--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even if all the clocks in the station…" description: "\"Even if all the clocks in the station break down, thought Hugo, time won't stop. Not even if you really want it to. Like now.\" — Brian Selznick" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/brian-selznick-9443_break_even-if-all-the-clocks-in-the-station-br_1542161.jpg" --- # Even if all the clocks in the station break down, thought… ![“Even if all the clocks in the station break down, thought Hugo, time won't stop. Not even if you really want it to. Like now.” quote by Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/brian-selznick-9443_break_even-if-all-the-clocks-in-the-station-br_1542161.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/brian-selznick-9443_break_even-if-all-the-clocks-in-the-station-br_1542161.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbe/brian-selznick-9443_break_even-if-all-the-clocks-in-the-station-br_1542161.jpg) > “Even if all the clocks in the station break down, thought Hugo, time won't stop. Not even if you really want it to. Like now.” [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even if mechanisms fail, time continues regardless of desire or effort. **In simple terms:** Time doesn't stop when clocks break. Key Takeaway Accept time's inevitability. Themes time inevitability resilience Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - project deadlines - personal goals - waiting periods Key Concepts philosophy determinism Questions to Reflect On - What can we control when time feels relentless? - How do we cope with uncontrollable change? A Different Perspective It may overlook human agency in shaping outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaking down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-down/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [What interests me about clocks is that everything is hand-made, and yet to the person looking at the clock, something magical is happening that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/what-interests-me-about-clocks-is-that-everything-is-hand-made-and/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [“Time can play all sorts of tricks on you. In the blink of an eye, babies appear in carriages, coffins disappear into the ground,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/time-can-play-all-sorts-of-tricks-on-you-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [How loud clocks can tick when a room is empty, and one is alone!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-lowell/how-loud-clocks-can-tick-when-a-room-is-empty-and-one-is-alone/) [Amy Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-lowell/) > [ In comparing these two writers, he \[Samuel Johnson\] used this expression: "that there was as great a difference between them as between a man… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/in-comparing-these-two-writers-he-samuel-johnson-used-this-expression/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I never wore a watch. I always depend on public clocks, and stores have clocks, but that is strange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-katchor/i-never-wore-a-watch-i-always-depend-on-public-clocks-and-stores-have/) [Ben Katchor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-katchor/) > [Laws and institutions, like clocks, must occasionally be cleaned, wound up, and set to true time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-and-institutions-like-clocks-must-occasionally-be-cleaned-wound/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The steward, according to custom, had stopped all the clocks. This, in the language of Narouz, said "Your stay with us is so brief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/the-steward-according-to-custom-had-stopped-all-the-clocks-this-in/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [In this world, there are two times. There is mechanical time and there is body time." "They do not keep clocks in their houses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-this-world-there-are-two-times-there-is-mechanical-time-and-there/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Do days exist without calendars? Does time pass when there are no human hands left to wind the clocks?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-koch/do-days-exist-without-calendars-does-time-pass-when-there-are-no/) Howard Koch > [Today's shitty attitude by me is proudly sponsored by my alarm clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-s-shitty-attitude-by-me-is-proudly-sponsored-by-my-alarm-clock/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Tip #2: No more alarm clocks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-conroy/tip-2-no-more-alarm-clocks/) Mary Helen Conroy > [Sleeping is my drug, my bed is the dealer, and my alarm clock is the police..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-sakundiak/sleeping-is-my-drug-my-bed-is-the-dealer-and-my-alarm-clock-is-the/) [Mitchell Sakundiak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-sakundiak/) > [“Death Laughs In The Faces Of Clocks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/death-laughs-in-the-faces-of-clocks/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [I got these hataz like when he gon stop? maybe a minute after never start ya clocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-got-these-hataz-like-when-he-gon-stop-maybe-a-minute-after-never/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“You shouldn't be in here!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-winters/you-shouldn-t-be-in-here/) Evelyn Winters ## More by Brian Selznick > [It's fun to see how other artists adapt my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/it-s-fun-to-see-how-other-artists-adapt-my-work/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [“Then you know Prometheus was rescued in the end. His chains were broken, and he was finally set free." The old man squinted one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/then-you-know-prometheus-was-rescued-in-the-end-his-chains-were/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [I've always loved children's books - it's not that I didn't like them, I just didn't think I wanted to do that. But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/i-ve-always-loved-children-s-books-it-s-not-that-i-didn-t-like-them-i/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [A lot of people who don't write for kids think it's easy, because they think kids aren't as smart as they are, or that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/a-lot-of-people-who-don-t-write-for-kids-think-it-s-easy-because-they/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [“That night, cold and alone, Joseph had thought he'd found a portal into the past. But he'd been wrong. 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I think in pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/i-ve-been-taking-art-lessons-since-i-was-little-and-i-ve-always-drawn/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [What interests me about clocks is that everything is hand-made, and yet to the person looking at the clock, something magical is happening that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/what-interests-me-about-clocks-is-that-everything-is-hand-made-and/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [If you've ever wondered where your dreams come from when you go to sleep at night, just look around. This is where they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/if-you-ve-ever-wondered-where-your-dreams-come-from-when-you-go-to/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [“Yes, I've been trying to tell all night to tell you,' said the bat. 'But you wouldn't stop fighting me. 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Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) Peter Dunne > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. 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