Superfluity was the only relationship I could establish…
““Superfluity was the only relationship I could establish between these trees, these hedges, these paths. Vainly I strove to compute the number of the chestnut trees, or their distance from the Velleda, or their height as compared with that of the plane trees; each of them escaped from the pattern I made for it, overflowed from it or withdrew. And I too among them, vile, languorous, obscene, chewing the cud of my thoughts, I too was superfluous. [I is you or I or anyone.] Luckily I did not feel it, I only understood it, but I felt uncomfortable because I was afraid of feeling it. . . . I thought vaguely of doing away with myself, to do away with at least one of these superfluous existences. But my death – my corpse, my blood poured out on this gravel, among these plants, in this smiling garden – would have been superfluous as well. I was superfluous to all eternity.””
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 feels his existence and that of others is meaningless, leading to existential dread and the desire to escape.
In simple terms: Life feels meaningless and burdensome.
Key Takeaway
Confront the absurdity of existence.
Themes
existentialism
absurdity
self-awareness
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- creative writing
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
meaning of life
personal alienation
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives your life meaning?
- How do you cope with feelings of uselessness?
A Different Perspective
Finding meaning may be impossible for some.