I asked her to look at me and after a few moments - (pause) - after a few moments she did, but the eyes just slits, because of the glare I bent over her to get them in the shadow and they opened. (Pause. Low) Let me in.
Samuel BeckettRead
But I know what darkness is, it accumulates, thickens, then suddenly bursts and drowns everything.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the inevitability of darkness and its overwhelming power when it comes to the surface.
In this quote, Samuel Beckett metaphorically describes darkness as an accumulative force that gradually builds up before it overwhelms and consumes everything around it. This can symbolize despair, negativity, or difficult emotions that may linger until they suddenly become unbearable and spill over, affecting one's life profoundly. It serves as a reminder to recognize and address these feelings before they intensify.
Themes
DarknessEmotionsDespairOverwhelmLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about mental health, one could use this quote to illustrate the build-up of anxiety.
More from Samuel Beckett
All quotes βNothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It's awful.
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I shall state silences more competently than ever a better man spangled the butterflies of vertigo.
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And what I have, what I am, is enough, was always enough for me, and as far as my dear little sweet little future is concerned I have no qualms, I have a good time coming.
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I love order. It's my dream. A world where all would be silent and still, and each thing in its last place, under the last dust.
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We lose our hair, our teeth! Our bloom, our ideals.
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