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
I know those little phrases that seem so innocuous, and, once you let them in, pollute the whole of speech. 'Nothing is more real than nothing.' They rise up out of the pit and know no rest until they drag you down into its dark.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote warns about the impact of seemingly harmless phrases that can lead to negative thinking.
Samuel Beckett reflects on how certain phrases, which might initially appear innocuous or trivial, can insidiously affect our mindset and communication. He suggests that these phrases can take on a darker significance, leading us to despair and confusion if we allow them to influence our thoughts and speech.
Themes
PhrasesSpeechMindsetNegativityInfluence
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the power of language during a seminar.
More from Samuel Beckett
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I shall state silences more competently than ever a better man spangled the butterflies of vertigo.
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We lose our hair, our teeth! Our bloom, our ideals.
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