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Granny turned slowly in her seat to look at the audience…

“Granny turned slowly in her seat to look at the audience. They were staring at the performance, their faces rapt. The words washed over them in the breathless air. This was real. This was more real even than reality. This was history. It might not be true, but that had nothing to do with it…” quote by Terry Pratchett
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““Granny turned slowly in her seat to look at the audience. They were staring at the performance, their faces rapt. The words washed over them in the breathless air. This was real. This was more real even than reality. This was history. It might not be true, but that had nothing to do with it. Granny had never had much time for words. They were so insubstantial. Now she wished that she had found the time. Words were indeed insubstantial. They were as soft as water, but they were also as powerful as water and now they were rushing over the audience, eroding the levees of veracity, and carrying away the past.””

Terry Pratchett

About This Quote

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

Words, though intangible, shape perception and history, transcending mere facts.

In simple terms: Words are powerful and fluid.

Key Takeaway

Value language.

Themes

language perception history

Mood

reflective poetic

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • public speaking
  • storytelling
  • education

Key Concepts

literature philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do words influence reality?
  • What makes language potent?
A Different Perspective

Words can be misused.

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