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He gazed for an hour upon the great clouds of pearl that…

“He gazed for an hour upon the great clouds of pearl that hang forever upon the horizon of that sea, and extracted from their beauty a resignation that he did not permit his reason to examine. The discrepancy between faith and the facts is greater than is generally assumed.” quote by Thornton Wilder
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““He gazed for an hour upon the great clouds of pearl that hang forever upon the horizon of that sea, and extracted from their beauty a resignation that he did not permit his reason to examine. The discrepancy between faith and the facts is greater than is generally assumed.””

Thornton Wilder

About This Quote

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

Contemplating vast beauty can inspire a calm acceptance that resists rational analysis, highlighting a gap between belief and empirical reality.

In simple terms: Beauty can cause calm acceptance beyond reason.

Key Takeaway

Embrace wonder while questioning assumptions.

Themes

faith beauty reason acceptance

Mood

contemplative melancholic

Type

philosophical poetic

When to use this quote

  • standing by the sea
  • watching clouds
  • philosophical reflection

Key Concepts

existentialism aesthetic experience

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does awe affect your rational judgments?
  • Can acceptance coexist with critical thinking?
A Different Perspective

The resignation may lead to complacency if not examined.

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