Background Image
There Are More Important Things Than Finding The Murderer. And Justice Is A Fine Word, But It Is Sometimes Difficult To Say Exactly What One Means By It. In My Opinion, The Important Thing Is To Clear The Innocent. - Hercule Poirot
-Agatha Christie
Please Wait....
Translating....

There Are More Important

Agatha Christie
There Are More Important Things Than Finding The Murderer. And Justice Is A Fine Word, But It Is Sometimes Difficult To Say Exactly What One Means By It. In My Opinion, The Important Thing Is To Clear The Innocent. - Hercule Poirot
Views: 5
Topic
Mean
Justice
Important
More From Agatha Christie
And So Could You Know It If You Would Only Use The Brains The Good God Has Given You. Sometimes I Really Am Tempted To Believe That By Inadvertence, He Passed You By.
Believe
Brain
Use
Everything That Has Existed, Lingers In The Eternity.
Literature
Eternity
I Admit," I Said, "that A Second Murder In A Book Often Cheers Things Up." - Hastings
Cheer
Book
Murder
Love Is Not Everything ... It Is Only When We Are Young That We Think It Is.
Love Is
Thinking
Young
What An Absurdity To Go And Bury Oneself In South America, Where They Are Always Having Revolutions.
Travel
America
Revolution
Lawyers Never Go To Law, Do They? They Know Better.
Law
Lawyer
Knows
Curious Things, Habits. People Themselves Never Knew They Had Them.
Ghouls
People
Literature
It Is The Brain, The Little Gray Cells On Which One Must Rely. One Must Seek The Truth Within--not Without." ~ Poirot
Cells
Brain
Littles
... Evil Was, Perhaps, Necessarily Always More Impressive Than Good.
Evil
Impressive
A Weak Man In A Corner Is More Dangerous Than A Strong Man.
Strong
Men
Weak Man
Be Sure Thy Sin Will Find Thee Out.
Sin
Thee
It's Not A Man's Working Hours That Are Important--it's His Leisure Hours. That's The Mistake We All Make.
Mistake
Men
Important
I Suppose Without Curiosity A Man Would Be A Tortoise. Very Comfortable Life, A Tortoise Has.
Men
Curiosity
Would Be
Wonderful Things, Horses. Never Know What They Will Do, Or Won't Do.
Horse
Wonderful
Knows
One Is Alone When The Last One Who Remembers Is Gone.
Gone
Lasts
Remember
Speech ... Is An Invention Of Man's To Prevent Him From Thinking.
Men
Thinking
Speech
Everyone Likes Talking About Himself. - Hercule Poirot
Talking
Likes
Hercule Poirot
There Is Evil Everywhere Under The Sun.
Evil
Sun
I Always Think Loyalty's Such A Tiresome Virtue.
Loyalty
Thinking
Virtue
Youth Is A Failing Only Too Easily Outgrown.
Youth
Failing
I Suppose It Is Because Nearly All Children Go To School Nowadays And Have Things Arranged For Them That They Seem So Forlornly Unable To Produce Their Own Ideas.
Education
Children
Learning
To Count - Really And Truly To Count - A Woman Must Have Goodness Or Brains.
Brain
Goodness
To Keep Something Wild Is Far More Difficult Than To Preserve It.
Difficult
Preserves
Many Homicidal Lunatics Are Very Quiet, Unassuming People. Delightful Fellows.
People
Quiet
Fellows
He Laughs Best Who Laughs At The End.
Laughing
Ends
Everything Has Got Its Right Size. When It Is Its Right Size And Well Run It's The Tops.
Running
Size
Wells
It's Very Inconvenient To Be Loved. Nearly Everyone Has Found That Out, Sooner Or Later. The Fewer People Who Love You The Less You Will Have To Suffer.
Love You
People
Suffering
One Must Make One's Own Mistakes
Mistake
Books Are A Habit-forming Drug.
Book
Drug
Habit
You'll Be Glad Too, When The End Comes.
Ends
Glad
From An Early Age I Knew Very Strongly The Lust To Kill.
Lust
Age
Very Strong
The Amount Of Missing Girls I've Had To Trace And Their Family And Their Friends Always Say The Same Thing. 'she Was A Bright And Affectionate Disposition And Had No Men Friends'. That's Never True. It's Unnatural. Girls Ought To Have Men Friends. If Not, Then There's Something Wrong About Them.
Girl
Men
Missing
Curious Things, Habits. People Themselves Never Knew They Had Them. [witness For The Prosecution, Also Published In The Hound Of Death And Other Stories.]
People
Stories
Habit
In The Midst Of Life, We Are In Death.
Life
Midst
To Win A War Is As Disasterous As To Lose One.
War
Winning
