The more research you do, the more at ease you are in the world you're writing about. It doesn't encumber you, it makes you free.
A. S. ByattRead
We two remake our world by naming it / Together, knowing what words mean for us / And for the other for whom current coin / Is cold speech - but we say, the tree, the pool, / And see the fire in the air, the sun, our sun, / Anybody's sun, the world's sun, but here, now / Particularly our sun.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the power of shared language and perception in shaping our reality together.
In this quote, A. S. Byatt explores the idea that relationships and communication enable us to create a shared understanding of the world. By naming and defining our experiences together, we shape our reality and build a unique connection that highlights both individual and collective perceptions, ultimately reinforcing the intimate bond between people and the world around them.
Themes
LanguageCommunicationShared MeaningPerceptionRelationship
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the importance of language in building connections at a literary event.
More from A. S. Byatt
All quotes →It's because I'm a feminist that I can't stand women limiting other women's imaginations. It really makes me angry.
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Why do we take pleasure in gruesome death, neatly packaged as a puzzle to which we may find a satisfactory solution through clues - or if we are not clever enough, have it revealed by the all-powerful tale-teller at the end of the book? It is something to do with being reduced to, and comforted by, playing by the rules.
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Never stop paying attention to things. Never make your mind up finally. Do not hold beliefs.
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Only write to me, write to me, I love to see the hop and skip and sudden starts of your ink.
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I am a creature of my pen. My pen is the best of me.
A. S. ByattRead
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