Then there came a faraway, booming voice like a low, clear…
“Then there came a faraway, booming voice like a low, clear bell. It came from the center of the bowl and down the great sides to the ground and then bounced toward her eagerly. 'You see I am fate,' it shouted, 'and stronger than your puny plans; and I am how-things-turn-out and I am different from your little dreams, and I am the flight of time and the end of beauty and unfulfilled desire; all the accidents and imperceptions and the little minutes that shape the crucial hours are mine. I am the exception that proves no rules, the limits of your control, the condiment in the dish of life.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Fate is portrayed as an unstoppable, chaotic force that overrides human plans and desires, emphasizing life's unpredictability and loss of control.
In simple terms: Fate overwhelms human plans.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty, focus on agency.
Themes
fate
control
chaos
existential
beauty
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal crises
- creative writing
- philosophical debates
- life planning
Key Concepts
determinism
absurdism
impermanence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you respond when plans fail?
- Can you find meaning within chaos?
A Different Perspective
Fate may be metaphorical, not literal.