Loses
Courage Is The Resolution To Face The Unforeseen.
Faces
Resolution
Unforeseen
A Woman Who Doesn't Lie Is A Woman Without Imagination And Without Sympathy.
Lying
Imagination
That Was What, Ultimately, War Did To You. It Was Not The Physical Dangers--the Mines At Sea, The Bombs From The Air, The Crisp Ping Of A Rifle Bullet As You Drove Over A Desert Track. No, It Was The Spiritual Danger Of Learning How Much Easier Life Was If You Ceased To Think.
Spiritual
War
Thinking
Many Years Ago, When I Was Once Saying Sadly To Max It Was A Pity I Couldn't Have Taken Up Archaeology When I Was A Girl, So As To Be More Knowledgeable On The Subject, He Said, 'don't You Realize That At This Moment You Know More About Prehistoric Pottery Than Any Woman In England?'
Girl
Taken
Years
I'm Sorry, But I Do Hate This Differentiation Between The Sexes. The Modern Girl Has A Thoroughly Businesslike Attitude To Life! That Sort Of Thing. It's Not A Bit True! Some Girls Are Businesslike And Some Aren't. Some Men Are Sentimental And Muddle-headed, Others Are Clear-headed And Logical. There Are Just Different Types Of Brains.
Girl
Sex
Sorry
A Mother's Love For Her Child Is Like Nothing Else In The World. It Knows No Law, No Pity, It Dares All Things And Crushes Down Remorselessly All That Stands In Its Path.
Love
Birthday
Family
Truth, However Bitter, Can Be Accepted, And Woven Into A Design For Living.
Truth
Design
Woven
Marriage Is An Extraordinary Thing - And I Doubt If Any Outsider - Even A Child Of The Marriage - Has The Right To Judge.
Children
Judging
Doubt
It's Like All Those Quiet People, When They Do Lose Their Tempers They Lose Them With A Vengeance.
Quiet People
Vengeance
Temper
My Remarks Are, As Always, Apt, Sound, And To The Point. (hercule Poirot)
Sound
Hercule Poirot
Remarks
Evil Never Goes Unpunished, Monsieur. But The Punishment Is Sometimes Secret.
Punishment
Evil
Secret
You Can Only Really Get Under Anybody's Skin If You Are Married To Them.
Skins
Married
Ifs
Vous Eprouves Trop D'emotion, Hastings, It Affects Your Hands And Your Wits. Is That A Way To Fold A Coat? And Regard What You Have Done To My Pyjamas. If The Hairwash Breaks What Will Befall Them?' 'good Heavens, Poirot,' I Cried, 'this Is A Matter Of Life And Death. What Does It Matter What Happens To Our Clothes?' 'you Have No Sense Of Proportion Hastings. We Cannot Catch A Train Earlier Than The Time That It Leaves, And To Ruin One's Clothes Will Not Be The Least Helpful In Preventing A Murder.
Hands
Clothes
Life And Death
A Lot Of Trouble Has Been Caused By Memoirs. Indiscreet Revelations, That Sort Of Thing. People Who Have Been Close As An Oyster All Their Lives Seem Positively To Relish Causing Trouble When They Themselves Shall Be Comfortably Dead.
Oysters
People
Trouble
I Always Take Abroad With Me One Really Good Soft Pillow--to Me It Makes All The Difference Between Comfort And Misery.
Differences
Comfort
Misery
The Detective's Highest Talent Lay In The Gentle Art Of Seeking Favours Under The Guise Of Conferring Them!
Art
Favors
Detectives
If Anyone Is Really Determined To Lend You A Book, You Never Can Get Out Of It!
Book
Determined
Ifs
Elephants Can Remember, But We Are Human Beings And Mercifully Human Beings Can Forget.
Elephants
Remember
Forget
Plots Come To Me At Such Odd Moments, When I Am Walking Along The Street, Or Examining A Hat Shop… Suddenly A Splendid Idea Comes Into My Head.
Ideas
Plot
Hats
Bitterness Leads Nowhere. It Turns Back On Itself. It Is The Eternal Cul-de-sac.
Bitterness
Turns
Eternal
It Is The Quietest And Meekest People Who Are Often Capable Of The Most Sudden And Unexpected Violences For The Reason That When Their Control Does Snap, It Goes Entirely. (hercule Poirot)
People
Doe
Violence
In My Experience, People Who Go About Looking For Trouble Usually Find It.
People
Trouble
I Just Woke Up Feeling Happy This Morning. You Know Those Days When Everything In The World Seems Right.
Morning
Feelings
World
Things Never Come When They Are Expected.
Expectations
Expected
