Quotation Quote by Jean Genet
““A few words which he wanted to emphasize were put into brackets or set off by quotation marks. My first impulse was to point out to him that it was ridiculous to put slang words and expressions between quotation marks, for that prevents them from entering the language. But I decided not to. When I received his letters, his parentheses made me shudder. At first, it was a shudder of slight shame, disagreeable. Later (and now, when I reread them) the shudder was the same, but I know, by some indefinable, imperceptible change, that it is a shudder of love- it is both poignant and delightful, perhaps because of the memory of the word shame that accompanied it in the beginning. Those parentheses and quotation marks are the flaw on the hip, the beauty mark on the thigh whereby my friend showed that he was himself, irreplaceable, and that he was wounded.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Interview with Jean Genet, 1970
The writer reflects on how punctuation marks reveal a friend's vulnerability and authenticity, turning flaws into intimate signs of identity.
In simple terms: Punctuation shows a friend's true self and pain.
Key Takeaway
Notice how small quirks reveal deeper humanity.
Themes
authenticity
vulnerability
language
identity
friendship
Mood
reflective
intimate
thoughtful
Type
literary
personal
analytical
When to use this quote
- reading personal letters
- editing text
- analyzing communication
- understanding relationships
- teaching writing
Key Concepts
semiotics
self‑presentation
emotional nuance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you interpret subtle signs of personality in writing?
- What does a “flaw on the hip” symbolize in relationships?
A Different Perspective
Punctuation can be misinterpreted as mere error rather than meaningful expression.
![“I took ethics classes in college, and it always amazes me how they [tabloids] will blatantly say something that I did not say, in quotation marks. The first thing that we learned in ethics is that you better have it right. If you're putting quotation marks around something, it better be exactly…” quote by Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9d3/carrie-underwood-1449_class_i-took-ethics-classes-in-college-and-it_72801.jpg)
