--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagine a revised edition of…" description: "\"Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare... a big, thick book with an elegant cover... You open it and find that there are no pages, just an empty box ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg" --- # Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare... a big, thick… ![“Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare... a big, thick book with an elegant cover... You open it and find that there are no pages, just an empty box of space. On the back wall of the box is a small mirror. You look into it, see yourself, and now you know all you need to know about Shakespeare.” quote by Carter Ratcliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg) > “Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare... a big, thick book with an elegant cover... You open it and find that there are no pages, just an empty box of space. On the back wall of the box is a small mirror. You look into it, see yourself, and now you know all you need to know about Shakespeare.” Carter Ratcliff ## 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 uses a metaphor of an empty book and a mirror to suggest that self‑reflection reveals deeper understanding than external texts alone. **In simple terms:** Understanding comes from looking within, not just reading. Key Takeaway Seek insight through self‑examination. Themes self‑knowledge reflection literature perception Mood contemplative introspective Type philosophical metaphorical When to use this quote - personal growth - creative writing - literary analysis Key Concepts metaphor philosophy identity Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑reflection complement reading? - What limits arise when we rely solely on internal insight? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify the value of studying actual texts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Elegant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elegant/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [You learn from mistakes, but Shakespeare is one big non mistake isn't he? He just got everything right really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/you-learn-from-mistakes-but-shakespeare-is-one-big-non-mistake-isn-t/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [Shakespeare is all big themes, like the most amazing love, or the most scary war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-torv/shakespeare-is-all-big-themes-like-the-most-amazing-love-or-the-most/) [Anna Torv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-torv/) > [People think for Shakespeare you have to have a big English accent, but it's not true. He designed it so it can be performed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinny-guadagnino/people-think-for-shakespeare-you-have-to-have-a-big-english-accent/) [Vinny Guadagnino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinny-guadagnino/) > [I've always been entranced when it came to musical comedy; it's probably my favorite thing. It's a real true American form, and it's big,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-howard/i-ve-always-been-entranced-when-it-came-to-musical-comedy-it-s/) [Ken Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-howard/) > [Working on Shakespeare and learning about Shakespeare was the big takeaway for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/working-on-shakespeare-and-learning-about-shakespeare-was-the-big/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [I think working on Shakespeare was a big part of my time at drama school. I'm so glad that I got to know Shakespeare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-holland/i-think-working-on-shakespeare-was-a-big-part-of-my-time-at-drama/) [Andre Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-holland/) > [What we know is that Shakespeare wrote perhaps the most remarkable body of passionate love poetry in the English language to a young man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/what-we-know-is-that-shakespeare-wrote-perhaps-the-most-remarkable/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [The first time I ever acted was in 'The Glass Menagerie' in high school, and my first line was, 'I didn't know Shakespeare had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-first-time-i-ever-acted-was-in-the-glass-menagerie-in-high-school/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [“When King Lear dies in Act V, do you know what Shakespeare has written? He's written "He dies." That's all, nothing more. No fanfare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-weyn/when-king-lear-dies-in-act-v-do-you-know-what-shakespeare-has-written-2/) [Suzanne Weyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-weyn/) > [Except physically, we know little more about Garbo than we know about Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-garbo/except-physically-we-know-little-more-about-garbo-than-we-know-about/) [Greta Garbo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-garbo/) > [Most people, even among those who know Shakespeare well and come into real contact with his mind, are inclined to isolate and exaggerate some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-coyle-bradley/most-people-even-among-those-who-know-shakespeare-well-and-come-into/) [Andrew Coyle Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-coyle-bradley/) > [“You never know that. I don't know it; Robert Lowell doesn't know it; John Berryman didn't know it; and Shakespeare probably didn't know it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dickey/you-never-know-that-i-don-t-know-it-robert-lowell-doesn-t-know-it/) [James Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dickey/) > [“When King Lear dies in Act V, do you know what Shakespeare has written? He’s written “He dies.” That’s all, nothing more. No fanfare,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/when-king-lear-dies-in-act-v-do-you-know-what-shakespeare-has-written/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [When King Lear dies in act five, do you know what Shakespeare has written? He has written, 'He dies.' No more. No fanfare, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-weyn/when-king-lear-dies-in-act-five-do-you-know-what-shakespeare-has/) [Suzanne Weyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-weyn/) > [“When I was around 19 years old, working in the college library, I was talking to a friend of mine and this older woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-lea-brayton/when-i-was-around-19-years-old-working-in-the-college-library-i-was/) Wanda Lea Brayton ## More by Carter Ratcliff > [I believe that the artist's feelings are in some way generative. And I suspect that much of the artist's most productive emotion - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/i-believe-that-the-artist-s-feelings-are-in-some-way-generative-and-i/) Carter Ratcliff > [Talent counts for much, but effort counts for more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/talent-counts-for-much-but-effort-counts-for-more/) Carter Ratcliff > [What is art?... From a strictly logical point of view, a question with no clear answer comes under the suspicion of being meaningless. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/what-is-art-from-a-strictly-logical-point-of-view-a-question-with-no/) Carter Ratcliff Explore all 4 Carter Ratcliff quotes ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare... a big, thick book with an elegant cover... You open it and find that there are no pages, just an empty box of space. On the back wall of the box is a small mirror. You look into it, see yourself, and now you know all you need to know about Shakespeare.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carter Ratcliff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare-a-big-thick-book-with-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bigs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare-a-big-thick-book-with-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/56e/carter-ratcliff-71121_bigs_imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare_1194648.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare... a big, thick book with an elegant cover... You open it and find…” — Carter Ratcliff", "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": "Carter Ratcliff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-ratcliff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Imagine a revised edition of Shakespeare......", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare-a-big-thick-book-with-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-ratcliff/imagine-a-revised-edition-of-shakespeare-a-big-thick-book-with-an/#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 } } ] } ```