--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's impossible to say a thing exactly…" description: "\"“It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, there are too ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cf/margaret-atwood-40_chapter-23_it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-t_156543.jpg" --- # It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was… ![“It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, there are too many parts, sides, crosscurrents, nuances; too many gestures, which could mean this or that, too many shapes which can never be fully described, too…” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cf/margaret-atwood-40_chapter-23_it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-t_156543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cf/margaret-atwood-40_chapter-23_it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-t_156543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4cf/margaret-atwood-40_chapter-23_it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-t_156543.jpg) > ““It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, there are too many parts, sides, crosscurrents, nuances; too many gestures, which could mean this or that, too many shapes which can never be fully described, too many flavors, in the air or on the tongue, half-colors, too many. But if you happen to be a man, sometime in the future, and you've made it this far, please remember: you will never be subject to the temptation or feeling you must forgive, a man, as a women. It's difficult to resist, believe me. But remember that forgiveness too is a power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or bestow it is a power, perhaps the greatest.”” [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language can never fully capture reality; forgiveness is a powerful, choice‑driven act that shapes relationships and personal agency. **In simple terms:** Words are imperfect; forgiveness is powerful. Key Takeaway Choose forgiveness consciously. Themes communication forgiveness power gender dynamics Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal conflict resolution - relationship counseling - creative writing - philosophical debate Key Concepts subjectivity ethical agency relational dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does the act of forgiving empower both giver and receiver? - What responsibilities accompany the power to withhold forgiveness? A Different Perspective Forgiveness can be misused to control others. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [“But if you happen to be a man, sometime in the future, and you’ve made it this far, please remember: you will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-if-you-happen-to-be-a-man-sometime-in-the-future-and-you-ve-made/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“When I get out of here, if I'm ever able to set this down, in any form, even in the form of one voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-i-get-out-of-here-if-i-m-ever-able-to-set-this-down-in-any-form/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-the-way-it-was-because-what-3/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [... Remember that forgiveness too is a power. To beg for it is a power, and to withold or bestow it is a power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/remember-that-forgiveness-too-is-a-power-to-beg-for-it-is-a-power-and/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“But remember that forgiveness too is a power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or bestow it is a power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-remember-that-forgiveness-too-is-a-power-to-beg-for-it-is-a-power/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“But remember that forgiveness too is a power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or bestow it is a power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-remember-that-forgiveness-too-is-a-power-to-beg-for-it-is-a-power-2/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [But remember that forgiveness too is a power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or bestow it is a power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-remember-that-forgiveness-too-is-a-power-to-beg-for-it-is-a-power-3/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“But if you happen to be a man, sometime in the future, and you've made it this far, please remember: you will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/but-if-you-happen-to-be-a-man-sometime-in-the-future-and-you-ve-made-2/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“It’s impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-impossible-to-say-a-thing-exactly-the-way-it-was-because-what-4/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Learning that I could forgive my father, while realizing I did not have to let the aspects that I found unhealthy, disrespectful, and wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-winsomer/learning-that-i-could-forgive-my-father-while-realizing-i-did-not/) Neal Winsomer > [“Among all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas are the foremost. 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Clary saw herself and Simon as children, holding hands, crossing a street in Brooklyn,;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/shapes-began-to-appear-in-the-mist-as-it-thickened-clary-saw-herself/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Officially, of course, we're all to be treated the same, yes? But that is rarely put into practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/officially-of-course-we-re-all-to-be-treated-the-same-yes-but-that-is/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More by Margaret Atwood > [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. I want all my hurts to be intentional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-yet-it-disturbs-me-to-learn-i-have-hurt-someone-unintentionally-i/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The birds were singing around me, but I reflected that the very birds were strangers to me, for I did not even know their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-birds-were-singing-around-me-but-i-reflected-that-the-very-birds/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Strange how we decorate pain. These ribbons, for instance, and the small hard teardrops of blood. Who are they for? 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I am forgetting too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-my-fault-i-am-forgetting-too-much/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Simon walks back to the house alone. 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You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The more difficult it was to love the particular man beside us, the more we believed in Love, abstract and total. We were waiting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-more-difficult-it-was-to-love-the-particular-man-beside-us-the/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“She knows she's deceiving herself about that, but she prefers to deceive herself. 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But that is rarely put into practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/officially-of-course-we-re-all-to-be-treated-the-same-yes-but-that-is/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) Browse all 6 Chapter-23 quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, there are too many parts, sides, crosscurrents, nuances; too many gestures, which could mean this or that, too many shapes which can never be fully described, too many flavors, in the air or on the tongue, half-colors, too many. But if you happen to be a man, sometime in the future, and you've made it this far, please remember: you will never be subject to the temptation or feeling you must forgive, a man, as a women. It's difficult to resist, believe me. But remember that forgiveness too is a power. 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