A Man Doesn't Wasnt To Feel That A Woman Cares More For Him Than He Cares For Her. He Doesn't Want To Feel Owned, Body And Soul. It's That Damned Possessive Attitude. This Man Is Mine---he Belongs To Me! He Wants To Get Away --- To Get Free. He Wants To Own His Woman; He Doesn't Want Her To Own Him.(simon Boyle)
Attitude
Men
Soul
The Tragedy Of Life Is That People Do Not Change.
People
Tragedy
Life Is
The Past Is The Father Of The Present.
Father
Past
"look Here," I Said, "people Like To Collect Disasters."
Loss
People
Looks
It Is Curious - But You Cannot Make A Revolution Without Honest Men. ... Every Revolution Has Had Its Honest Men. They Are Soon Disposed Of Afterwards.
Men
Revolution
Honest
Lie Is More Worth Living, More Full Of Interest When You Are Likely To Lose It. It Shouldn't Be, Perhaps, But It Is. When You're Young And Strong And Healthy, And Life Stretches Ahead Of You, Living Isn't Really Important At All. It's Young People Who Commit Suicide Easily, Out Of Despair From Love, Sometimes From Sheer Anxiety And Worry. But Old People Know How Valuable Life Is And How Interesting. - Jane Marple
Suicide
Strong
Lying
I Have Enjoyed Greatly The Second Blooming... Suddenly You Find - At The Age Of 50, Say - That A Whole New Life Has Opened Before You.
Turning 50
Inspirational Birthday
50th Birthday
I Am Not One To Rely Upon The Expert Procedure. It Is The Psychology I Seek, Not The Fingerprint Or The Cigarette Ash.
Rely Upon
Psychology
Experts
Nothing, I Believe, Is So Full Of Life Under The Microscope As A Drop Of Water From A Stagnant Pool.
Believe
Water
Pool
Everybody Is Very Much Alike, Really. But Fortunately, Perhaps, They Don't Realise It. - Miss Marple
Missing
Miss Marple
Realising
And, Of Course, Afterwards -- One Always Hears These Things Afterwards, So Much Better If One Heard Them Before -- We Found Out That Dozens Of Empty Brandy Bottles Were Taken Out Of The House Every Week!
Taken
House
Bottles
The Truth, However Ugly In Itself, Is Always Curious And Beautiful To Seekers After It.
Beautiful
Ugly
Curious
Your Not Reliable. You Wouldn't Be At All A Comfortable Sort Of Person To Live With.
Persons
Comfortable
Those Who Never Think Of Money Need A Great Deal Of It.
Thinking
Needs
Deals
The Human Face Is, After All, Nothing More Nor Less Than A Mask.
Faces
Mask
Humans
I've Got A Stomach Now As Well As A Behind. And I Mean - Well, You Can't Pull It In Both Ways, Can You? ... I've Made It A Rule To Pull In My Stomach And Let My Behind Look After Itself.
Mean
Way
Looks
With Method And Logic One Can Accomplish Anything.
Logic
Method
Accomplish
One Of Us In This Very Room Is In Fact The Murderer.
Facts
Rooms
Murderer
One Knows So Little. When One Knows More It Is Too Late.
Too Late
Littles
Late
The Steamship Whose Machinery Is Broken May Be Brought Into Port And Made Fast To The Dock. She Is Safe, But Not Sound. Repairs May Last A Long Time. Christ Designs To Make Us Both Safe And Sound. Justification Gives The First - Safety; Sanctification Gives Us The Second - Soundness.
Safe And Sound
Long
Safety
To Feel Admiration For A Man All Through One's Married Life Would, I Think, Be Excessively Tedious.
Men
Thinking
Admiration
If I Were At Any Time To Set Out On A Career Of Deceit, It Would Be Of Miss Marple That I Should Be Afraid.
Careers
Missing
Deceit
We Owe Most Of Our Great Inventions And Most Of The Achievements Of Genius To Idleness Either Enforced Or Voluntary.
Simple
Achievement
Great Inventions
What Good Is Money If It Can't Buy Happiness?
Wealth
Ifs
To Rush Into Explanations Is Always A Sign Of Weakness.
Weakness
Excuse
Explanation
Do You Believe In The Value Of Truth, My Dear, Or Don’t You?” “of Course I Believe In The Truth,” Said Rhoda, Staring. “yes, You Say That, But Perhaps You Haven’t Thought About It. The Truth Hurts Sometimes – And Destroys One’s Illusions.” “i’d Rather Have It All The Same.” Said Rhoda. “so Would I. But I Don’t Know That We’re Wise.” Mrs. Oliver; Rhoda Dawes
Wise
Hurt
Believe
Men Don't Understand How Their Mannerisms Can Get On Women's Nerves So That You Feel You Just Have To Snap.
Men
Nerves
Feels
It Is My Experience That No One, In The Course Of Conversation, Can Fail To Give Themselves Away Sooner Or Later. Everyone Has An Irresistible Urge To Talk About Themselves.
