--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't want to have 'carnal knowledge'…" description: "\"“I don't want to have 'carnal knowledge' with any old Zuni, asshole.\" From the way she seemed to relish the word asshole as it unwound from her lips, I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/michael-chabon-627_asshole_i-don-t-want-to-have-carnal-knowledge-wi_373003.png" --- # I don't want to have 'carnal knowledge' with any old Zuni… ![“I don't want to have 'carnal knowledge' with any old Zuni, asshole." From the way she seemed to relish the word asshole as it unwound from her lips, I guessed that she rarely used it. It sounded like a mark of esteem, and I was momentarily very jealous of Arthur. I wondered what it might take to…” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/michael-chabon-627_asshole_i-don-t-want-to-have-carnal-knowledge-wi_373003.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/michael-chabon-627_asshole_i-don-t-want-to-have-carnal-knowledge-wi_373003.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af6/michael-chabon-627_asshole_i-don-t-want-to-have-carnal-knowledge-wi_373003.png) > ““I don't want to have 'carnal knowledge' with any old Zuni, asshole." From the way she seemed to relish the word asshole as it unwound from her lips, I guessed that she rarely used it. It sounded like a mark of esteem, and I was momentarily very jealous of Arthur. I wondered what it might take to get Jane to call me an asshole too.”” [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## 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 envies a character’s casual use of profanity, seeing it as a sign of intimacy and boldness. **In simple terms:** Desire for acceptance can be tied to language and bravado. Key Takeaway Embrace authentic self‑expression. Themes friendship language jealousy identity Mood confessional introspective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - literary analysis - personal relationships - confidence building Key Concepts social dynamics self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - What does profanity signal in friendships? - How can we seek validation without mimicry? A Different Perspective The focus on profanity may obscure deeper relational issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asshole/) [Asshole Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asshole-way-3398154/) [Jane Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jane-asshole-3398155/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Word Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-asshole-388546/) [Zuni Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zuni-asshole-3398153/) ## Related quotes > [“Holy shit,' Ash murmured. 'Oh, it gets worse.' Ash lifted an eyebrow. 'Yeah, apparently when I decide to be an asshole, I go all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/holy-shit-ash-murmured-oh-it-gets-worse-ash-lifted-an-eyebrow-yeah/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [~~ Behind every strong woman, there is a real asshole that made her that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/behind-every-strong-woman-there-is-a-real-asshole-that-made-her-that/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [Sphincter is a Technical word for asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sphincter-is-a-technical-word-for-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Busy' is another word for 'asshole'. 'Asshole' is another word for the guy you're dating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/busy-is-another-word-for-asshole-asshole-is-another-word-for-the-guy/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [“of view, may show that he is not getting the respect he deserves. Although our theory is a definition of the term “asshole,” we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-james/of-view-may-show-that-he-is-not-getting-the-respect-he-deserves/) [Aaron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-james/) > [“What the fuck is going on Lor? What the hell did you do last night? What did you say to Kacey? Who the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-mcclean/what-the-fuck-is-going-on-lor-what-the-hell-did-you-do-last-night/) [J.C. McClean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-mcclean/) > [Since Narcissistic was too bigger word for you. How about asshole? Do you understand asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-narcissistic-was-too-bigger-word-for-you-how-about-asshole-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Are you serious? I hate Titus with a passion. When they created the word asshole, he was the reason,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameo-renae/are-you-serious-i-hate-titus-with-a-passion-when-they-created-the/) [Cameo Renae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameo-renae/) > [“When she had asked him how he was able to kill two men with his bare hands, he had gone into asshole mode, telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-taylor/when-she-had-asked-him-how-he-was-able-to-kill-two-men-with-his-bare/) [Brad Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-taylor/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Dream big, work hard and don't be an asshole!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/dream-big-work-hard-and-don-t-be-an-asshole/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [“The asshole slipped Peggy a five-spot to bring him his burger first. Never trust a man with a penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/the-asshole-slipped-peggy-a-five-spot-to-bring-him-his-burger-first/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [When someone describes themself as a taxpayer, they're about to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/when-someone-describes-themself-as-a-taxpayer-they-re-about-to-be-an/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [Hated By many Trash Talked By Many Guess How Many Fucks I Give Its Less Than One Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karal/hated-by-many-trash-talked-by-many-guess-how-many-fucks-i-give-its/) [Karal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karal/) > [“Light it up, bitch.' 