It is by all odds the loftiest of cities. It even managed to reach the highest point in the sky at the lowest moment of the depression.
E. B. WhiteRead
Commas in The New Yorker fall with the precision of knives in a circus act, outlining the victim.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the meticulous craftsmanship of punctuation in writing, particularly in high-quality publications.
E. B. White's quote emphasizes the skillful and deliberate use of commas in writing, comparing their placement to the precise action of a knife in a circus act. This metaphor suggests that every comma serves a critical, defining role in the text, much like a knife that meticulously outlines its target. It underscores the idea that punctuation is not merely decorative but is essential for clarity and artistry in written communication.
Themes
PunctuationWritingArtistryClarityPrecision
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop on writing style, this quote could be used to emphasize the importance of punctuation.
More from E. B. White
All quotes βIt isn't silence you can cut with a knife any more, it's interchange of ideas. Intelligent discussion of practically everything is what is breaking up modern marriage.
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The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. Because I have the greatest respect for the reader, and if he's going to the trouble of reading what I've written -- I'm a slow reader myself and I guess most people are -- why, the least I can do is make it as easy as possible for him to find out what I'm trying to say, trying to get at. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.
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A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a sense of humus.
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A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.
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All writing is communication; creative writing is communication through revelation-it is the Self-escaping into the open.
E. B. WhiteRead
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