Giving
Failing
Conversation
It Is Odd How, When You Have A Secret Belief Of Your Own Which You Do Not Wish To Acknowledge, The Voicing Of It By Someone Else Will Rouse You To A Fury Of Denial.
Secret
Wish
Denial
Where Do One's Fears Come From? Where Do They Shape Themselves? Where Do They Hide Before Coming Out Into The Open?
Shapes
Coming Out
Many Friends Have Said To Me, 'i Never Know When You Write Your Books, Because I've Never Seen You Writing, Or Even Seen You Go Away To Write.' I Must Behave Rather As Dogs Do When They Retire With A Bone; They Depart In A Secretive Manner And You Do Not See Them Again For An Odd Half Hour. They Return Self-consciously With Mud On Their Noses. I Do Much The Same.
Dog
Book
Writing
All I Needed Was A Steady Table And A Typewriter...a Marble-topped Bedroom Washstand Table Made A Good Place; The Dining-room Table Between Meals Was Also Suitable.
Writing
Typewriters
Dining
The Impossible Could Not Have Happened, Therefore The Impossible Must Be Possible In Spite Of Appearances.
Inspirational
Life
Impossible
Everybody Said, "follow Your Heart". I Did, It Got Broken
Heart
Broken
Rejection
That Is What I Mean. A Bath! The Receptacle Of Porcelain, One Turns The Taps And Fills It, One Gets In, One Gets Out And Ghoosh - Ghoosh - Ghoosh, The Water Goes Down The Waste Pipe!" "m. Poirot Are You Quite Mad?" "no, I Am Extremely Sane.
Mean
Mad
Water
... There Are Many To Whom Money Has No Personal Appeal, But Who Can Be Tempted By The Power It Confers.
Appeals
Tempted
I Was Thinking, That When My Time Comes, I Should Be Sorry If The Only Plea I Had To Offer Was That Of Justice. Because It Might Mean That Only Justice Would Be Meted Out To Me.
Sorry
Mean
Thinking
I'm Going To Marry Him. And If He Thinks He Can Get Divorced And Married Every Two Or Three Years In The Approved Hollywood Fashion, Well, He Never Made A Bigger Mistake In His Life. He's Going To Marry And Stick To Me.
Fashion
Mistake
Divorce
She Didn't Give George Any Too Easy A Time When She Was Alive. She Was One Of Those Semi-invalids – I Believe She Had Really Something Wrong With Her, But Whatever It Was She Played It For All It Was Worth. She Was Capricious, Exacting, Unreasonable. She Complained From Morning To Night. George Was Expected To Wait On Her, Hand And Foot And Everything He Did Was Always Wrong And He Got Cursed For It. Most Men, I'm Fully Convinced, Would Have Hit Her With A Hatchet Long Ago.
Morning
Believe
Men
To All Those Who Lead Monotonous Lives In The Hope That They May Experience At Second Hand The Delights And Dangers Of Adventure. [author's Dedication]
Adventure
Dedication
Monotonous Life
But Surely For Everything You Love You Have To Pay Some Price.
Love You
Literature
Pay
He Was Very Much A Man Of Moods, Possibly Owing To What Is Styled The Artistic Temperment. I Have Never Seen, Myself, Why The Possession Of Artistic Ability Should Be Supposed To Excuse A Man From A Decent Exercise Of Self-control.
Exercise
Men
Self
Never Do Anything Yourself That Others Can Do For You.
Memorable
Crime Novels
Literature
I Have A Certain Experience Of The Way People Tell Lies.
Lying
People
Way
The Supernatural Is Only The Natural Of Which The Laws Are Not Yet Understood.
Law
Natural
Understood
Evil Is Not Any Superhuman, But It Is Human.
Evil
Superhuman
Humans
These Little Grey Cells. It Is Up To Them.
Cells
Literature
Littles
And If You Cast Down An Idol, There's Nothing Left.
Idols
Casts
Left
There Was A Moment When I Changed From An Amateur To A Professional. I Assumed The Burden Of A Profession, Which Is To Write Even When You Don't Want To, Don't Much Like What You're Writing, And Aren't Writing Particularly Well
Work
Writing
Commitment
Exactly! It Is Absurd - Improbable - It Cannot Be. So I Myself Have Said. And Yet, My Friend, There It Is! One Cannot Escape From The Facts.
Facts
Absurd
Said
Very Unfortunately, She Had No Husband. She Had Never Had A Husband, And Therefore Did Not Kill A Husband.
Husband
