--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing you can't intend is how you…" description: "\"One thing you can't intend is how you will be read. I hear it said a lot that my books are about the 'search for identity', and this is said admiringly..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a5/zadie-smith-584_about_one-thing-you-can-t-intend-is-how-you-wi_2643405.png" --- # One thing you can't intend is how you will be read. I hear… ![“One thing you can't intend is how you will be read. I hear it said a lot that my books are about the 'search for identity', and this is said admiringly, as if I meant to encourage such a search.” quote by Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a5/zadie-smith-584_about_one-thing-you-can-t-intend-is-how-you-wi_2643405.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a5/zadie-smith-584_about_one-thing-you-can-t-intend-is-how-you-wi_2643405.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a5/zadie-smith-584_about_one-thing-you-can-t-intend-is-how-you-wi_2643405.png) > “One thing you can't intend is how you will be read. I hear it said a lot that my books are about the 'search for identity', and this is said admiringly, as if I meant to encourage such a search.” [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Readers impose meanings on works that authors may not intend, especially regarding identity. **In simple terms:** Readers interpret works beyond author’s intent. Key Takeaway Accept varied interpretations of your work. Themes interpretation identity authorial intent literature Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - book clubs - academic essays - public readings - media reviews Key Concepts post‑modernism reader response theory Questions to Reflect On - Do you welcome unintended interpretations? - How does identity shape your writing? A Different Perspective Authors may feel misrepresented by unintended readings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Search for identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/search-for-identity/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“So for the sake of your identity,” she said, “you avoided using your real name, which effectively allowed someone else to use your real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/so-for-the-sake-of-your-identity-she-said-you-avoided-using-your-real/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [What is my identity ?" "Nothing," said the Master. "You mean that I am an emptiness and a void?" said the incredulous disciple. "Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/what-is-my-identity-nothing-said-the-master-you-mean-that-i-am-an/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The Philippines, it might be said, is a country in search of an identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-bonner/the-philippines-it-might-be-said-is-a-country-in-search-of-an-identity/) [Raymond Bonner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-bonner/) > [I think I've found out who I am and what we've been looking for. We don't have to search for my identity anymore. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-cline/i-think-i-ve-found-out-who-i-am-and-what-we-ve-been-looking-for-we/) [Patsy Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patsy-cline/) > [There are only two reasons for buying a book, after all. Either we intend to read it, in which case most of us find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-nunberg/there-are-only-two-reasons-for-buying-a-book-after-all-either-we/) [Geoffrey Nunberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-nunberg/) > [“Someday I intend to read all those books I've written.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/someday-i-intend-to-read-all-those-books-i-ve-written/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [I don't want anyone writing in to point out that I spend too much money on books, many of which I will never read.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-don-t-want-anyone-writing-in-to-point-out-that-i-spend-too-much/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“She: The Final Becoming There comes a moment, one that’s often overlooked or misinterpreted, where the search for identity stops being a quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-rose/she-the-final-becoming-there-comes-a-moment-one-that-s-often/) L. Rose > [I think within our music there is a real strong idea of search, search for identity, search for place, search for time, search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/i-think-within-our-music-there-is-a-real-strong-idea-of-search-search/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [“Prayer helps us overcome the fear that is related to building our life just on the interpersonal—“What does he or she think of me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/prayer-helps-us-overcome-the-fear-that-is-related-to-building-our/) [Henri J.M. 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It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/december-8-if-christ-is-your-life-you-are-free-from-the-desperate/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Re-vision – the act of looking back, of seeing with fresh eyes, of entering an old text from a new critical direction – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/re-vision-the-act-of-looking-back-of-seeing-with-fresh-eyes-of-3/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Re-vision--the act of looking back, of seeing with fresh eyes, of entering an old text from a new critical direction--is for women more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/re-vision-the-act-of-looking-back-of-seeing-with-fresh-eyes-of-2/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Another example of this is astrology. Multitudes of believers are subconsciously bound to the characteristics and weaknesses of their "zodiac sign." 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