--- 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? CECILY: Oh no. [Puts her hand over it.] You see, it is simply a very young girl's ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/oscar-wilde-16_diary_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_2277343.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? CECILY: Oh no. [Puts her hand over it.] 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/5e3/oscar-wilde-16_diary_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_2277343.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/oscar-wilde-16_diary_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_2277343.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/oscar-wilde-16_diary_do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anyt_2277343.jpg) > ““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 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. A character pretends a diary is private, yet hints it will be published, exposing vanity and desire for fame. **In simple terms:** Pretending secrecy while seeking attention. Key Takeaway Beware of false modesty. Themes vanity privacy publication Mood witty satirical Type dramatic dialogue When to use this quote - theatre criticism - creative writing workshops - media studies Key Concepts self‑presentation literary satire Questions to Reflect On - Why do people claim secrecy while craving audience? - What does this reveal about artistic ego? A Different Perspective The ruse undermines genuine privacy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary/) [Diary Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary-look-3050134/) [Girl Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-record-1772646/) [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/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/do-you-really-keep-a-diary-i-d-give-anything-to-look-at-it-may-i-oh/) [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 Diary quotes > [I don't want to be singing my diary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-don-t-want-to-be-singing-my-diary/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The platonic love I feel for my cousin, made me write this diary ...” Leione”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pet-torres/the-platonic-love-i-feel-for-my-cousin-made-me-write-this-diary-leione/) [Pet Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pet-torres/) > [“All right, you caught me. I'm secretly obsessed with you and spend all my free time writing about you in my journal. 'Dear Diary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-scott/all-right-you-caught-me-i-m-secretly-obsessed-with-you-and-spend-all/) [Elizabeth Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-scott/) > [I'm so open to different things. The only thing I'd say is I've set the bar pretty high in terms of good female roles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bel-powley/i-m-so-open-to-different-things-the-only-thing-i-d-say-is-i-ve-set/) [Bel Powley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bel-powley/) > ["The diary, "My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes - how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-riddle/the-diary-my-diary-little-ginny-s-been-writing-in-it-for-months-and/) [Tom Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-riddle/) > [A man's diary is a record in youth of his sentiments, in middle age of his actions, in old age of his reflections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/a-man-s-diary-is-a-record-in-youth-of-his-sentiments-in-middle-age-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [I'm never without my personalised Anya Hindmarch diary - I keep my schedule online, too, but my diary is always in my bag. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerin-lauder/i-m-never-without-my-personalised-anya-hindmarch-diary-i-keep-my/) [Aerin Lauder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerin-lauder/) > [I keep a diary - one for each film and foreign land I travel to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-keep-a-diary-one-for-each-film-and-foreign-land-i-travel-to/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Don't read my diary when I'm gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/don-t-read-my-diary-when-i-m-gone/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [I keep a diary because I love this writer, David Sedaris, and he writes a lot about his diary, and he inspired me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-hawke/i-keep-a-diary-because-i-love-this-writer-david-sedaris-and-he-writes/) [Maya Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-hawke/) > [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/) > [“What will become of me? I do not know where am I going or what tomorrow will bring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-ne-berr/what-will-become-of-me-i-do-not-know-where-am-i-going-or-what/) [Hélène Berr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-ne-berr/) > [“I use my friends rather as giglamps : There's another field I see: by your light. Over there's a hill. I widen my landscape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/i-use-my-friends-rather-as-giglamps-there-s-another-field-i-see-by/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I need a moment of time for myself every day, like a child playing with his things. When I travel, I routinely find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-need-a-moment-of-time-for-myself-every-day-like-a-child-playing/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) [Browse all 453 Diary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“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 see, it is simply a very young girl's record of her own thoughts and impressions, and consequently meant for publication. 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