--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is a jest; and all things show it. I…" description: "\"Life is a jest; and all things show it. I thought so once; but now I know it.\" — Bette Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/bette-davis-2218_jest_life-is-a-jest-and-all-things-show-it-i_592682.jpg" --- # Life is a jest; and all things show it. I thought so once… ![“Life is a jest; and all things show it. I thought so once; but now I know it.” quote by Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/bette-davis-2218_jest_life-is-a-jest-and-all-things-show-it-i_592682.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/bette-davis-2218_jest_life-is-a-jest-and-all-things-show-it-i_592682.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/bette-davis-2218_jest_life-is-a-jest-and-all-things-show-it-i_592682.jpg) > “Life is a jest; and all things show it. I thought so once; but now I know it.” [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life appears as a comedy, revealing its absurdity; initial belief gives way to deeper understanding. **In simple terms:** Life seems funny, then we see deeper truth. Key Takeaway Recognize humor, seek deeper meaning. Themes humor existential illusion growth Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - theater - personal reflection - philosophical inquiry Key Concepts absurdism self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - What makes life feel like a joke? - How does insight change your view? A Different Perspective Humor may mask serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“Life is a jest, and all things show it, I thought so once, and now I know it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gay/life-is-a-jest-and-all-things-show-it-i-thought-so-once-and-now-i/) [John Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gay/) > [“My Own Epitaph Life's a jest, and all things show it. 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We have the stars. - Now, Voyager”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/oh-jerry-don-t-let-s-ask-for-the-moon-we-have-the-stars-now-voyager/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [Almost as many inhumanities are committed in the name of love as in the name of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/almost-as-many-inhumanities-are-committed-in-the-name-of-love-as-in/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I have eyes like a bullfrog, a neck like an ostrich and long, limp hair. 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Except some people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/everybody-has-a-heart-except-some-people/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) > [I've been lucky. I'll be lucky again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-davis/i-ve-been-lucky-i-ll-be-lucky-again/) [Bette Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) [Explore all 176 Bette Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-davis/) ## More Jest quotes > [“Życie przeważnie jest smutne. 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Hit's God's will for us to be good and do good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olive-ann-burns/they-s-a-heap-more-to-god-s-will-than-death-disapoint-ment-and-like/) [Olive Ann Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olive-ann-burns/) > [I say that in jest a little bit, but Donald Trump is a blue collar guy with a balance sheet. That's the way he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump-jr/i-say-that-in-jest-a-little-bit-but-donald-trump-is-a-blue-collar-guy/) [Donald Trump, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump-jr/) > [“...life is one big jest at the expense of humanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petina-gappah/life-is-one-big-jest-at-the-expense-of-humanity/) Petina Gappah > [“Z morderstwem jest jak z życiem; i jedno, i drugie jest nieprzewidywalne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-beckett/z-morderstwem-jest-jak-z-yciem-i-jedno-i-drugie-jest-nieprzewidywalne/) [Simon Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-beckett/) > [It is the history of our kindnesses that alone make this world tolerable. If it were not for that, for the effect of kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-history-of-our-kindnesses-that-alone-make-this-world/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [A prison! heav'ns, I loath the hated name, Famine's metropolis, the sink of shame, A nauseous sepulchre, whose craving womb Hourly inters poor mortals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brown-jr/a-prison-heav-ns-i-loath-the-hated-name-famine-s-metropolis-the-sink/) [Tom Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brown-jr/) > [There's many a true word spoken in jest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/there-s-many-a-true-word-spoken-in-jest/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“Know, O beloved, that man was not created in jest or at random, but marvellously made and for some great end. Although he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ghazali/know-o-beloved-that-man-was-not-created-in-jest-or-at-random-but/) [Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ghazali/) > [The one from among the Muslims who recites the Qur'an but in the end finds his way to hell, is considerd to be among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/the-one-from-among-the-muslims-who-recites-the-qur-an-but-in-the-end/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [I condemn all statements - made in sincerity or jest - that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the president of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/i-condemn-all-statements-made-in-sincerity-or-jest-that-threaten-or/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) Browse all 218 Jest quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is a jest; and all things show it. 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