Baffled Quote by Gary Reilly
“One thing I had learned in college was that if you ever had a question about truth, reality, or the meaning of existence, read a novel by Albert Camus. Pretty soon you'll be so baffled you'll forget the question.”
About This Quote
Source Podcast: Literary Guidance, 2020
Reading Camus confronts existential questions, leading to confusion that can dissolve the original query.
In simple terms: Camus novels confuse existential questions.
Key Takeaway
Use literature to explore, not fix, existential doubts.
Themes
existentialism
literature
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- college study
- philosophical reading
- self‑inquiry
Key Concepts
Camus' absurdism
novel analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What novel has shifted your view of existence?
- How do you handle confusion after deep reading?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overstate the effect of Camus on all readers.
![“In place of the clear and rigid ancient law, You [oh Lord] made man decide about good and evil for himself, with no other guidance than Your example. But did it never occur to You that man would disregard Your example, even question it, as well as Your truth, when he was subjected to so fearful a…” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f94/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_divine-truth_in-place-of-the-clear-and-rigid-ancient_1250768.jpg)
