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Books are made not like children but like pyramids and…

“Books are made not like children but like pyramids and they're just as useless! And they stay in the desert! Jackals piss at their foot and the bourgeois climb up on them.” quote by Gustave Flaubert
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“Books are made not like children but like pyramids and they're just as useless! And they stay in the desert! Jackals piss at their foot and the bourgeois climb up on them.”

Gustave Flaubert

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Books are built with rigid hierarchy, lacking vitality, and become neglected and degraded over time.

In simple terms: Books can be empty structures that decay.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the need for living, engaging content.

Themes

literature critique decay

Mood

cynical critical

Type

literary satirical

When to use this quote

  • library curation
  • education reform
  • publishing standards

Key Concepts

hierarchy uselessness neglect

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can we make books more alive?
  • What purpose should literature serve?
A Different Perspective

Even well‑crafted works can become irrelevant without purpose.

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