Liking Is More Important Than Loving. It Lasts. I Want What Is Between Us To Last, Luke. I Don't Want Us Just To Love Each Other And Marry And Get Tired Of Each Other And Then Want To Marry Some One Else.
Tired
Reality
Important
If One Sticks Too Rigidly To One's Principles, One Would Hardly See Anybody.
Principles
Literature
Sticks
They Tried To Be Too Clever---and That Was Their Undoing.
Clever
Undoing
Cleverness
There Hung About Her The Restrained Energy Of A Whiplash.
Energy
Whiplash
Hung
Instinct Is A Marvelous Thing. It Can Neither Be Explained Nor Ignored.
Ignored
Instinct
Marvelous
The Saddest Thing In Life And The Hardest To Live Through, Is The Knowledge That There Is Someone You Love Very Much Whom You Cannot Save From Suffering.
Things In Life
Suffering
Someone You Love
I Looked At Her. Sheila Was My Girl--the Girl I Wanted--and Wanted For Keeps. But It Wasn't Any Use Having Illusions About Her. Sheila Was A Liar And Probably Always Would Be A Liar. It Was Her Way Of Fighting For Survival--the Quick Easy Glib Denial. It Was A Child's Weapon--and She'd Probably Never Got Out Of Using It. If I Wanted Sheila, I Must Accept Her As She Was--be At Hand To Prop Up The Weak Places. We've All Got Our Weak Places. Mine Were Different From Sheila's, But They Were There.
Girl
Children
Liars
I'm Sure You Have A Theme: The Theme Of Your Life. You Can Embellish It Or Desecrate It, But It's Your Theme, And As Long As You Follow It, You Will Experience Harmony And Peace Of Mind.
Long
Mind
Harmony
You Don't Realize What Fine Fighting Material There Is In Age. ... You Show Me Any One Who's Lived To Over Seventy And You Show Me A Fighter - Some One Who's Got The Will To Live.
Fighting
Age
Fighter
Any Medical Man Who Predicts Exactly When A Patient Will Die, Or Exactly How Long He Will Live, Is Bound To Make A Fool Of Himself. The Human Factor Is Always Incalculable. The Weak Have Often Unexpected Powers Of Resistance, The Strong Sometimes Succumb.
Strong
Men
Long
Bad Temper Is Its Own Safety Valve. He Who Can Bark Does Not Bite.
Anger
Safety
Doe
Oh, No, I'm Not Brave. When A Thing Is Certain, There's Nothing To Be Brave About. All You Can Do Is To Find Your Consolation.
Courage
Brave
Certain
It Is Ridiculous To Set A Detective Story In New York City. New York City Is Itself A Detective Story.
New York
Writing
Cities
... The Belief In A Superstratum Of Human Beings ... Is The Most Evil Of All Beliefs. For When You Say, 'i Am Not As Other Men' -- You Have Lost The Two Most Valuable Qualities We Have Ever Tried To Attain: -- Humility And Brotherhood.
Humility
Men
Two
Words Are Such Uncertain Things, They So Often Sound Well But Mean The Opposite Of What One Thinks They Do.
Mean
Thinking
Opposites
No Sign, So Far, Of Anything Sinister—but I Live In Hope.
Sinister
Jealousy, You Know, Is Usually Not An Affair Of Causes. It Is Much More-how Shall I Say?-fundamental Than That. Based On The Knowledge That One's Love Is Not Returned. And So One Goes On Waiting, Watching, Expecting...that The Loved One Will Turn To Someone Else.
Love Is
Waiting
Fundamentals
One Place Is Very Like Another.
All Women, Without In The Least Meaning It, Consider Every Man They Meet As A Possible Husband For Themselves Or For Their Best Friend.
Husband
Men
Every Man
I've A Theory That One Can Always Get Anything One Wants If One Will Pay The Price. And Do You Know What The Price Is, Nine Times Out Of Ten? Compromise.
Pay The Price
Want
Nine
Time Does Not Dispose Of A Question - It Only Presents It Anew In A Different Guise.
Doe
Different
Guise
It Is A Curious Thought, But It Is Only When You See People Looking Ridiculous That You Realize Just How Much You Love Them.
Love
Cute
Confused
Intuition Is Like Reading A Word Without Having To Spell It Out. A Child Can't Do That Because It Has Had So Little Experience. A Grown-up Person Knows The Word Because They've Seen It Often Before.
Children
Reading
Intuition
Everyone Is A Potential Murderer-in Everyone There Arises From Time To Time Thewish To Kill-though Not The Will To Kill.
Arise
Murderer
