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They strike one, above all, as giving no account of…

“They strike one, above all, as giving no account of themselves in any terms already consecrated by human use; to this inarticulate state they probably form, collectively, the most unprecedented of monuments; abysmal the mystery of what they think, what they feel, what they want, what they suppose…” quote by Henry James
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““They strike one, above all, as giving no account of themselves in any terms already consecrated by human use; to this inarticulate state they probably form, collectively, the most unprecedented of monuments; abysmal the mystery of what they think, what they feel, what they want, what they suppose themselves to be saying.””

Henry James

About This Quote

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

He describes an enigmatic, indescribable collective that defies conventional categories, forming a unique, mysterious monument.

In simple terms: An indescribable collective creates a mysterious monument.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the limits of language in describing the unknown.

Themes

mystery language limits collective identity

Mood

thoughtful introspective

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

  • art criticism
  • philosophical discourse
  • psychology
  • cultural analysis

Key Concepts

phenomenology existentialism semantic ambiguity

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the “monument” symbolize for you?
  • How does language fail to capture collective experience?
A Different Perspective

Attempts to define may reduce the depth of the mystery.

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