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I had a cousin once who lived in your dictionary, inside…

“I had a cousin once who lived in your dictionary, inside the binding, and there was a tiny hole which he used for a door, and it led out between trichotomy and trick. Now what do you think of that? It was only a few minutes walk to trigger, then over the page to trinity, trinket and trional, and…” quote by Janet Frame
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“I had a cousin once who lived in your dictionary, inside the binding, and there was a tiny hole which he used for a door, and it led out between trichotomy and trick. Now what do you think of that? It was only a few minutes walk to trigger, then over the page to trinity, trinket and trional, and there my cousin used to fall asleep.”

Janet Frame

About This Quote

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

The narrator describes a surreal, metaphorical cousin living inside a dictionary, using wordplay to explore hidden pathways between concepts and imagination.

In simple terms: A whimsical story uses a dictionary as a world, exploring hidden connections.

Key Takeaway

Embrace creative wordplay to discover new perspectives.

Themes

imagination language surrealism

Mood

curious playful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • writing workshops
  • literary analysis
  • creative brainstorming

Key Concepts

lexicography metaphor creativity

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can language shape our perception of reality?
  • What hidden doors do you imagine within everyday objects?
A Different Perspective

The abstract imagery may be confusing without context.

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