--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can you understand,' asked my father…" description: "\"“Can you understand,' asked my father, 'the deep meaning of that weakness, that passion for colored tissue, for papier-mache, for distemper, for oakum ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/bruno-schulz-10193_matter_can-you-understand-asked-my-father-the-d_1764276.jpg" --- # Can you understand,' asked my father, 'the deep meaning of… ![“Can you understand,' asked my father, 'the deep meaning of that weakness, that passion for colored tissue, for papier-mache, for distemper, for oakum and sawdust? This is,' he continued with a pained smile, 'the proof of our love for matter as such, for its fluffiness or porosity, for its unique…” quote by Bruno Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/bruno-schulz-10193_matter_can-you-understand-asked-my-father-the-d_1764276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/bruno-schulz-10193_matter_can-you-understand-asked-my-father-the-d_1764276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/bruno-schulz-10193_matter_can-you-understand-asked-my-father-the-d_1764276.jpg) > ““Can you understand,' asked my father, 'the deep meaning of that weakness, that passion for colored tissue, for papier-mache, for distemper, for oakum and sawdust? This is,' he continued with a pained smile, 'the proof of our love for matter as such, for its fluffiness or porosity, for its unique mystical consistency. Demiurge, that great master and artist, made matter invisible, made it disappear under the surface of life. We, on the contrary, love its creaking, its resistance, its clumsiness. We like to see behind each gesture, behind each move, its inertia, its heavy effort, its bearlike awkwardness.”” [Bruno Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-schulz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote celebrates a tactile, material love, finding beauty in the imperfect, physical world as a counter to abstract perfection. **In simple terms:** Loving the messy, real stuff of life. Key Takeaway Embrace the tangible, not just ideas. Themes materialism aesthetic philosophy Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - art criticism - interior design - handcrafts - philosophical reflection - creative writing Key Concepts tactile appreciation existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on materiality shape your worldview? - What value do you find in imperfections? A Different Perspective May overlook emotional or spiritual dimensions beyond physicality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“Most people don't realize it until they're facedown on the pavement somewhere, gasping for their last breath. 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A művészek később már semmi újat nem fedeznek fel, csak a kezdetben gondjaikra bízott titkot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-schulz/a-m-v-szi-tev-kenys-g-nem-m-s-mint-k-sz-t-telek-dedukci-ja-a-m-v-szek/) [Bruno Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-schulz/) > [“After tidying up, Adela would plunge the rooms into semidarkness by drawing down the linen blinds. 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I should certainly have been noticed by someone. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-schulz/i-did-not-have-enough-courage-to-go-round-to-the-back-of-the-villa-i/) [Bruno Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-schulz/) [Explore all 56 Bruno Schulz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-schulz/) ## More Matter quotes > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. 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If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [No matter what I do I'll always be stuck on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-stalin/no-matter-what-i-do-i-ll-always-be-stuck-on-you/) [J Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-stalin/) > [You need to remind people that you vote, you matter, and that they can't succeed without your help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-to-remind-people-that-you-vote-you-matter-and-that-they-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. 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