--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing…" description: "\"As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing beyond what I had picked up in my grandmother's house. All children, I suppose, come into the world like that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/v-s-naipaul-3828_children_as-a-child-i-knew-almost-nothing-nothing_1225622.jpg" --- # As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing beyond what I… ![“As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing beyond what I had picked up in my grandmother's house. All children, I suppose, come into the world like that, not knowing who they are.” quote by V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/v-s-naipaul-3828_children_as-a-child-i-knew-almost-nothing-nothing_1225622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/v-s-naipaul-3828_children_as-a-child-i-knew-almost-nothing-nothing_1225622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/v-s-naipaul-3828_children_as-a-child-i-knew-almost-nothing-nothing_1225622.jpg) > “As a child I knew almost nothing, nothing beyond what I had picked up in my grandmother's house. All children, I suppose, come into the world like that, not knowing who they are.” [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children begin life with a blank slate, shaped later by family and culture. **In simple terms:** Kids start empty, learn from home. Key Takeaway Recognize early influences on identity. Themes identity family development Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - parenting - education - cultural immersion Key Concepts socialization self-concept Questions to Reflect On - How does family shape who you become? - What role does culture play in self‑discovery? A Different Perspective Identity formation is also affected by genetics and broader society. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-knew-729762/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Suppose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-suppose-3769654/) [Grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandmother/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-children-862743/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [My grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-grandmother/) [Not knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-knowing/) [Picked Grandmother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picked-grandmother-3769655/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [When our Lord says, we must be converted and become as little children, I suppose He means also, that we must be sensible of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/when-our-lord-says-we-must-be-converted-and-become-as-little-children/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [Children, I suppose, are always unfinished business: they begin as part of your own body, and continue as separate as another continent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/children-i-suppose-are-always-unfinished-business-they-begin-as-part/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“I'm not sure if I'm ready to have children. 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Children know things even if they can’t explain them in words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-ruegg/she-smiled-pretending-to-be-unaware-like-every-child-but-she-knew/) [Cara Ruegg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-ruegg/) ## More by V. S. Naipaul > [In Trinidad, where as new arrivals we were a disadvantaged community, that excluding idea was a kind of protection; it enabled us - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/in-trinidad-where-as-new-arrivals-we-were-a-disadvantaged-community/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [Many writers tend to write summing-up books at the end of their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/many-writers-tend-to-write-summing-up-books-at-the-end-of-their-lives/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [My life is short. I can't listen to banality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/my-life-is-short-i-can-t-listen-to-banality/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [If you decide to move to another country and to live within its laws you don't express your disregard for the essence of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/if-you-decide-to-move-to-another-country-and-to-live-within-its-laws/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [I don't feel I can speak with authority for many other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/i-don-t-feel-i-can-speak-with-authority-for-many-other-people/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [To this day, if you ask me how I became a writer, I cannot give you an answer. To this day, if you ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/to-this-day-if-you-ask-me-how-i-became-a-writer-i-cannot-give-you-an/) [V. S. 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I have no guiding political idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/i-have-always-moved-by-intuition-alone-i-have-no-system-literary-or/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) > [Where jargon turns living issues into abstractions, and where jargon ends by competing with jargon, people don't have causes. They only have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-s-naipaul/where-jargon-turns-living-issues-into-abstractions-and-where-jargon/) [V. S. Naipaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-s-naipaul/) [Explore all 121 V. S. 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