Truman Capote was a famous novelist born in 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana who provided literary enthusiasts and movie buffs alike with wonderful stories, such as Breakfast at Tiffanys and In Cold Blood - two novels-turned-movies which are vastly different in content, but equally compelling and astounding in form.
Capote was everything. Author, screenwriter, playwright, friend to Harper Lee, openly gay man, alcoholic, dedicated, lonely, offbeat, genius. Having said that, here are ten Truman Capote quotes with lovely meanings to help propel you into a state of blissful whimsy, serious thought, or just flat-out enjoyment.
1. "Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor."
As plainly as it can be explained. Failing at something makes the taste of success that much sweeter. Don't be afraid to fail at something and keep trying no matter what.
2. "Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot."
Again, fairly self explanatory but utterly beautiful nonetheless. Being able to bring confidence and self-esteem to someone who is having a particularly rough time feels amazing. Likewise, if you're down on yourself and someone pulls you out of that self deprecating hole, thank them. Treat them the same way you'd want to be treated.
3. "Well, I'm about as tall as a shotgun, and just as noisy."
This one resonates with me quite a lot, seeing as I'm five foot one and have been told more often than not that I'm obnoxiously loud. I read this in Capote's sassy voice and find myself feeling a little empowered with the notion that I am tiny and I am fierce.
4. "To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music that words make."
Listen to that inner music as long as you can and I promise, you'll never find any desire to stop writing.
5. "Friendship is a pretty full-time occupation if you really are friendly with somebody. You can't have too many friends because then you're just not really friends."
Friendships are much like gardens - every plant can be different, every vegetable or fruit can serve a different purpose, but in the end, they all need lots of TLC. Provide your friends with the right amount of TLC and make sure to really water those that mean the most to you.
6. "I don't care what anybody says about me as long as it isn't true."
Don't let people bad mouth you. Simple as that! Stand up for yourself and make who you are as a person known. Don't let others decide that for you.
7. "Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself."
Not everyone is cut out to do one particular thing. I can't do basic math without using my fingers, some of my friends can't write a paragraph without sounding like toddlers. It's important to take those skills that you have and make sure they're sharp, but also to attempt new things. The joy with writing, however, is that there are no rules, really. Hence, you can rearrange them to suit yourself.
8. "Everybody has to feel superior to somebody… But it’s customary to present a little proof before you take the privilege."
If you're going to walk around telling everyone how awesome you are, you better have some proof or else no one is going to believe you. Which, in that case, is just you being an asshole.
9. "Most of life is so dull it is not worth discussing, and it is dull at all ages. When we change our brand of cigarette, move to a new neighborhood, subscribe to a different newspaper, fall in and out of love, we are protesting in ways both frivolous and deep against the not to be diluted dullness of day-to-day living."
We are human. We change our minds, we grow, we regress, we love, we hate. That is what makes our kind so immeasurably different than others because we have the option to make drastic chances in our lives. We often feel that we have to provide others with a semblance of normalcy out in public, but in reality - our realities - none of us are normal and we get bored. In turn, protesting that monotonous lifestyle is how we continue on and learn to grow.
10. "But my dear, so few things are fulfilled: what are most lives but a series of incomplete episodes."
It is okay to feel as though some chapters of your life have not been fully written yet. Life is a funny thing, how no one ever feels accomplished or finished. We strive and strive for the next big thing only to feel as though it's never enough. Take time to remind yourself that what you do in this life is enough as long as you're doing good.