You've A Pretty Good Nerve," Said Ratchett. "will Twenty Thousand Dollars Tempt You?" It Will Not." If You're Holding Out For More, You Won't Get It. I Know What A Thing's Worth To Me." I, Also M. Ratchett." What's Wrong With My Proposition?" Poirot Rose. "if You Will Forgive Me For Being Personal - I Do Not Like Your Face, M. Ratchett," He Said.
Rose
Forgive Me
Forgiving
When Engaged In Eating, The Brain Should Be The Servant Of The Stomach.
Brain
Eating
Should
One Does What One Can, Not What One Cannot.
Life
Inspirational Life
Doe
What They Need Is A Little Immorality In Their Lives. Then They Wouldn't Be So Busy Looking For It In Other People's.
People
Littles
Needs
I Think, Myself, That One's Memories Represent Those Moments Which, Insignificant As They May Seem, Nevertheless Represent The Inner Self And Oneself As Most Really Oneself.
Memories
Thinking
Self
I Am Not Mad. I Am Eccentric Perhaps--at Least Certain People Say So; But As Regards My Profession. I Am Very Much As One Says, 'all There.
People
Mad
Eccentric
I've Always Noticed That If You Speak The Truth In A Rather Silly Way Nobody Believes You.
Believe
Silly
Way
God Bless My Soul, Woman, The More Personal You Are The Better! This Is A Story Of Human Beings - Not Dummies! Be Personal - Be Prejudiced - Be Catty - Be Anything You Please! Write The Thing Your Own Way. We Can Always Prune Out The Bits That Are Libellous Afterwards!
Writing
Soul
Stories
The Urge To Write One's Autobiography, So I Have Been Told, Overtakes Everyone Sooner Or Later.
Writing
Autobiography
Sooner Or Later
If You've Had A Happy Childhood, Nobody Can Take That Away From You.
Childhood
Away From You
Happy Childhood
Who Are You? You Don't Belong To The Police?' 'i Am Better Than The Police,' Said Poirot. He Said It Without Conscious Arrogance. It Was, To Him, A Simple Statement Of Fact.
Simple
Police
Arrogance
There Are Some People Who Don't Conform To The Signals. An Ordinary Well-regulated Locomotive Slows Down Or Pulls Up When It Sees The Red Light Hoisted Against It. Perhaps I Was Born Color Blind. When I See The Red Signal -- I Can't Help Forging Ahead. And In The End, You Know, That Spells Disaster.
Light
Color
People
I Don't Know. I Don't Know At All. And That's What's Frightening The Life Out Of Me. To Have No Idea.
Ideas
Frightening
Knows
If You Love, You Will Suffer, And If You Do Not Love, You Do Not Know The Meaning Of A Christian Life.
Christian
Love You
Suffering
To Care Passionately For Another Human Creature Brings Always More Sorrow Than Joy; But At The Same Time, Elinor, One Would Not Be Without Experience. Anyone Who Has Never Really Loved Has Never Really Lived.
Joy
Sorrow
Care
Fey...a Scotch Word...it Means The Kind Of Exalted Happiness That Comes Before Disaster. You Know--it's Too Good To Be True.
Mean
Scotch
Fey
Self-preservation's A Man's First Duty. And Natives Don't Mind Dying, You Know. They Don't Feel About It As Europeans Do.
Men
Self
Mind
You Have A Tendency, Hastings, To Prefer The Least Likely. That, No Doubt, Is From Reading Too Many Detective Stories.
Reading
Doubt
Stories
You Travel Life Has The Aspect Of A Dream. It Is Something Outside The Normal, Yet You Are In It. It Is Peopled With Characters You Have Never Seen Before And In All Probability Will Never See Again. It Brings Occasional Homesickness, And Loneliness, And Pangs Of Longing ... But You Are Like The Vikings Who Have Gone Into A World Of Adventure, And Home Is Not Home Until You Return.
Dream
Loneliness
Home
Any Woman Can Fool A Man If She Wants To And If He's In Love With Her.
Wedding
Women
Judging
One Never Quite Allows For The Moron In Our Midst.
Midst
Moron
Any Coincidencce Is Worth Noticing. You Can Throw It Away Later If It Is Only A Coincidence.
Noticing You
Coincidence
Ifs
The Things Young Women Read Nowadays And Profess To Enjoy Positively Frighten Me.
Young
Enjoy
Young Women
The Rottenness Comes From Within.
How Often Have I Not Heard A Perfectly Intelligent Female Says, In The Tone Of One Clinching An Argument, 'edgar Says -- ' And All The Time You Are Perfectly Aware That Edgar Is A Perfect Fool.
Intelligent
Perfect
Fool
