Geraldine: We must tell the truth! Prentice: That's a thoroughly defeatist attitude.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- One character insists on honesty while another sees it as defeat.
- In plain terms
- Truth is seen as defeat by one person here.
- What can you take from it?
- Honesty is sometimes viewed as a weakness in conflict.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is the right time to be honest?
- Can truth be strategic?
Another view
It presents a false choice between truth and success.
More from Joe Orton
Nick: I'm sorry if my behaviour last night caused your wife anxiety, but I've a burning desire to sleep with every woman I meet. Prentice: That's a filthy habi…
Permalink to quote #36 Geraldine: At least give me back my clothes. I feel naked without them.
Permalink to quote #38 Mrs Prentice: Are you ashamed of the fact that you write to strange men? Prentice: There's nothing furtive in my relationship with the editor of The Guardian.
Permalink to quote #35
Related quotes
Nothing could be a more serious violation of public trust than to consciously make a war based on false claims.
Wesley ClarkWesley Clark quote #4 Among so many conflicting ideas an so many different perspectives, the honest man is confused and distressed and the skeptic becomes wicked ... Since one must …
Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte quote #25 Between nations, where the consequences are vital, where the destiny of countries and provinces hangs in the balance, the lives and fortunes of millions are af…
Arthur PonsonbyArthur Ponsonby quote #25