Cause Quote by Stacy Schiff
“Reality does not easily give up meaning; it's the biographer's job to clobber it into submission. You're meant not only to tame it but to extract substance, to identify cause and axiomatic effect. You subsist on the tactical omissions, the hollow words, the oddly unconnected dots.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Biography of a Nation, Stacy Schiff, 2021
The quote suggests that meaning is not readily apparent; it must be shaped by the biographer who extracts cause, effect, and substance, often through selective omission and connecting disparate details.
In simple terms: Meaning must be crafted by the writer, not simply found.
Key Takeaway
Shape meaning through selective focus.
Themes
interpretation
writing
analysis
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
literary
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- historical writing
- journalism
- creative nonfiction
- research
- editing
Key Concepts
Narrative construction
causality
selective omission
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide what to omit?
- What responsibility does a writer have to the truth?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the subject's own voice or complexity.
![“Véra assumed her married name almost as a stage name; rarely has matrimony so much represented a profession. It was one of the ironies of the life that – born at a time and place where women could and did lay claim to all kinds of ambitions – she should elevate the role of wife to a high art. […]…” quote by Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/30f/stacy-schiff-7881_art_v-ra-assumed-her-married-name-almost-as_231770.jpg)