Why Shouldn't I Hate Her? She Did The Worst Thing To Me That Anyone Can Do To Anyone Else. Let Them Believe That They're Loved And Wanted And Then Show Them That It's All A Sham.
Heartbreak
Betrayal
Hate
Women Observe Subconsciously A Thousand Little Details, Without Knowing They Are Doing So. Their Subconscious Mind Adds These Little Things Together - And They Call The Result Intuition.
Women
Knowing
Intuition
The Lure Of The Past Came Up To Grab Me. To See A Dagger Slowly Appearing, With Its Gold Glint, Through The Sand Was Romantic. The Carefulness Of Lifting Pots And Objects From The Soil Filled Me With A Longing To Be An Archaeologist Myself.
Past
Gold
Daggers
The Contemporary Historian Never Writes Such A True History As The Historian Of A Later Generation.
Writing
History
Generations
I Would Like It To Be Said That I Was A Good Writer Of Detective And Thriller Stories.
Stories
Detectives
Thrillers
Ah, But Life Is Like That! It Does Not Permit You To Arrange And Order It As You Will. It Will Not Permit You To Escape Emotion, To Live By The Intellect And By Reason! You Cannot Say, 'i Will Feel So Much And No More.' Life, Mr. Welman, Whatever Else It Is, Is Not Reasonable. [hercule Poirot]
Order
Life Is Like
Doe
The Best Time To Plan A Book Is While You're Doing The Dishes.
Time
Book
Memorable
I'm Not Often Bored,' I Assured Her. "life's Not Long Enough For That.
Long
Bored
Enough
Mr. Jesmond Made A Peculiar Noise Rather Like A Hen Who Has Decided To Lay An Egg And Then Thought Better Of It.
Eggs
Peculiar
Noise
Doctors Can Do Almost Anything Nowadays, Can't They, Unless They Kill You While They're Trying To Cure You.
Death
Science
Doctors
It's Astonishing In This World How Things Don't Turn Out At All The Way You Expect Them To.
World
Way
Action
We Are The Same People As We Were At Three, Six, Ten Or Twenty Years Old. More Noticeably So, Perhaps, At Six Or Seven, Because We Were Not Pretending So Much Then.
Years
People
Twenties
Every Man Should Have Aunts. They Illustrate The Triumph Of Guess Work Over Logic.
Men
Aunt
Should Have
There's No Agony Like [getting Started]. You Sit In A Room, Biting Pencils, Looking At A Typewriter, Walking About, Or Casting Yourself Down On A Sofa, Feeling You Want To Cry Your Head Off.
Typewriters
Agony
Feelings
You Cannot Give To People What They Are Incapable Of Receiving.
People
Giving
Receiving
Words, Mademoiselle, Are Only The Outer Clothing Of Ideas.
Ideas
Clothings
With Thought, All Problems Can Be Resolved.
Problem
People Who Can Be Very Good Can Be Very Bad Too.
People
Very Good
There Is Nothing More Thrilling In This World, I Think, Than Having A Child That Is Yours, And Yet Is Mysteriously A Stranger.
Children
Reality
Thinking
Do You Know My Friend That Each One Of Us Is A Dark Mystery, A Maze Of Conflicting Passions And Desire And Aptitudes?
Passion
Dark
Desire
I Know Nothing About Pistols And Revolvers, Which Is Why I Usually Kill Off My Characters With A Blunt Instrument Or Better With Poisons. Besides, Poisons Are Neat And Clean And Really Exciting... I Do Not Think I Could Look A Really Ghastly Mangled Body In The Face. It Is The Means That I Am Interested In. I Do Not Usually Describe The End, Which Is Often A Corpse.
Character
Mean
Thinking
You Cannot Mix Up Sentiment And Reason.
Reason
Sentiments
Surfing Is Like That. You Are Either Vigorously Cursing Or Else You Are Idiotically Pleased With Yourself.
Sports
Surfing
Cursing
Assumptions Are Dangerous Things.
Assumption
Dangerous
Dangerous Things
Authors Were Shy, Unsociable Creatures, Atoning For Their Lack Of Social Aptitude By Inventing Their Own Companions And Conversations.
Writing
Shy
Aptitude
I Live Now On Borrowed Time, Waiting In The Anteroom For The Summons That Will Inevitably Come. And Then - I Go On To The Next Thing, Whatever It Is. One Doesn't, Luckily, Have To Bother About That.
Death
Waiting
Dying
I Have Always Been So Sure - Too Sure... But Now I Am Very Humble And I Say Like A Little Child: "i Do Not Know..."
Children
Humble
Littles
I Am All That There Is Of The Most Real.
Real
One Of The Saddest Things In Life, Is The Things One Remembers.
Reflection
Things In Life
Remember
