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In Rome, Matt had told her, ‘I knew that if I kept up my…

“In Rome, Matt had told her, ‘I knew that if I kept up my playing, we would have a baby.’ That was what music represented to him now: a bargain he had sought with fate. In a less anaemic age, he would have sacrificed virgins or immaculate lambs.” quote by Michelle de Kretser
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““In Rome, Matt had told her, ‘I knew that if I kept up my playing, we would have a baby.’ That was what music represented to him now: a bargain he had sought with fate. In a less anaemic age, he would have sacrificed virgins or immaculate lambs.””

Michelle de Kretser

About This Quote

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

Music is portrayed as a desperate bargain with destiny, a substitute for traditional sacrifices in a modern, weakened world.

In simple terms: Music is a risky deal with fate, replacing old rituals.

Key Takeaway

Recognize when you treat something as a shortcut to destiny.

Themes

destiny music modernity sacrifice futility

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • creative writing
  • personal relationships
  • career decisions

Key Concepts

existentialism symbolism cultural critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does treating music as a bargain reveal about your values?
  • Do you replace traditional effort with shortcuts?
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