--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A very elementary exercise in psychology…" description: "\"A very elementary exercise in psychology, not to be dignified by the name of psycho-analysis, showed me, on looking at my notebook, that the sketch of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/virginia-woolf-49_amusement_a-very-elementary-exercise-in-psychology_1290865.jpg" --- # A very elementary exercise in psychology, not to be… ![“A very elementary exercise in psychology, not to be dignified by the name of psycho-analysis, showed me, on looking at my notebook, that the sketch of the angry professor had been made in anger. Anger had snatched my pencil while I dreamt. But what was anger doing there? Interest, confusion…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/virginia-woolf-49_amusement_a-very-elementary-exercise-in-psychology_1290865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/virginia-woolf-49_amusement_a-very-elementary-exercise-in-psychology_1290865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b48/virginia-woolf-49_amusement_a-very-elementary-exercise-in-psychology_1290865.jpg) > “A very elementary exercise in psychology, not to be dignified by the name of psycho-analysis, showed me, on looking at my notebook, that the sketch of the angry professor had been made in anger. Anger had snatched my pencil while I dreamt. But what was anger doing there? Interest, confusion, amusement, boredom--all these emotions I could trace and name as they succeeded each other throughout the morning. Had anger, the black snake, been lurking among them? Yes, said the sketch, anger had.” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anger can surface in creative work, revealing underlying emotions and influencing artistic expression. **In simple terms:** Anger appears in art, showing hidden feelings. Key Takeaway Observe emotions shaping creativity. Themes psychology creativity emotion Mood introspective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing sessions - art therapy - creative brainstorming Key Concepts self‑reflection artistic process emotional awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does anger affect your creative output? - Can you channel anger into constructive art? A Different Perspective Anger may distort rather than enrich the work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amusement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) [Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Anger Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger-doing-2580800/) [Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angry/) [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Boredom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boredom/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Dreamt Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamt-anger-4204819/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Lurking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lurking/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Notebook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notebook/) [Pencils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pencils/) [Professors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professors/) [Psycho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psycho/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Sketch Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sketch-anger-4204817/) [Sketch Angry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sketch-angry-4204818/) [Snakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snakes/) ## Related quotes > [I don't feel I'm angry. I feel as though I'm describing something true. If I had stabbed my husband, I could understand being called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-don-t-feel-i-m-angry-i-feel-as-though-i-m-describing-something-true/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [Why were you lurking under our window?" "Yes - yes, good point, Petunia! What were you doing under our windows, boy?" "Listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-were-you-lurking-under-our-window-yes-yes-good-point-petunia-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What lurking temptations to forbidden tenderness find their finding-places in a woman's dressing-gown, when she is alone in her room at night!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/what-lurking-temptations-to-forbidden-tenderness-find-their-finding/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [I would argue that something dark is lurking between the sexes, and that it is seeping out into cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romola-garai/i-would-argue-that-something-dark-is-lurking-between-the-sexes-and/) [Romola Garai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romola-garai/) > [Laugh every chance you get. Laughter is sure to break the bonds of negativity that may be lurking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-van-praagh/laugh-every-chance-you-get-laughter-is-sure-to-break-the-bonds-of/) [James Van Praagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-van-praagh/) > [Every man has a lurking wish to appear considerable in his native place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-man-has-a-lurking-wish-to-appear-considerable-in-his-native/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You know, son, I don't think there's such a thing as an easy life. There's always going to be hard work and there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-duprau/you-know-son-i-don-t-think-there-s-such-a-thing-as-an-easy-life-there/) [Jeanne DuPrau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-duprau/) > [In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind. Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/in-practice-some-come-to-see-easily-some-with-difficulty-but-whatever/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Then one day, we’ll put the reward in the old place, and put in the rat, and, by golloy, the old habit will rememerge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/then-one-day-we-ll-put-the-reward-in-the-old-place-and-put-in-the-rat/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [“I am sorry. I did not see you. Normally you are lurking in the corners or skulking in the shadows, not standing in plain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-lafevers/i-am-sorry-i-did-not-see-you-normally-you-are-lurking-in-the-corners/) [Robin LaFevers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-lafevers/) > [The fact is, in the minds of many, Trayvon Martin received the appropriate punishment for a true crime: He was black, male and dared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/the-fact-is-in-the-minds-of-many-trayvon-martin-received-the/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [I often think off-screen horror is more effective, it's the fear of what is lurking around the corner, just out of sight, that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gass-donnelly/i-often-think-off-screen-horror-is-more-effective-it-s-the-fear-of/) [Ed Gass-Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gass-donnelly/) > [Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/fears-even-the-most-basic-ones-can-totally-destroy-our-ambitions-fear/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [I'm of that generation of Jews still deeply influenced by the Holocaust. Certainly the notion that the state power to kill can be subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-m-of-that-generation-of-jews-still-deeply-influenced-by-the/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [ Even \[Donald Trump\] presence was bullying, was lurking, and was just mainly creepy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-portman/even-donald-trump-presence-was-bullying-was-lurking-and-was-just/) [Natalie Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-portman/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“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/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Amusement quotes > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Every producer in Hollywood had set me down as a type. I was both amused and disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/every-producer-in-hollywood-had-set-me-down-as-a-type-i-was-both/) [Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/) > [By amusing myself with all these games, all this nonsense, all these picture puzzles, I became famous... I am only a public entertainer who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/by-amusing-myself-with-all-these-games-all-this-nonsense-all-these/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I just started writing for my own amusement and occasionally singing in little clubs around Los Angeles. Then I wrote 'The Rose,' and through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-mcbroom/i-just-started-writing-for-my-own-amusement-and-occasionally-singing/) [Amanda McBroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-mcbroom/) > [Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/happiness-does-not-consist-in-pastimes-and-amusements-but-in-virtuous/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Ordinary people simply don't know what books mean to us, shut up here. Reading, learning, and the radio are our amusements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ordinary-people-simply-don-t-know-what-books-mean-to-us-shut-up-here/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [My first job was at an amusement park in Virginia. It was the worst. I loved the park but once I'd worked there all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/my-first-job-was-at-an-amusement-park-in-virginia-it-was-the-worst-i/) [Danny McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I realized, "Gee, you're making the same film over and over here." I just kept making them for my own amusement, but also with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-realized-gee-you-re-making-the-same-film-over-and-over-here-i-just/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [I like these boots," I told Vayl. "Do you think they'd sell them to me cheap? I keep ruining mine." "Since when do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rardin/i-like-these-boots-i-told-vayl-do-you-think-they-d-sell-them-to-me/) [Jennifer Rardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rardin/) > [It has to be now,” he insisted, a flick of amusement in his voice. He nudged his burgeoning loins against her. “After all, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/it-has-to-be-now-he-insisted-a-flick-of-amusement-in-his-voice-he/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Act as if the universe is a prodigious miracle created for your amusement and illumination. Assume that secret helpers are working behind the scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/act-as-if-the-universe-is-a-prodigious-miracle-created-for-your/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Browse all 567 Amusement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A very elementary exercise in psychology, not to be dignified by the name of psycho-analysis, showed me, on looking at my notebook, that the sketch of the angry professor had been made in anger. Anger had snatched my pencil while I dreamt. But what was anger doing there? 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