'Light it up, asshole,' ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/light-it-up-bitch-light-it-up-asshole/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) ## More by Michael Chabon > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. It did not seem to revolt him, but it was nothing he needed ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/badass-my-grandfather-sampled-the-flavor-of-the-word-it-did-not-seem/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-from-the-yiddish-policemen-s/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Life blew in gusts from the hole in the side of the elephant with a rank smell and a comic flatulence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/life-blew-in-gusts-from-the-hole-in-the-side-of-the-elephant-with-a/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Not only would I never want to belong to any club that would have me for a member--if elected I would wear street shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/not-only-would-i-never-want-to-belong-to-any-club-that-would-have-me/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/that-s-the-best-thing-about-writing-when-you-re-in-that-zone-you-re/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Most science fiction seemed to be written for people who already liked science fiction; I wanted to write stories for anyone, anywhere, living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/most-science-fiction-seemed-to-be-written-for-people-who-already/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ “For as long as I could remember, I'd been making vague and confident assurances that any day I would finish the thing \[my book\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-d-been-making-vague-and-confident/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) [Explore all 436 Michael Chabon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More Asshole quotes > [“Light it up, bitch.' 'Light it up, asshole,' ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/light-it-up-bitch-light-it-up-asshole/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [Hated By many Trash Talked By Many Guess How Many Fucks I Give Its Less Than One Asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karal/hated-by-many-trash-talked-by-many-guess-how-many-fucks-i-give-its/) [Karal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karal/) > [Sphincter is a Technical word for asshole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sphincter-is-a-technical-word-for-asshole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When someone describes themself as a taxpayer, they're about to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/when-someone-describes-themself-as-a-taxpayer-they-re-about-to-be-an/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“The asshole slipped Peggy a five-spot to bring him his burger first. Never trust a man with a penis.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/the-asshole-slipped-peggy-a-five-spot-to-bring-him-his-burger-first/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [Dream big, work hard and don't be an asshole!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/dream-big-work-hard-and-don-t-be-an-asshole/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [Broken hearts are for assholes, are you an asshole?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/broken-hearts-are-for-assholes-are-you-an-asshole/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“When she had asked him how he was able to kill two men with his bare hands, he had gone into asshole mode, telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-taylor/when-she-had-asked-him-how-he-was-able-to-kill-two-men-with-his-bare/) [Brad Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-taylor/) > [“It was official. I was an asshole with a permanently broken heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/it-was-official-i-was-an-asshole-with-a-permanently-broken-heart/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [If you are an asshole, we can be best Friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-you-are-an-asshole-we-can-be-best-friends/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“Did I ever tell you about the man who taught his asshole to talk? His whole abdomen would move up and down, you dig,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/did-i-ever-tell-you-about-the-man-who-taught-his-asshole-to-talk-his/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“She really liked you, Noah,' 'Yeah, well, maybe I'm just an asshole.' I realize my hand is still in his hair and I retract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-wicks/she-really-liked-you-noah-yeah-well-maybe-i-m-just-an-asshole-i/) [Becky Wicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-wicks/) > [I'm nice until you piss me off...then I'm an asshole until you make me laugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerett-parker/i-m-nice-until-you-piss-me-off-then-i-m-an-asshole-until-you-make-me/) [Jerett Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerett-parker/) > [Just because I don't fuck you anymore doesn't make me a lesbian.It just makes you an asshole.!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/just-because-i-don-t-fuck-you-anymore-doesn-t-make-me-a-lesbian-it/) [Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/) > [“Christ, what an asshole!" Babette said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/christ-what-an-asshole-babette-said/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) [Browse all 489 Asshole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asshole/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don't want to have 'carnal knowledge' with any old Zuni, asshole.\" From the way she seemed to relish the word asshole as it unwound from her lips, I guessed that she rarely used it. It sounded like a mark of esteem, and I was momentarily very jealous of Arthur. 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