--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that's true of real life - we…" description: "\"I think that's true of real life - we don't ever know anyone completely. Secrets are very important to creating a narrative work that's believable. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/jaume-cabre-27345_character_i-think-that-s-true-of-real-life-we-don_1894001.jpg" --- # I think that's true of real life - we don't ever know… ![“I think that's true of real life - we don't ever know anyone completely. Secrets are very important to creating a narrative work that's believable. The characters come into that world with secrets, as happens to all of us. As honest as we try to be in our relationships, we can never completely…” quote by Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/jaume-cabre-27345_character_i-think-that-s-true-of-real-life-we-don_1894001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/jaume-cabre-27345_character_i-think-that-s-true-of-real-life-we-don_1894001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/jaume-cabre-27345_character_i-think-that-s-true-of-real-life-we-don_1894001.jpg) > “I think that's true of real life - we don't ever know anyone completely. Secrets are very important to creating a narrative work that's believable. The characters come into that world with secrets, as happens to all of us. As honest as we try to be in our relationships, we can never completely know someone. From a narrative perspective it's very important and pleasing - you want to have those secrets there. The secret is an essential part of the creation of the novel.” [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Secrets keep characters and stories realistic, as people are never fully known. **In simple terms:** Secrets make stories believable. Key Takeaway Embrace mystery in storytelling. Themes storytelling secrets human nature Mood analytical curious Type literary educational When to use this quote - novel writing - film scripts - character development - personal relationships Key Concepts narrative theory psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do secrets shape character arcs? - When should a secret be revealed? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on secrets can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Our relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-relationship/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secrets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secrets/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Hey, look, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. We have enough secrets between us to close the gap in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-storm/hey-look-you-don-t-have-to-tell-me-if-you-don-t-want-to-we-have/) Blake Storm > [We don't want to keep secrets anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-don-t-want-to-keep-secrets-anymore/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't sleep. All night long I'm wide awake, thinking, Secrets, secrets, secrets. There are secrets in my past no one needs to know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-peters/i-don-t-sleep-all-night-long-i-m-wide-awake-thinking-secrets-secrets/) [Julie Anne Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-peters/) > [The challenges for the writer included deciding which secrets were most important, how many secrets revealed were too many, which characters should know which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-turchi/the-challenges-for-the-writer-included-deciding-which-secrets-were/) [Peter Turchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-turchi/) > [Secrets have power, and that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/secrets-have-power-and-that-power-diminishes-when-they-are-shared-so-2/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [Secrets have power. And that power diminishes when they are shared, so they are best kept and kept well. Sharing secrets, real secrets, important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/secrets-have-power-and-that-power-diminishes-when-they-are-shared-so/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [It almost makes the secrets more important, those few things you actually do choose to keep to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/it-almost-makes-the-secrets-more-important-those-few-things-you/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [I want to keep my own guard, I want to keep my secrets, I want to keep my private life for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-petit/i-want-to-keep-my-own-guard-i-want-to-keep-my-secrets-i-want-to-keep/) [Emmanuel Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-petit/) > [“Ember, the bad comes in with the good. And I want all of it—I want your secrets, your worry, your pain. I love you—you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-thalassa/ember-the-bad-comes-in-with-the-good-and-i-want-all-of-it-i-want-your/) [Laura Thalassa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-thalassa/) > [If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/if-you-want-to-find-the-secrets-of-the-universe-think-in-terms-of-3/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [I want to take back the secrets I told you so I can decide now whether to tell them to you again. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-want-to-take-back-the-secrets-i-told-you-so-i-can-decide-now/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I want you... No secrets... No games… No lies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archana-sharma/i-want-you-no-secrets-no-games-no-lies/) Archana Sharma > [People want to see other's secrets and get a peek into their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohanlal/people-want-to-see-other-s-secrets-and-get-a-peek-into-their-lives/) [Mohanlal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohanlal/) > [I want you. No secrets. No lies. No games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-grabil/i-want-you-no-secrets-no-lies-no-games/) [Katie Grabil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-grabil/) > [“I don’t want any more secrets between us. If we want this to work, we need to be honest with each other.” – Jase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-d-angelo/i-don-t-want-any-more-secrets-between-us-if-we-want-this-to-work-we/) [Nina D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-d-angelo/) ## More by Jaume Cabre > [What I strive to do is make my characters seem like real people so that the reader experiences them as people - that's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/what-i-strive-to-do-is-make-my-characters-seem-like-real-people-so/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [The reader has information about the characters that the characters themselves don't have. We all have our secret sides. Even I come to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/the-reader-has-information-about-the-characters-that-the-characters/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [I read a lot of poetry. All types of poetry, but mostly Catalan poetry, because I believe poetry is the essence of language. Reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/i-read-a-lot-of-poetry-all-types-of-poetry-but-mostly-catalan-poetry/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [Along the way, about certain things, you realize, "I don't know anything about this." You think, "Is this going to sound ridiculous?" So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/along-the-way-about-certain-things-you-realize-i-don-t-know-anything/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [There were many books in my parents' home. I'm from a family of five children and we were all readers. And so by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/there-were-many-books-in-my-parents-home-i-m-from-a-family-of-five/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [“A veces me asusta el poder del arte y del estudio del arte. A veces no entiendo por qué la humanidad se relaciona a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/a-veces-me-asusta-el-poder-del-arte-y-del-estudio-del-arte-a-veces-no/) [Jaume Cabré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [Everywhere you go you find readers who are interested, even though the story takes place here in this very neighborhood. It doesn't matter that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/everywhere-you-go-you-find-readers-who-are-interested-even-though-the/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [For someone like you who's a British citizen this might seem strange. How can you ban a language? It turns out that you can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/for-someone-like-you-who-s-a-british-citizen-this-might-seem-strange/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [I'm interested in how memory and power come together in evil. These are obsessions of mine that appear throughout, like the theme of music.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/i-m-interested-in-how-memory-and-power-come-together-in-evil-these/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [Research is necessary. However, you need to make sure you don't fall into its trap. You need to have time left for writing. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/research-is-necessary-however-you-need-to-make-sure-you-don-t-fall/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [The essence of a novelist is to invent things and speak the truth, at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/the-essence-of-a-novelist-is-to-invent-things-and-speak-the-truth-at/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [Each year, in this world, several languages do die out. There are certain languages that have their survival assured for many years, such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/each-year-in-this-world-several-languages-do-die-out-there-are/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [I'm always reading, and you learn a lot by reading. When I was twenty-five, I read a lot, but didn't have much reading behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/i-m-always-reading-and-you-learn-a-lot-by-reading-when-i-was-twenty/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) > [I take all my characters very seriously - the main, secondary, and supporting characters. Even if they only appear once, they still need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaume-cabre/i-take-all-my-characters-very-seriously-the-main-secondary-and/) [Jaume Cabre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) [Explore all 15 Jaume Cabre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaume-cabre/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that's true of real life - we don't ever know anyone completely. 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