reaching-out-touching-me-touching-you/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [“The thought of her hands touching his hair makes me want to vomit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/the-thought-of-her-hands-touching-his-hair-makes-me-want-to-vomit/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) > [“As I count my blessings, I feel God's Loving Hands touching each of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-d-longoria-jr/as-i-count-my-blessings-i-feel-god-s-loving-hands-touching-each-of/) [Raymond D. Longoria Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-d-longoria-jr/) > [“What was amazing was that their small delicate hands were touching, their monkey fingers leaning into each other. It was clear that it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/what-was-amazing-was-that-their-small-delicate-hands-were-touching/) [Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/) ## More by J. D. Salinger > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [But where does by far the bulk, the whole ambulance load, of pain really come from? Where must it come from? Isn't the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-where-does-by-far-the-bulk-the-whole-ambulance-load-of-pain/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. Not that you'd be so much older or anything. It wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/nobody-d-be-different-the-only-thing-that-would-be-different-would-be/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Sex is something I really don't understand too hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/sex-is-something-i-really-don-t-understand-too-hot/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“Meant-to-be-picked-up books. Permanently-left-behind books. Uncertain-what-to-do-with books. But books, books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/meant-to-be-picked-up-books-permanently-left-behind-books-uncertain/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [But if we come back, if German men come back, if British men come back, and Japs, and French, and all the other men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/but-if-we-come-back-if-german-men-come-back-if-british-men-come-back/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Then again you may pick up just enough education to hate people who say, 'It's a secret between he and I.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/then-again-you-may-pick-up-just-enough-education-to-hate-people-who/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [The worst thing that being an artist could do to you would be that it would make you slightly unhappy constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/the-worst-thing-that-being-an-artist-could-do-to-you-would-be-that-it/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody. I'm sick of myself and everybody else that wants to make some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-sick-of-not-having-the-courage-to-be-an-absolute-nobody-i-m-sick/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“You keep records of their troubles. You’ll learn from them. If you want to Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/you-keep-records-of-their-troubles-you-ll-learn-from-them-if-you-want/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in 'The Catcher In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-aware-that-many-of-my-friends-will-be-saddened-and-shocked-or/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Most stuff that is genuine is better left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/most-stuff-that-is-genuine-is-better-left-unsaid/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“Sex is something I really don't understand too hot. You never know where the hell you are. I keep making up these sex rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/sex-is-something-i-really-don-t-understand-too-hot-you-never-know/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/an-artist-s-only-concern-is-to-shoot-for-some-kind-of-perfection-and/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [Its really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/its-really-hard-to-be-roommates-with-people-if-your-suitcases-are/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) [Explore all 121 J. D. Salinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) ## More Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) [T. H. 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A yellow cotton dress I loved because it was too long for her. I still have a lemon-yellow mark on the palm of my right hand. Oh God, if I'm anything by a clinical name, I'm a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. D. 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