It may be -- I hope it is -- redemption to guess and perhaps perceive that the universe, the hell which we see for all its beauty, vastness, majesty, is only part of a whole which is quite unimaginable.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that our understanding of the universe is limited, and what we perceive may be just a fragment of a larger, incomprehensible reality.
In this quote, William Golding reflects on the nature of existence and the limits of human perception. He expresses hope that by contemplating the universe, with its accompanying wonders and struggles, we can begin to grasp that our experiences are merely a small part of a much greater whole that remains beyond our understanding. This insight into the vastness of reality may offer a sense of redemption and purpose in our lives.
In practice
During a philosophical discussion on existence, one might quote this to emphasize the limitations of human understanding.
Consider a man riding a bicycle. Whoever he is, we can say three things about him. We know he got on the bicycle and started to move. We know that at some point he will stop and get off. Most important of all, we know that if at any point between the beginning and the end of his journey he stops moving and does not get off the bicycle he will fall off it. That is a metaphor for the journey through life of any living thing, and I think of any society of living things.
The skull regarded Ralph like one who knows all the answers and won't tell.
Maybe, he said hesitantly, maybe there is a beast. The assembly cried out savagely and Ralph stood up in amazement. You, Simon? You believe in this? I don't know, said Simon. His heartbeats were choking him. [...] Ralph shouted. Hear him! He's got the conch! What I mean is . . . maybe it's only us. Nuts! That was from Piggy, shocked out of decorum.
The mask was a thing on it's own, behind which Jack hid, liberated from shame and self-conciousness.
Man produces evil as a bee produces honey.
Utopias are presented for our inspection as a critique of the human state.
A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with.
Wherever the European has trod, death seems to pursue the aboriginal.
If something can corrupt you, you're corrupted already.
I never regretted turning down anything, I never regretted losing a job because I always felt something else was out there.
This city is dying of rabies. Is the best I can do to wipe random flecks of foam from its lips?
Imagine a multidimensiona l spider's web in the early morning covered with dew drops. And every dew drop contains the reflection of all the other dew drops. And, in each reflected dew drop, the reflections of all the other dew drops in that reflection. And so ad infinitum. That is the Buddhist conception of the universe in an image.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.