--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A diary is an assassin's cloak which we…" description: "\"A diary is an assassin's cloak which we wear when we stab a comrade in the back with a pen.\" — William Soutar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg" --- # A diary is an assassin's cloak which we wear when we stab… ![“A diary is an assassin's cloak which we wear when we stab a comrade in the back with a pen.” quote by William Soutar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg) > “A diary is an assassin's cloak which we wear when we stab a comrade in the back with a pen.” [William Soutar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing can be a covert weapon, betraying trust under the guise of honesty. **In simple terms:** Writing can betray trust. Key Takeaway Use words responsibly. Themes trust betrayal communication Mood cautionary thoughtful Type ethical literary When to use this quote - journalism - political speeches - personal letters - social media Key Concepts ethics power of language Questions to Reflect On - When does honesty become harmful? - How can we balance truth and loyalty? A Different Perspective Intent matters more than medium. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assassins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassins/) [Comrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comrade/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [When I was just five years old, I loved the scary layer and the symbolical power of the red cloak. I made my mom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-hardwicke/when-i-was-just-five-years-old-i-loved-the-scary-layer-and-the/) [Catherine Hardwicke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-hardwicke/) > [The CW is a very fashion-oriented network and they like their stars to look a certain way. I like that, but at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/the-cw-is-a-very-fashion-oriented-network-and-they-like-their-stars/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [Some people perceive me as an assassin or at least someone who can slip under your guard with a knife. But if you watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/some-people-perceive-me-as-an-assassin-or-at-least-someone-who-can/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [If a shot aimed at aptness succeeds aptly, it is then fully apt, since it is not only apt but also aptly apt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-a-shot-aimed-at-aptness-succeeds-aptly-it-is-then-fully-apt-since/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Ananna of Tanarau is a delightfully irascible heroine, inhabiting a fascinating and fresh new world that I would love to spend more time in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/ananna-of-tanarau-is-a-delightfully-irascible-heroine-inhabiting-a/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [Agents of disruption, subversion, sabotage and disinformation tunnelers and smugglers, listeners and forgers, trainers and recruiters and talent spotters and couriers and watchers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/agents-of-disruption-subversion-sabotage-and-disinformation-tunnelers/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Are you suggesting I’m not normal? (Nykyrian) Oh yeah, baby, you ooze normality. From the top of that assassin’s braid to the tip of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/are-you-suggesting-i-m-not-normal-nykyrian-oh-yeah-baby-you-ooze/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Procrastination is attitude's natural assassin. There's nothing so fatiguing as an uncompleted task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/procrastination-is-attitude-s-natural-assassin-there-s-nothing-so/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > ['The Assassins' Gate' is a very tightly controlled story of the ideas that led to the war and the consequences of those ideas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-assassins-gate-is-a-very-tightly-controlled-story-of-the-ideas/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Nixon's own protection from the assassin's bullet... nattering nabobs of negativism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/nixon-s-own-protection-from-the-assassin-s-bullet-nattering-nabobs-of/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [Yes Rosalie, we all know how proficient of an assassin you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/yes-rosalie-we-all-know-how-proficient-of-an-assassin-you-are/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“They are the Emperor's spies, his eyes and ears. And occasionally his assassins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-moeller/they-are-the-emperor-s-spies-his-eyes-and-ears-and-occasionally-his/) [Jonathan Moeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-moeller/) > [Treacherous assassins, enemies of the people, and worthy of everyone's ridicule are those who, under the pretext of guiding future generations, teach them an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/treacherous-assassins-enemies-of-the-people-and-worthy-of-everyone-s/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [“Some people loathe the act of killing a person at first, but as they continue to do it, it can feel like a game.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-creeden/some-people-loathe-the-act-of-killing-a-person-at-first-but-as-they/) [Pauline Creeden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-creeden/) > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) ## More by William Soutar > [Not a single other creature in all the history of the world has been just as ourselves. Not another will be like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/not-a-single-other-creature-in-all-the-history-of-the-world-has-been/) [William Soutar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/) > [My life's purpose is to write poetry - but behind the poetry must be the vision of a fresh revelation for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/my-life-s-purpose-is-to-write-poetry-but-behind-the-poetry-must-be/) [William Soutar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/) > [“I bleed myself to be your drink: Is not the blood of poets—ink?