In Conversation, Points Arise! If A Human Being Converses Much, It Is Impossible For Him To Avoid The Truth! (hercule Poirot)
Impossible
Arise
Conversation
I Did Not Deceive You, Mon Ami. At Most, I Permitted You To Deceive Yourself.
Deceiving
You Should Employ Your Little Grey Cells.
Cells
Littles
Should
The Young People Think The Old People Are Fools -- But The Old People Know The Young People Are Fools.
Thinking
People
Fool
No, My Friend, I Am Not Drunk. I Have Just Been To The Dentist, And Need Not Return For Another Six Months! Is It Not The Most Beautiful Thought? --poirot
Funny
Beautiful
Drunk
Once I Went Professionally To An Archaeological Expedition-and I Learnt Something There. In The Course Of An Excavation, When Something Comes Up Out Of The Ground, Everything Is Cleared Away Very Carefully All Around It. You Take Away The Loose Earth, And You Scrape Here And There With A Knife Until Finally Your Object Is There, All Alone, Ready To Be Drawn And Photographed With No Extraneous Matter Confusing It. That Is What I Have Been Seeking To Do-clear Away The Extraneous Matter So That We Can See The Truth-the Naked Shining Truth.
Knives
Shining
Confusing
Fiction Is Founded On Truth....unless Things Did Happen,people Couldn't Think Of Them.
Thinking
People
Fiction
There Is No Fanatic Like A Religious Fanatic.
Religious
Religious Fanatics
Fanatics
In Old Days The Public Didn't Really Mind Much About Accuracy, But Nowadays Readers Take It Upon Themselves To Write To Authors On Every Possible Occasion, Pointing Out Flaws.
Writing
Mind
Flaws
It Often Seems To Me That's All Detective Work Is, Wiping Out Your False Starts And Beginning Again." Yes, It Is Very True, That. And It Is Just What Some People Will Not Do. They Conceive A Certain Theory, And Everything Has To Fit Into That Theory. If One Little Fact Will Not Fit It, They Throw It Aside. But It Is Always The Facts That Will Not Fit In That Are Significant.
People
Wiping Out
Detective Work
Women Can Accept The Fact That A Man Is A Rotter, A Swindler, A Drug Taker, A Confirmed Liar, And A General Swine, Without Batting An Eyelash, And Without Its Impairing Their Affection For The Brute In The Least. Women Are Wonderful Realists.
Liars
Men
Eyelashes
There Are More Important Things Than Finding The Murderer. And Justice Is A Fine Word, But It Is Sometimes Difficult To Say Exactly What One Means By It. In My Opinion, The Important Thing Is To Clear The Innocent. - Hercule Poirot
Mean
Justice
Important
Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.


2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.


2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.


2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.


3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.


3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.


3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.



4. Proper Usage of Quotes


4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.


4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.


4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).


5. Common Mistakes to Avoid


5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.


5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.


5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.



6. Quotes in Different Contexts


6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.


6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.


6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.



7. Punctuation and Formatting


Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:


Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.


Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.


Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.



8. Ethical Considerations


Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes


Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.



Conclusion


Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.


Trending Author
Alex Campbell
John Hoeven
J. P. Morgan
Thomas Peterffy
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Hermann Hesse
Category
Information