But maybe they understood more about life than I did. From an early age they knew what little value the world placed in books, and so didn't waste their time with them. Whereas I, even now, persist in believing that these black marks on white paper bear the greatest significance, that if I keep writing, I might be able to catch the rainbow of consciousness in a jar. Jeffrey Eugenides
About This Quote

This quote by Rilke is a description of a man who has no understanding of the value of books and literature. He sees the marks on paper and believes they are important, but he is unable to see the beauty and meaning hidden in the symbols and words. This is a common problem, and one to which we all fall prey at some point or another. Everything that we see in life can be broken down into its constituent parts. They are like the pieces to a puzzle, each piece fitting into place to form something greater than its own individual value.

Source: Middlesex

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