--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Samuel Beckett once said, \"Every word is…" description: "\"Samuel Beckett once said, \"Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.\" ...On the other hand, he SAID it.\" — Art Spiegelman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg" --- # Samuel Beckett once said, "Every word is like an… ![“Samuel Beckett once said, "Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness." ...On the other hand, he SAID it.” quote by Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg) > “Samuel Beckett once said, "Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness." ...On the other hand, he SAID it.” [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words can clutter silence, making meaning harder to discern. **In simple terms:** Words can clutter silence. Key Takeaway Choose words that add value. Themes communication silence meaning writing Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - editing - creative work Key Concepts existentialism minimalism literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - When does silence speak louder than words? - How can you simplify your language? A Different Perspective Silence can also convey power; not all words are unnecessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nothingness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothingness/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [“He gripped the edge of the desk. “I’ve done my best to make sure my brothers have no blood on their hands,” he said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/he-gripped-the-edge-of-the-desk-i-ve-done-my-best-to-make-sure-my/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Have you ever seen such an ugly damn cat?” Beckett had said with a wry smile. “Aren’t kittens supposed to be all cute and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/have-you-ever-seen-such-an-ugly-damn-cat-beckett-had-said-with-a-wry/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [As Beckett said, it's not enough to die, one has to be forgotten as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/as-beckett-said-it-s-not-enough-to-die-one-has-to-be-forgotten-as-well/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/every-word-is-like-an-unnecessary-stain-on-silence-and-nothingness/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Her smile was like a Samuel Beckett play - easy to read but difficult to interpret.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-smith/her-smile-was-like-a-samuel-beckett-play-easy-to-read-but-difficult/) [Bob Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-smith/) > [I don't think there's been any writer like Samuel Beckett. He's unique. He was a most charming man and I used to send him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-don-t-think-there-s-been-any-writer-like-samuel-beckett-he-s-unique/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Gertrude Stein, all courage and will, is a soldier of minimalism. Her work, unlike the resonating silences in the art of Samuel Beckett, embodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hardwick/gertrude-stein-all-courage-and-will-is-a-soldier-of-minimalism-her/) [Elizabeth Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hardwick/) > [Samuel Beckett. He is a kind of hero for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-handke/samuel-beckett-he-is-a-kind-of-hero-for-me/) [Peter Handke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-handke/) > [“Samuel Beckett was saying, in a new biography, that he could remember being in the womb, which, of course, is a bit far-fetched. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/samuel-beckett-was-saying-in-a-new-biography-that-he-could-remember/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [“If you've never come across Soccer Saturday, imagine a Samuel Beckett play in which a slick circus-master gets four retired clowns to describe a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esquire-magazine/if-you-ve-never-come-across-soccer-saturday-imagine-a-samuel-beckett/) Esquire Magazine > [ I admire \[Samuel\] Beckett, but I am totally against him. He seeks no improvement. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-admire-samuel-beckett-but-i-am-totally-against-him-he-seeks-no/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [In Kamby Bolongo Mean River damage and delusion walk hand in hand, and everything we think we know is gradually called into question. Reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/in-kamby-bolongo-mean-river-damage-and-delusion-walk-hand-in-hand-and/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [Ben Marcus has created an innovative and unflinching portrait of the turmoil of the human condition, providing the reader a most rare gift: something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myla-goldberg/ben-marcus-has-created-an-innovative-and-unflinching-portrait-of-the/) [Myla Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myla-goldberg/) > [“Je suis comme ça. Ou j'oublie tout de suite ou je n'oublie jamais." Samuel BECKETT, En attendant Godot I'm like that. Either I forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/je-suis-comme-a-ou-j-oublie-tout-de-suite-ou-je-n-oublie-jamais/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [ I would say recently I've gotten back to perusing \[Samuel\] Beckett's novels. Listening to the way Donald Trump speaks without saying anything has made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/i-would-say-recently-i-ve-gotten-back-to-perusing-samuel-beckett-s/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) ## More by Art Spiegelman > [The book has very specific qualities. Let's say in 2300 they discover the physical book, after having lived with the digital book for several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/the-book-has-very-specific-qualities-let-s-say-in-2300-they-discover/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [Comics seem to be cooking these days. It's like being a rock star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/comics-seem-to-be-cooking-these-days-it-s-like-being-a-rock-star/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [In 1908, you could easily earn $20 to $200 as a cartoonist. What's amazing is that it's still true!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/in-1908-you-could-easily-earn-20-to-200-as-a-cartoonist-what-s/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I wanted to create comics as soon as a I learned humans were behind them, that they were not natural phenomena like trees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-wanted-to-create-comics-as-soon-as-a-i-learned-humans-were-behind/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [What we're losing culturally the fastest, aside from natural resources and oil and the idea of democracy and social justice, is the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/what-we-re-losing-culturally-the-fastest-aside-from-natural-resources/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I would say that, in the future, the book will be reserved for things that function best as a book. So, if I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-would-say-that-in-the-future-the-book-will-be-reserved-for-things/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [Sometimes I'm drawing onto a computer directly, sometimes I'm drawing on paper , so I can't really talk about drafts. It's just like having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/sometimes-i-m-drawing-onto-a-computer-directly-sometimes-i-m-drawing/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I think as soon as I figured out - and this must have been incredibly young - that comic books were made by