--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One can be one's own ghost and roam about…" description: "\"“One can be one's own ghost and roam about in various places, sometimes many places simultaneously. Perhaps I didn't approach it quite correctly. A gho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/halld-r-laxness-6935_ghost_one-can-be-one-s-own-ghost-and-roam-abou_2873436.png" --- # One can be one's own ghost and roam about in various… ![“One can be one's own ghost and roam about in various places, sometimes many places simultaneously. Perhaps I didn't approach it quite correctly. A ghost is always the result of botched work; a ghost means unsuccessful resurrection, a shadow of an image that has perhaps once been alive, a kind of…” quote by Halldor Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/halld-r-laxness-6935_ghost_one-can-be-one-s-own-ghost-and-roam-abou_2873436.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/halld-r-laxness-6935_ghost_one-can-be-one-s-own-ghost-and-roam-abou_2873436.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/349/halld-r-laxness-6935_ghost_one-can-be-one-s-own-ghost-and-roam-abou_2873436.png) > ““One can be one's own ghost and roam about in various places, sometimes many places simultaneously. Perhaps I didn't approach it quite correctly. A ghost is always the result of botched work; a ghost means unsuccessful resurrection, a shadow of an image that has perhaps once been alive, a kind of abortion in the universe.”” [Halldor Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being a ghost symbolizes unfinished work and fragmented identity; it reflects the struggle of incomplete self‑realization. **In simple terms:** Ghosts represent unfinished selves and fragmented identity. Key Takeaway Seek completeness and integrate fragmented parts. Themes identity existence creativity psychology Mood introspective philosophical Type literary psychological When to use this quote - creative projects - personal growth - mental health Key Concepts existentialism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What parts of yourself feel unfinished? - How can you integrate them? A Different Perspective Ghost metaphor may oversimplify complex identity issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Correctly Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/correctly-ghost-3942727/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghost Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost-means-3942726/) [Ghost Result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost-result-3942728/) [Ghost Roam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost-roam-3942729/) [Work Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-ghost-1486600/) ## Related quotes > [I like the fact that my work in Ghost is famous, and people know it, and we have our crowd. But I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-like-the-fact-that-my-work-in-ghost-is-famous-and-people-know-it/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [My work is in itself a ghost of my vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-demand/my-work-is-in-itself-a-ghost-of-my-vision/) [Thomas Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-demand/) > [What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-the-church-needs-to-day-is-not-more-machinery-or-better-not-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pity the planet, all joy gone from this sweet volcanic cone; peace to our children when they fall in small war on the heel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/pity-the-planet-all-joy-gone-from-this-sweet-volcanic-cone-peace-to/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [She knows not loves that kissed her She knows not where. Art thou the ghost, my sister, White sister there, Am I the ghost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/she-knows-not-loves-that-kissed-her-she-knows-not-where-art-thou-the/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [I saw the gooseflesh on my skin. I did not know what made it. I was not cold. Had a ghost passed over? No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-saw-the-gooseflesh-on-my-skin-i-did-not-know-what-made-it-i-was-not/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [The Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/the-holy-ghost-is-the-greatest-guarantor-of-inward-peace-in-our/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [I love ghost stories, I love to read them, and I love the idea of being haunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-love-ghost-stories-i-love-to-read-them-and-i-love-the-idea-of-being/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [Maybe I could be friends with a ghost. I wouldn’t be able to kill him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/maybe-i-could-be-friends-with-a-ghost-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-kill-him/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Who is this ghost ordered into music?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuko-shiraishi/who-is-this-ghost-ordered-into-music/) [Kazuko Shiraishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuko-shiraishi/) > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. I was six or seven, and I was saved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-overcome-by-the-holy-ghost-one-time-but-in-a-baptist-way-i-was/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) ## More by Halldor Laxness > [Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/where-the-glacier-meets-the-sky-the-land-ceases-to-be-earthly-and-the/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“A new generation forgets the specters that may have tormented the old… And yet, always, to all eternity, it is the same specter assailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/a-new-generation-forgets-the-specters-that-may-have-tormented-the-old/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“People don't have the imagination to understand politicians. People are too innocent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/people-don-t-have-the-imagination-to-understand-politicians-people/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Can't we make a blusterer ourselves? asked Jón Hreggviðsson. Can't we scratch that damned sign with the ax-point onto the chopping block and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/can-t-we-make-a-blusterer-ourselves-asked-j-n-hreggvi-sson-can-t-we/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Somewhere, out