Absurd Quote by Hermann Hesse
““Now, he thought, since all these most easily perishing things have slipped from me again, now I'm standing here under the sun again just as I have been standing here a little child, nothing is mine, I have no abilities, there is nothing I could bring about, I have learned nothing. How wondrous is this! Now, that I'm no longer young, that my hair is already half gray, that my strength is fading, now I'm starting again at the beginning and as a child! Again, he had to smile. Yes, his fate had been strange! Things were going downhill with him, and now he was again facing the world void and naked and stupid. But he could not feel sad about this, no, he even felt a great urge to laugh, to laugh about himself, to laugh about this strange, foolish world.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Unnamed work by Hermann Hesse, early 20th century
An aging narrator reflects on loss of control, embracing childlike wonder and absurdity despite decline.
In simple terms: Accepting vulnerability can bring joy.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the child within.
Themes
mortality
humility
absurdity
renewal
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- old age
- creative block
- personal crisis
Key Concepts
existentialism
self‑acceptance
impermanence
Questions to Reflect On
- How does laughter aid resilience?
- What does “starting again” mean at life’s end?
A Different Perspective
Joy may mask deeper despair.
