--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To begin with, our perception of the…" description: "\"To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective. Finally, writing transforms.\" — Claude Simon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg" --- # To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed… ![“To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective. Finally, writing transforms.” quote by Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg) > “To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective. Finally, writing transforms.” [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Perception is flawed, memory selective, and writing reshapes reality, offering clearer understanding. **In simple terms:** Writing clarifies distorted perception and memory. Key Takeaway Use writing to reorganize thoughts and gain insight. Themes perception memory writing transformation Mood thoughtful analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - journaling - academic writing - creative storytelling Key Concepts cognitive psychology literary theory Questions to Reflect On - How does writing change your view? - What limits does memory impose? A Different Perspective Writing alone cannot fix deep biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Incomplete Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incomplete-memory-2046569/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Perception World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception-world-767190/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Deformed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-deformed-2046568/) ## Related quotes > [To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-world-is-deformed-incomplete-then/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) > [The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-paralympic-games-is-about-transforming-our-perception-of-the-world/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Your perception of the world is ... really a fabrication of your model of the world. You don't really see light or sound. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hawkins/your-perception-of-the-world-is-really-a-fabrication-of-your-model-of/) [Jeff Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hawkins/) > [“Your perception of the world and the way you see yourself in it has created within your mind a concept, a philosophy, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-prentiss/your-perception-of-the-world-and-the-way-you-see-yourself-in-it-has/) [Chris Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-prentiss/) > [The locus of the human mystery is perception of this world. From it proceeds every thought, every art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/the-locus-of-the-human-mystery-is-perception-of-this-world-from-it/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [There is no fixed physical reality, no single perception of the world, just numerous ways of interpreting world views as dictated by one's nervous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/there-is-no-fixed-physical-reality-no-single-perception-of-the-world/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Great things are always criticized, because they have the power to alter the perception of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashutosh-cheulkar/great-things-are-always-criticized-because-they-have-the-power-to/) [Ashutosh Cheulkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashutosh-cheulkar/) > [The complexity of the connection between the world of perception and the world of physics does not preclude that such a connection can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-horkheimer/the-complexity-of-the-connection-between-the-world-of-perception-and/) [Max Horkheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-horkheimer/) > [Some would suggest that there has been a dramatic change in our perception of the world and ourselves within the world. Others have observed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-campbell/some-would-suggest-that-there-has-been-a-dramatic-change-in-our/) [Alex Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-campbell/) > [Remember that your perception of the world is a reflection of your state of consciousness. You are not separate from it, and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/remember-that-your-perception-of-the-world-is-a-reflection-of-your/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [In my perception, the world wasn't a graph or formula or an equation. It was a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/in-my-perception-the-world-wasn-t-a-graph-or-formula-or-an-equation/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [“Your perception of the world is your own. No one can take it from you. Don’t let fear overwhelm what you know to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-sedoti/your-perception-of-the-world-is-your-own-no-one-can-take-it-from-you/) [Chelsea Sedoti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-sedoti/) > [“We see the problems of the world through our perception of the world. Change your perception and the world will change for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-prabhu-aradhya/we-see-the-problems-of-the-world-through-our-perception-of-the-world/) [Arun Prabhu- aradhya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-prabhu-aradhya/) > [Your perception of the world around you is not necessarily the same as what is actually occurring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ralston/your-perception-of-the-world-around-you-is-not-necessarily-the-same/) [Peter Ralston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ralston/) > [Our world exists onlythrough our perception of it. Change our perception of our world and we change the world -- for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-dawson/our-world-exists-onlythrough-our-perception-of-it-change-our/) [Roger Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-dawson/) ## More by Claude Simon > [Life is not only full of sound and fury. It also has butterflies, flowers, art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/life-is-not-only-full-of-sound-and-fury-it-also-has-butterflies/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) > [In general, I distrust philosophy. Plato recommended chasing poets from the city; the 'great' Heidegger was a Nazi; Lukacs was a communist; and J.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/in-general-i-distrust-philosophy-plato-recommended-chasing-poets-from/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) > [To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-world-is-deformed-incomplete-then/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) > [There is no such thing as a 'real' representation of 'reality.' Except, perhaps, in algebraic formulae.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-real-representation-of-reality-except/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) > [For me, the big chore is always the same: how to begin a sentence, how to continue it, how to complete it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/for-me-the-big-chore-is-always-the-same-how-to-begin-a-sentence-how/) [Claude Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) [Explore all 6 Claude Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [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/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective. Finally, writing transforms.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Claude Simon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-world-is-deformed-incomplete-then-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-world-is-deformed-incomplete-then-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/claude-simon-56250_change_to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-worl_2613350.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To begin with, our perception of the world is deformed, incomplete. Then our memory is selective. Finally…” — Claude Simon", "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": "Claude Simon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-simon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To begin with, our perception of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-world-is-deformed-incomplete-then-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-simon/to-begin-with-our-perception-of-the-world-is-deformed-incomplete-then-2/#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 } } ] } ```