Quote by Elizabeth Hardwick
Many people believe letters the most personal and revealing form of communication. In them, we expect to find the charmer at his nap, slumped, open-mouthed, profoundly himself without thought for appearances. Yet, this is not quite true. Letters are above all useful as a means of expressing the ideal self; and no other method of communication is quite so good for this purpose. In conversation, those uneasy eyes upon you, those lips ready with an emendation before you have begun to speak, are a powerful deterrent to unreality, even to hope. In letters we can reform without practice, beg without humiliation, snip and shape embarrassing experiences to the measure of our own desires...
Summary
This quote suggests that letters are often considered the most personal form of communication because they allow individuals to express their ideal selves. Unlike in face-to-face conversations where people can scrutinize and potentially reject the true self, letters offer an opportunity for reformulation and representation. Through letters, individuals can freely express their desires, reshape embarrassing experiences, and present themselves in a carefully curated manner without the fear of judgment or immediate reaction. It highlights the transformative and expressive power of letters as a means to present a perfected version of oneself.
Topics
Letters (writing)
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