humans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-think-as-soon-as-i-figured-out-and-this-must-have-been-incredibly/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“I'm not talking about YOUR book now, but look at how many books have already been written about the Holocaust. What's the point? People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-m-not-talking-about-your-book-now-but-look-at-how-many-books-have/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [No matter what I accomplish, it doesn't seem like much compared to surviving Auschwitz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/no-matter-what-i-accomplish-it-doesn-t-seem-like-much-compared-to/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I'm supposed to be making comics, so I had to do it the best way I knew how, which is what those guys at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-m-supposed-to-be-making-comics-so-i-had-to-do-it-the-best-way-i/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [With any work worth its salt, you have to trust the author enough to take its measure. And if you apply too many preconceptions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/with-any-work-worth-its-salt-you-have-to-trust-the-author-enough-to/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [I always had more allergies toward the superhero comics than the others. I thought those were aimed more toward the people who would beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-always-had-more-allergies-toward-the-superhero-comics-than-the/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“Anja? What is to tell? Everywhere I look I'm seeing Anja... From my good eye, from my glass eye, if they're open or they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/anja-what-is-to-tell-everywhere-i-look-i-m-seeing-anja-from-my-good/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) > [“DOWN THESE MEAN STREETS A MIDGET MUST GO!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/down-these-mean-streets-a-midget-must-go/) [Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) [Explore all 47 Art Spiegelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/) ## More Beckett quotes > [ I would say recently I've gotten back to perusing \[Samuel\] Beckett's novels. Listening to the way Donald Trump speaks without saying anything has made… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/i-would-say-recently-i-ve-gotten-back-to-perusing-samuel-beckett-s/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [It is useless not to seek, not to want, for when you cease to seek you start to find, and when you cease to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-is-useless-not-to-seek-not-to-want-for-when-you-cease-to-seek-you/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Je suis comme ça. Ou j'oublie tout de suite ou je n'oublie jamais." Samuel BECKETT, En attendant Godot I'm like that. Either I forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/je-suis-comme-a-ou-j-oublie-tout-de-suite-ou-je-n-oublie-jamais/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Ben Marcus has created an innovative and unflinching portrait of the turmoil of the human condition, providing the reader a most rare gift: something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myla-goldberg/ben-marcus-has-created-an-innovative-and-unflinching-portrait-of-the/) [Myla Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myla-goldberg/) > [In Kamby Bolongo Mean River damage and delusion walk hand in hand, and everything we think we know is gradually called into question. Reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/in-kamby-bolongo-mean-river-damage-and-delusion-walk-hand-in-hand-and/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [“I can’t do this anymore if it’s not with you. Fuck me straight to hell." ~Eve to Beckett”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/i-can-t-do-this-anymore-if-it-s-not-with-you-fuck-me-straight-to-hell/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Beckett now got half the beating he used to get. Rick didn’t know that with every punch he was pounding his own coffin closed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/beckett-now-got-half-the-beating-he-used-to-get-rick-didn-t-know-that/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Where’s the bride-to-be?” Beckett held his arms open for Kyle and gave her a gentle hug. “Good on you, Fairy Princess, making an honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/where-s-the-bride-to-be-beckett-held-his-arms-open-for-kyle-and-gave/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Beckett kissed each woman’s cheek and said, “Ladies, I was saying thank you for taking such beautiful care of my brother. You’re angels. Selfless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/beckett-kissed-each-woman-s-cheek-and-said-ladies-i-was-saying-thank/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“But he did see them dance. He laughed out loud remembering when he’d danced with Kyle. She hardly seemed the same person. And Cole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/but-he-did-see-them-dance-he-laughed-out-loud-remembering-when-he-d/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“Kyle’s shrill voice interrupted their moment. “Figured you two would turn this into a scout meeting. Will you get your asses up here? People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/kyle-s-shrill-voice-interrupted-their-moment-figured-you-two-would/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“I think it's in Malone Dies that Beckett's creature is in a kind of prison or hospital. As I recall, he is visited twice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-stern/i-think-it-s-in-malone-dies-that-beckett-s-creature-is-in-a-kind-of/) [Gerald Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-stern/) > [Read the great stuff, but read the stuff that isn't so great, too. Great stuff is very discouraging. If you read only Beckett and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/read-the-great-stuff-but-read-the-stuff-that-isn-t-so-great-too-great/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [My exposure to Beckett and to late O'Neill was probably important right at the time I gave up poetry and the novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/my-exposure-to-beckett-and-to-late-o-neill-was-probably-important/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Beckett's 'Stories and Texts for Nothing' is probably my favorite book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-wright/beckett-s-stories-and-texts-for-nothing-is-probably-my-favorite-book/) [Franz Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-wright/) Browse all 193 Beckett quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Samuel Beckett once said, \"Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.\" ...On the other hand, he SAID it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Art Spiegelman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-like-an-unnecessary-stain-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beckett" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-like-an-unnecessary-stain-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/art-spiegelman-14058_beckett_samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-l_1187024.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Samuel Beckett once said, \"Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.\" ...On the…” — Art Spiegelman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Art Spiegelman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Samuel Beckett once said, \"Every word...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-like-an-unnecessary-stain-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/samuel-beckett-once-said-every-word-is-like-an-unnecessary-stain-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```