Beauty Quote by Dodie Smith
““...he talked quite naturally while we ate — about the difficulty of finding words to describe the luminous mist, and why one has the desire to describe beauty. "Perhaps it's an attempt to possess it," I said. "Or be possessed by it; perhaps that's the same thing, really. I suppose it's the complete identification with beauty one's seeking." The mist grew brighter and brighter.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, 1956
The narrator reflects on the urge to capture beauty in words, suggesting that describing it is a way to possess or be possessed by it, leading to a deep identification with beauty.
In simple terms: Describing beauty is an attempt to possess it.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the desire to capture beauty.
Themes
beauty
language
identity
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing
- painting
- photography
- contemplation
Key Concepts
aesthetics
philosophy of art
Questions to Reflect On
- How does describing beauty change your experience of it?
- Can you possess beauty without describing it?
A Different Perspective
Words may never fully convey the ineffable.
