--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And what does that signify to you?\" he…" description: "\"“And what does that signify to you?\" he said, perhaps forgetting that if she could speak truly to the world, she would not be a mental patient.”\" — Joa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png" --- # And what does that signify to you?" he said, perhaps… ![“And what does that signify to you?" he said, perhaps forgetting that if she could speak truly to the world, she would not be a mental patient.” quote by Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png) > ““And what does that signify to you?" he said, perhaps forgetting that if she could speak truly to the world, she would not be a mental patient.”” [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If someone could truly speak to the world, they would not be labeled as mentally ill, highlighting societal stigma. **In simple terms:** Societal labels can silence authentic voices. Key Takeaway Question how we define mental health. Themes stigma communication identity Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - public speaking - advocacy Key Concepts mental health social perception Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do we make about mental illness? - How can we listen without judgment? A Different Perspective Labels can be protective but also limiting. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) ## Related quotes > [We live in a world of buy it or leave it. Love does not signify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/we-live-in-a-world-of-buy-it-or-leave-it-love-does-not-signify/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“Miracle does not always signify miracle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/miracle-does-not-always-signify-miracle/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Whoever said that forgetting someone is an easy task, they might just want to reconsider that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whoever-said-that-forgetting-someone-is-an-easy-task-they-might-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Was it you that killed me, or did I kill you?" Abel answered. "I don't remember anymore; here we are, together, like before." "Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges-legend/was-it-you-that-killed-me-or-did-i-kill-you-abel-answered-i-don-t/) Jorge Luis Borges Legend > [But remember what I said about forgetting what I said?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pseudonymous-bosch/but-remember-what-i-said-about-forgetting-what-i-said/) [Pseudonymous Bosch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pseudonymous-bosch/) > [“STAY ON COURSE …Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (Philippians 3:13). Well-trained athletes would never expect to win the race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tsika/stay-on-course-forgetting-what-is-behind-and-straining-toward-what-is/) Paul Tsika > [Everyone may speak truly, but to speak logically, prudently, and adequately is a talent few possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/everyone-may-speak-truly-but-to-speak-logically-prudently-and/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Shall I speak truly what I now see below? The World is all a carkass, smoak and vanity, The shadow of a shadow, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-feltham/shall-i-speak-truly-what-i-now-see-below-the-world-is-all-a-carkass/) [Owen Feltham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-feltham/) > [Think truly, and thy thoughts shall the world's famine feed. Speak truly, and each word of thine Shall be a fruitful seed. Live truly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-truly-and-thy-thoughts-shall-the-world-s-famine-feed-speak/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not wonder if the common people speak more truly than those above them: they speak more safely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/do-not-wonder-if-the-common-people-speak-more-truly-than-those-above/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Speak boldly and speak truly, shame the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fletcher/speak-boldly-and-speak-truly-shame-the-devil/) [John Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fletcher/) > [“let the speaker speak truly and the judge decide justly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/let-the-speaker-speak-truly-and-the-judge-decide-justly/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Every man may speak truly, but to speak methodically, prudently, and fully is a talent that few men have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-man-may-speak-truly-but-to-speak-methodically-prudently-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“And therefore, all of those for whom authentic transformation has deeply unseated their souls must, I believe, wrestle with the profound moral obligation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/and-therefore-all-of-those-for-whom-authentic-transformation-has/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Does a man speak foolishly?--suffer him gladly, for you are wise. Does he speak erroneously?--stop such a man's mouth with sound words that cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/does-a-man-speak-foolishly-suffer-him-gladly-for-you-are-wise-does-he/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) ## More by Joanne Greenberg > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [“They had shared much of their pasts, most of their fears, and all of their tenuous and fragile hopes, but Deborah had noticed over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/they-had-shared-much-of-their-pasts-most-of-their-fears-and-all-of/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [What cook can match herself against hunger and memory?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/what-cook-can-match-herself-against-hunger-and-memory/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Sometimes the world is so much sicker than the inmates of its institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/sometimes-the-world-is-so-much-sicker-than-the-inmates-of-its/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [suicide is the ultimate 'one-up,' as it were, the accusation that brooks no defense, the argument won at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/suicide-is-the-ultimate-one-up-as-it-were-the-accusation-that-brooks/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [“Among equals gratitude is reciprocal; her gratitude to these Titans, who called themselves average and were unaware of their own tremendous strength in being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/among-equals-gratitude-is-reciprocal-her-gratitude-to-these-titans/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [“People were differentiated by this substance, which was called nganon . Nganon was a concentrate which was defined in each person by nurture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/people-were-differentiated-by-this-substance-which-was-called-nganon/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [“You know... the thing that is so wrong about being mentally ill is the terrible price you have to pay for survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/you-know-the-thing-that-is-so-wrong-about-being-mentally-ill-is-the/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [“Yr had a region called the Fear-bog. Lactamaeon had taken her there once to see the monsters and corpses of her nightmares accumulating there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/yr-had-a-region-called-the-fear-bog-lactamaeon-had-taken-her-there/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [“Later, they began to explore the secret idea that Deborah shared with all the ill—that she had infinitely more power than the ordinary person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/later-they-began-to-explore-the-secret-idea-that-deborah-shared-with/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [There is nothing that you can do to me that my own craziness doesn't do to me smarter and faster and better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/there-is-nothing-that-you-can-do-to-me-that-my-own-craziness-doesn-t/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [all children blackmail their parents with their innocence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/all-children-blackmail-their-parents-with-their-innocence/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Money in the hand is real - coins and bills. The rest I don't believe in, and I don't think I ever did, really.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/money-in-the-hand-is-real-coins-and-bills-the-rest-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [A humane and authentic book written by another voice from the trenches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/a-humane-and-authentic-book-written-by-another-voice-from-the-trenches/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [The hidden strength is too deep a secret. But in the end...in the end it is our only ally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-hidden-strength-is-too-deep-a-secret-but-in-the-end-in-the-end-it/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) [Explore all 41 Joanne Greenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) [Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And what does that signify to you?\" he said, perhaps forgetting that if she could speak truly to the world, she would not be a mental patient.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joanne Greenberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-said-perhaps-forgetting-that-if/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-said-perhaps-forgetting-that-if/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/joanne-greenberg-14643_heart_and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-sai_2829059.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And what does that signify to you?\" he said, perhaps forgetting that if she could speak truly to the world…” — Joanne Greenberg", "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": "Joanne Greenberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And what does that signify to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-said-perhaps-forgetting-that-if/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/and-what-does-that-signify-to-you-he-said-perhaps-forgetting-that-if/#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 } } ] } ```