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/i-bleed-myself-to-be-your-drink-is-not-the-blood-of-poets-ink/) [William Soutar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/) > [Art is for all — and the greatest art proves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/art-is-for-all-and-the-greatest-art-proves-it/) [William Soutar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/) [Explore all 5 William Soutar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/) ## More Assassins quotes > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [“Some people loathe the act of killing a person at first, but as they continue to do it, it can feel like a game.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-creeden/some-people-loathe-the-act-of-killing-a-person-at-first-but-as-they/) [Pauline Creeden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-creeden/) > [Treacherous assassins, enemies of the people, and worthy of everyone's ridicule are those who, under the pretext of guiding future generations, teach them an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/treacherous-assassins-enemies-of-the-people-and-worthy-of-everyone-s/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [“They are the Emperor's spies, his eyes and ears. And occasionally his assassins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-moeller/they-are-the-emperor-s-spies-his-eyes-and-ears-and-occasionally-his/) [Jonathan Moeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-moeller/) > [Yes Rosalie, we all know how proficient of an assassin you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/yes-rosalie-we-all-know-how-proficient-of-an-assassin-you-are/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Nixon's own protection from the assassin's bullet... nattering nabobs of negativism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/nixon-s-own-protection-from-the-assassin-s-bullet-nattering-nabobs-of/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > ['The Assassins' Gate' is a very tightly controlled story of the ideas that led to the war and the consequences of those ideas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-assassins-gate-is-a-very-tightly-controlled-story-of-the-ideas/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Procrastination is attitude's natural assassin. There's nothing so fatiguing as an uncompleted task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/procrastination-is-attitude-s-natural-assassin-there-s-nothing-so/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Are you suggesting I’m not normal? (Nykyrian) Oh yeah, baby, you ooze normality. From the top of that assassin’s braid to the tip of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/are-you-suggesting-i-m-not-normal-nykyrian-oh-yeah-baby-you-ooze/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Agents of disruption, subversion, sabotage and disinformation tunnelers and smugglers, listeners and forgers, trainers and recruiters and talent spotters and couriers and watchers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/agents-of-disruption-subversion-sabotage-and-disinformation-tunnelers/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ananna of Tanarau is a delightfully irascible heroine, inhabiting a fascinating and fresh new world that I would love to spend more time in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/ananna-of-tanarau-is-a-delightfully-irascible-heroine-inhabiting-a/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [If a shot aimed at aptness succeeds aptly, it is then fully apt, since it is not only apt but also aptly apt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-a-shot-aimed-at-aptness-succeeds-aptly-it-is-then-fully-apt-since/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Some people perceive me as an assassin or at least someone who can slip under your guard with a knife. But if you watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/some-people-perceive-me-as-an-assassin-or-at-least-someone-who-can/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [The CW is a very fashion-oriented network and they like their stars to look a certain way. I like that, but at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/the-cw-is-a-very-fashion-oriented-network-and-they-like-their-stars/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [The terrorists do not understand America. The American people do not falter under threat, and we will not allow our future to be determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-terrorists-do-not-understand-america-the-american-people-do-not/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 234 Assassins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassins/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A diary is an assassin's cloak which we wear when we stab a comrade in the back with a pen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Soutar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we-wear-when-we-stab-a-comrade/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assassins" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we-wear-when-we-stab-a-comrade/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5af/william-soutar-59013_assassins_a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we_1547118.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A diary is an assassin's cloak which we wear when we stab a comrade in the back with a pen.” — William Soutar", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Soutar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-soutar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A diary is an assassin's cloak...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we-wear-when-we-stab-a-comrade/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-soutar/a-diary-is-an-assassin-s-cloak-which-we-wear-when-we-stab-a-comrade/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```