--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't write so that people will…" description: "\"“I don't write so that people will understand me, I write because I know they don't. And, I can't help feeling like I should at least give them the ill..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/thurman-p-banks-jr-33182_understanding_i-don-t-write-so-that-people-will-unders_1901645.jpg" --- # I don't write so that people will understand me, I write… ![“I don't write so that people will understand me, I write because I know they don't. And, I can't help feeling like I should at least give them the illusion that they do.” quote by Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/thurman-p-banks-jr-33182_understanding_i-don-t-write-so-that-people-will-unders_1901645.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/thurman-p-banks-jr-33182_understanding_i-don-t-write-so-that-people-will-unders_1901645.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/074/thurman-p-banks-jr-33182_understanding_i-don-t-write-so-that-people-will-unders_1901645.jpg) > ““I don't write so that people will understand me, I write because I know they don't. And, I can't help feeling like I should at least give them the illusion that they do.”” [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author writes to create an illusion of understanding, acknowledging that true comprehension may be elusive. **In simple terms:** Writing creates a façade of clarity. Key Takeaway Use writing to bridge gaps in perception. Themes communication illusion misunderstanding artistry Mood reflective critical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - creative writing Key Concepts narrative technique authorial intent Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure genuine understanding? - When is illusion acceptable in communication? A Different Perspective Readers may still feel alienated despite effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Feeling Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-like-233182/) [Help Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-feeling-985489/) [Understand Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-write-757401/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Write People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-people-328320/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It is necessary a writing critic should understand how to write. And though every writer is not bound to show himself in the capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/it-is-necessary-a-writing-critic-should-understand-how-to-write-and/) [Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ashley-cooper-7th-earl-of-shaftesbury/) > [“The great thing is to last and get your work done and see and hear and learn and understand; and write when there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-great-thing-is-to-last-and-get-your-work-done-and-see-and-hear-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The great thing is to last and get your work done and see and hear and learn and understand; and write when there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-great-thing-is-to-last-and-get-your-work-done-and-see-and-hear/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Once you understand how to write a program get someone else to write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/once-you-understand-how-to-write-a-program-get-someone-else-to-write/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) > [It's one of the things writing students don't understand. They write a first draft and are quite disappointed, or often should be disappointed. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/it-s-one-of-the-things-writing-students-don-t-understand-they-write-a/) [Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/) > [“I don’t know when I started to realize that my country’s past was incomprehensible and obscure to me, a real shadowy terrain, nor can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gabriel-v-squez/i-don-t-know-when-i-started-to-realize-that-my-country-s-past-was/) [Juan Gabriel Vásquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gabriel-v-squez/) > [“It was a simple account of an incident from his childhood. 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We write in secret, either for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophy-burnham/we-write-to-understand-our-deepest-secrets-to-ourselves-to-understand/) [Sophy Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophy-burnham/) > [“Is it crazy to say that I sometimes don't understand what I write but I write it anyway, because maybe someone, somewhere, somehow, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nema-al-araby/is-it-crazy-to-say-that-i-sometimes-don-t-understand-what-i-write-but/) [Nema Al-Araby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nema-al-araby/) > [Can't help feeling something's wrong with every one of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smashing-pumpkins/can-t-help-feeling-something-s-wrong-with-every-one-of-you/) [Smashing Pumpkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smashing-pumpkins/) > [I guess this is growing up, tears stained pillows every night, staring naked at yourself in the mirror, waiting for the a text that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla/i-guess-this-is-growing-up-tears-stained-pillows-every-night-staring/) [Kayla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla/) > [At times I feel it almost impossible not to despond entirely of there ever being a better, brighter day for us. None but those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-forten-grimke/at-times-i-feel-it-almost-impossible-not-to-despond-entirely-of-there/) [Charlotte Forten Grimke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-forten-grimke/) > [Contrast the experience with something worse and you cannot help feeling happy and grateful because... The change from trouble to comfort gives us more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/contrast-the-experience-with-something-worse-and-you-cannot-help/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [1)they will have your back 2)they will help you when your feeling down. 3)they will love you for who you are. 4)they will take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steilyn/1-they-will-have-your-back-2-they-will-help-you-when-your-feeling/) [Steilyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steilyn/) ## More by Thurman P. 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Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“I have done good things in life. I have done bad things in life. But the beer has tasted great during both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/i-have-done-good-things-in-life-i-have-done-bad-things-in-life-but/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“In the end, age in numbers is no more than an empty bag. The only way to truly tell a person's years is by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/in-the-end-age-in-numbers-is-no-more-than-an-empty-bag-the-only-way/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“If you are not in some way living your life like a Dr. Suess rhyme, than you may in fact be living it wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/if-you-are-not-in-some-way-living-your-life-like-a-dr-suess-rhyme/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“There is only one person I wake up every morning striving to be better than, and that is myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/there-is-only-one-person-i-wake-up-every-morning-striving-to-be/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“I am more of a doer than a writer. I do not live to write. I write because I have lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/i-am-more-of-a-doer-than-a-writer-i-do-not-live-to-write-i-write/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“You can have the finest pen, typewriter, or computer, but without a set of eyes that truly see the world, you might as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/you-can-have-the-finest-pen-typewriter-or-computer-but-without-a-set/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“Never underestimate the distance that one simple act of kindness can carry you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/never-underestimate-the-distance-that-one-simple-act-of-kindness-can/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“While the choices we make matter, it's what we make of our choices that matters the most.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/while-the-choices-we-make-matter-it-s-what-we-make-of-our-choices/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“Of all the regrets I've had in life, and there are plenty, having loved too much will never be one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/of-all-the-regrets-i-ve-had-in-life-and-there-are-plenty-having-loved/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“Every time life gives you a million reasons why you should quit, give it a million and one reasons why you never will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/every-time-life-gives-you-a-million-reasons-why-you-should-quit-give/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) > [“We so often spend our time searching for answers that we allow the questions to linger on, even when faced with the greatest truth--that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurman-p-banks-jr/we-so-often-spend-our-time-searching-for-answers-that-we-allow-the/) [Thurman P. Banks Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurman-p-banks-jr/) [Explore all 15 Thurman P. 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