--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you really keep a diary? I'd give…" description: "\"Do you really keep a diary? I'd give anything to look at it. May I? Oh, no. You see, it is simply a very young girl's record of her own thoughts and im..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/oscar-wilde-16_copies_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_3201021.jpg" --- # Do you really keep a diary? I'd give anything to look at… ![“Do you really keep a diary? I'd give anything to look at it. May I? Oh, no. You see, it is simply a very young girl's record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a copy.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/oscar-wilde-16_copies_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_3201021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/oscar-wilde-16_copies_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_3201021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/oscar-wilde-16_copies_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_3201021.jpg) > “Do you really keep a diary? I'd give anything to look at it. May I? Oh, no. You see, it is simply a very young girl's record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. When it appears in volume form I hope you will order a copy.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## 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 questions the value of keeping a diary, yearning to read a young girl's private thoughts, hinting at secrecy and desire for intimacy. **In simple terms:** He wonders about reading a girl's private diary and longs for it. Key Takeaway Respect privacy while satisfying curiosity. Themes privacy curiosity intimacy literature secrecy Mood reflective conflicted Type literary ethical When to use this quote - reading clubs - creative writing - personal journaling - literary analysis Key Concepts ethics psychology authorial voice Questions to Reflect On - When is it appropriate to read someone else's diary? - How does secrecy shape personal expression? A Different Perspective The desire to read private thoughts can breach trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Copies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary/) [Diary Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary-look-3050134/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Girl Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-record-1772646/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Impression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impression/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Publication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publication/) [Really Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-diary-5301829/) [Record Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-thoughts-3467696/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Volume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/volume/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [ “Do you really keep a diary? I'd give anything to look at it. May I? CECILY: Oh no. \[Puts her hand over it.\] You… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anything-to-look-at-it-may-i/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I would rather have someone read my diary than look at my iPod playlists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-would-rather-have-someone-read-my-diary-than-look-at-my-ipod/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Please read my diary, look through my things and figure me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/please-read-my-diary-look-through-my-things-and-figure-me-out/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [“They record thoughts and overheard conversations, as well as maps of their personal paths, phone numbers for hotels, restaurant recommendations, airline flight numbers. Eventually,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gregory/they-record-thoughts-and-overheard-conversations-as-well-as-maps-of/) [Danny Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gregory/) > [When I was younger, definitely getting people to listen to me and believe in me. I think it's hard when you're a young girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/when-i-was-younger-definitely-getting-people-to-listen-to-me-and/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [The book, you understand, was not written for publication. It was the portrayal of my emotions, the analysis of my own soul life during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-maclane/the-book-you-understand-was-not-written-for-publication-it-was-the/) [Mary MacLane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-maclane/) > [Poets know how useful passion is for publication. Nowadays a broken heart will run to many editions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/poets-know-how-useful-passion-is-for-publication-nowadays-a-broken/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Poets are not so scrupulous as you are. They know how useful passion is for publication. Nowadays a broken heart will run to many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/poets-are-not-so-scrupulous-as-you-are-they-know-how-useful-passion/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-never-travel-without-my-diary-one-should-always-have-something/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [My friend is not allowed to go out today. I sit by his side and read him passages from his own life. They fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/my-friend-is-not-allowed-to-go-out-today-i-sit-by-his-side-and-read/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“MISS PRISM: Memory, my dear Cecily, is the diary that we all carry about with us. CECILY: Yes, but it usually chronicles the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/miss-prism-memory-my-dear-cecily-is-the-diary-that-we-all-carry-about-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Memory is the diary we all carry about with us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/memory-is-the-diary-we-all-carry-about-with-us/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/memory-is-the-diary-that-we-all-carry-about-with-us/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“I keep a diary in order to enter the wonderful secrets of my life. If I didn't write them down, I should probably forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-keep-a-diary-in-order-to-enter-the-wonderful-secrets-of-my-life-if/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Memory is the diary that chronicles things that never happened or couldn't possibly have happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/memory-is-the-diary-that-chronicles-things-that-never-happened-or/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Copies quotes > [every being is unique.god neva creates carbon copies,he alys creates originals.he is truly a creator.he neva repeats.but man goes on living in imitation.we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-being-is-unique-god-neva-creates-carbon-copies-he-alys-creates/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My songs are like cheap Neil Young copies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/my-songs-are-like-cheap-neil-young-copies/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [In that part of the book of my memory before the which is little that can be read, there is a rubric, saying, Incipit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/in-that-part-of-the-book-of-my-memory-before-the-which-is-little-that/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. When somebody actually picked up a copy, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-remember-being-a-kid-and-seeing-the-national-inquirer-at-the/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [The idea is not to copy nature, but to give a feeling of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piet-oudolf/the-idea-is-not-to-copy-nature-but-to-give-a-feeling-of-nature/) [Piet Oudolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piet-oudolf/) > [“When copies are free, you need to sell things that cannot be copied. Well, what can’t be copied? Trust, for instance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kelly/when-copies-are-free-you-need-to-sell-things-that-cannot-be-copied/) [Kevin Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kelly/) > [Mr Witwould: "Pray, madam, do you pin up your hair with all your letters? I find I must keep copies." Mrs Millamant: "Only with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-congreve/mr-witwould-pray-madam-do-you-pin-up-your-hair-with-all-your-letters/) [William Congreve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-congreve/) > [There have to be at least two copies of a photograph, otherwise it’s not a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ruff/there-have-to-be-at-least-two-copies-of-a-photograph-otherwise-it-s/) [Thomas Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ruff/) > [In market research I did at Microsoft Corp. in the early 1990s, I estimated that the 'Wall Street Journal' took in about 75 cents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/in-market-research-i-did-at-microsoft-corp-in-the-early-1990s-i/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) > [It was only after I had been out of the art school that I actually copied a small Seurat, and I copied it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-riley/it-was-only-after-i-had-been-out-of-the-art-school-that-i-actually/) [Bridget Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-riley/) > [We call ourselves creators and we just copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-call-ourselves-creators-and-we-just-copy/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [People have one of two extreme reactions to my book. They either throw it across the room, or they rush out and buy 10…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/people-have-one-of-two-extreme-reactions-to-my-book-they-either-throw/) [Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/) > [A presentation copy...is a copy of a book whoch does not sell, sent you by the author, with his foolish autograph at the beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/a-presentation-copy-is-a-copy-of-a-book-whoch-does-not-sell-sent-you/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [We are all born originals, why is it so many of us die copies?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/we-are-all-born-originals-why-is-it-so-many-of-us-die-copies/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) [Browse all 971 Copies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/copies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do you really keep a diary? 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