"Cartoonist was the weirdest name I finally let myself have. I would never say it. When I heard it I silently thought, what an awful word"

Lynda Barry's quote speaks to the power of language and how it can form our identities. The quote suggests that the word "cartoonist" was a label that she was reluctant to accept, as it felt like an "dreadful word" to her. This could be because she felt that the word was too restricting, or due to the fact that she felt that it didn't properly show her imaginative identity. It might likewise be that she felt that the word was too closely associated with a certain type of art that she didn't wish to be connected with. Whatever the reason, the quote suggests that she eventually accepted the label, however it was a tough process. This talks to the power of language and how it can form our identities, and how tough it can be to accept labels that don't seem like they fit.