Equally, the surrealists consider words as witnesses of life acting in a direct way in human affairs. To use words properly it was necessary to treat them with respect, for they were the intermediaries between oneself and the rest of creation. To abuse them was immediately to set oneself adrift from true being. Words need to be coaxed to reveal a little of their true nature, so as to close the breach that exists between the writer and the universe. The world is not something alien against which man is in conflict. Rather man and cosmos exist in reciprocal motion. We are not cast adrift in an alien or meaningless environment. The universe is intimate with us and, as Breton insisted, it is a cryptogram to be deciphered.Michael Richardson
About This Quote
The surrealists felt that words were the servants of the human race. They interpreted the world through language and used words to express their meaning. The words they use are the most important part of their work. They believe that everything in this world has meaning and that can be interpreted with the help of language. Therefore, they believe that it is very important to not abuse words and to read them properly with respect, because if you do not do so, you will be far away from true being.
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