“All I know is what the words know, and dead things, and that makes a handsome little sum, with a beginning and a middle and an end, as in the well-built phrase and the long sonata of the dead.”
— Samuel Beckett
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Simplified Meaning:
This quote is talking about the knowledge gained from words and the stories of things that no longer exist. Words and stories preserve the essence of things that have passed away, whether they are people, objects, or events. Just like a well-written sentence or a piece of music, everything has a structured flow—a start, a middle, and an end. For example, reading a history book helps us understand past events and figure out their impacts on the present, even though those events are long gone. By learning from these "dead things," we gain a complete and valuable understanding that enriches our own lives. This means that engaging deeply with literature, history, and words can help us live more thoughtfully and meaningfully.
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