in the infinite distance, lay the spring, at least in God's mind, like babies that are not yet conceived in the mother's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/somewhere-out-in-the-infinite-distance-lay-the-spring-at-least-in-god/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Townsfolk have no conception of the peace that mother nature bestows, and as long as that peace is unfound the spirit must seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/townsfolk-have-no-conception-of-the-peace-that-mother-nature-bestows/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Sin - sin is God’s most precious gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/sin-sin-is-god-s-most-precious-gift/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [A free man can live on fish.Independence is better than meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/a-free-man-can-live-on-fish-independence-is-better-than-meat/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“He did not know what to say in the face of such sorrow. He sat in silence by his sister's side in the spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/he-did-not-know-what-to-say-in-the-face-of-such-sorrow-he-sat-in/) [Halldor Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Man is more perfect than god. Although this woman's doctrine, in which she was brought up from childhood, told her than all men were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/man-is-more-perfect-than-god-although-this-woman-s-doctrine-in-which/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [When a man has a flower in his life he builds a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/when-a-man-has-a-flower-in-his-life-he-builds-a-house/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Pastor Jón Prímus: Do you remember when Úa shook her curls? Do you remember when she looked at us and laughed? Did she not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/pastor-j-n-pr-mus-do-you-remember-when-a-shook-her-curls-do-you/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [This was the first time that he has ever looked into the labyrinth of the human soul. He was very far from understanding what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/this-was-the-first-time-that-he-has-ever-looked-into-the-labyrinth-of/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“...nothing is true that cannot be proven--and therefore, it's not true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/nothing-is-true-that-cannot-be-proven-and-therefore-it-s-not-true/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“We Danes have always been charitable in our trading operations with Iceland. And when our deceased Highness monopolized trade with the island it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/we-danes-have-always-been-charitable-in-our-trading-operations-with/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) [Explore all 87 Halldor Laxness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## More Ghost quotes > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. I was six or seven, and I was saved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-overcome-by-the-holy-ghost-one-time-but-in-a-baptist-way-i-was/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [“Who is this ghost ordered into music?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuko-shiraishi/who-is-this-ghost-ordered-into-music/) [Kazuko Shiraishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuko-shiraishi/) > [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Maybe I could be friends with a ghost. I wouldn’t be able to kill him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/maybe-i-could-be-friends-with-a-ghost-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-kill-him/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [I love ghost stories, I love to read them, and I love the idea of being haunted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-perks/i-love-ghost-stories-i-love-to-read-them-and-i-love-the-idea-of-being/) [Micah Perks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-perks/) > [The Holy Ghost is the greatest guarantor of inward peace in our unstable world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-faust/the-holy-ghost-is-the-greatest-guarantor-of-inward-peace-in-our/) [James E. Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-faust/) > [I saw the gooseflesh on my skin. I did not know what made it. I was not cold. Had a ghost passed over? No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-saw-the-gooseflesh-on-my-skin-i-did-not-know-what-made-it-i-was-not/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [She knows not loves that kissed her She knows not where. Art thou the ghost, my sister, White sister there, Am I the ghost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/she-knows-not-loves-that-kissed-her-she-knows-not-where-art-thou-the/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Pity the planet, all joy gone from this sweet volcanic cone; peace to our children when they fall in small war on the heel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lowell/pity-the-planet-all-joy-gone-from-this-sweet-volcanic-cone-peace-to/) [Robert Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lowell/) > [What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-the-church-needs-to-day-is-not-more-machinery-or-better-not-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do I believe in ghosts?...I am prepared to consider evidence and accept it if it satisfies me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-james/do-i-believe-in-ghosts-i-am-prepared-to-consider-evidence-and-accept/) [M. R. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-james/) > [Just live that life. It doesn't matter whether it is life or hell, life of the hungry ghost, life of the animal, it's okay;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taizan-maezumi/just-live-that-life-it-doesn-t-matter-whether-it-is-life-or-hell-life/) [Taizan Maezumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taizan-maezumi/) [Browse all 2,175 Ghost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One can be one's own ghost and roam about in various places, sometimes many places simultaneously. Perhaps I didn't approach it quite correctly. 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