--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With a smile, the man at the oar moved…" description: "\"“With a smile, the man at the oar moved from side to side: \"It is beautiful, sir, it is as you say. But isn't every life, isn't every work beautiful?”\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/hermann-hesse-130_beautiful_with-a-smile-the-man-at-the-oar-moved-fr_1431523.png" --- # With a smile, the man at the oar moved from side to side… ![“With a smile, the man at the oar moved from side to side: "It is beautiful, sir, it is as you say. But isn't every life, isn't every work beautiful?” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/hermann-hesse-130_beautiful_with-a-smile-the-man-at-the-oar-moved-fr_1431523.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/hermann-hesse-130_beautiful_with-a-smile-the-man-at-the-oar-moved-fr_1431523.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/957/hermann-hesse-130_beautiful_with-a-smile-the-man-at-the-oar-moved-fr_1431523.png) > ““With a smile, the man at the oar moved from side to side: "It is beautiful, sir, it is as you say. But isn't every life, isn't every work beautiful?”” [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker reflects on the universal beauty of life and work, suggesting that all existence holds inherent value. **In simple terms:** All life and work are beautiful. Key Takeaway Recognize beauty in everyday tasks. Themes beauty universality perspective Mood thoughtful contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative writing - daily work - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism humanism Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing beauty affect your daily mindset? - Can you find beauty in mundane tasks? A Different Perspective Some may argue beauty is subjective and not universally felt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful Sir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-sir-2290888/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moved Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moved-beautiful-3263867/) [Oar Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oar-moved-5098406/) [Smile Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-man-1504215/) ## Related quotes > [“Beautiful she is, sir! Lovely! Sometimes like a great tree in flower, sometimes like a white daffadowndilly, small and slender like. Hard as di’monds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/beautiful-she-is-sir-lovely-sometimes-like-a-great-tree-in-flower/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [The pleasure we feel in criticizing robs us from being moved by very beautiful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/the-pleasure-we-feel-in-criticizing-robs-us-from-being-moved-by-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [And I'm moved, it's so beautiful. Not what I wrote, but to have it given back like this. To have her remember the words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/and-i-m-moved-it-s-so-beautiful-not-what-i-wrote-but-to-have-it-given/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“He was smiling that same knowing, mocking smile Drake had come to fear. The smile of a man who knows exactly what his opponents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-jordan/he-was-smiling-that-same-knowing-mocking-smile-drake-had-come-to-fear/) [Will Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-jordan/) > [“She wore a killer smile, absolutely devastating. It was a smile that could twist a man’s heart. A man could fall in love just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-coben/she-wore-a-killer-smile-absolutely-devastating-it-was-a-smile-that/) [Harlan Coben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-coben/) > [“M. de Charlus persisted in not replying. 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I mean, you have to smile at idiots and children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-had-to-smile-at-the-man-i-mean-you-have-to-smile-at-idiots-and/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“His smile had an attractive quality, the smile of a man of the world who used it, not to cover his words, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/his-smile-had-an-attractive-quality-the-smile-of-a-man-of-the-world/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Success will smile at the man who refuses to lie down at the corridor of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-murdock/success-will-smile-at-the-man-who-refuses-to-lie-down-at-the-corridor/) [Mike Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-murdock/) > [The difference lies between the man who can make you smile, and the man that can make you happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difference-lies-between-the-man-who-can-make-you-smile-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...We recognize that smile when we see it in the mirror, or on the faces of our friends, at weddings, anniversaries, christenings, or ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/we-recognize-that-smile-when-we-see-it-in-the-mirror-or-on-the-faces/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [“That he is, darling.That he is. 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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/) > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. 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Death looks through the window and laughs..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-is-useless-for-you-to-build-walls-and-dormitories-and-chapels-and/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“When the world is at peace, when all things are tranquil and all men obey their superiors in all their courses, then music can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/when-the-world-is-at-peace-when-all-things-are-tranquil-and-all-men/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [A mere nothing suffices — and the lightning strikes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-mere-nothing-suffices-and-the-lightning-strikes/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“And if time is not real, then the dividing line that seems to lie between this world and eternity, between suffering and bliss, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/and-if-time-is-not-real-then-the-dividing-line-that-seems-to-lie/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Beautiful was this world, looking at it thus, without searching, thus simply, thus childlike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/beautiful-was-this-world-looking-at-it-thus-without-searching-thus/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Were not the gods forms created like me and you, mortal, transient?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/were-not-the-gods-forms-created-like-me-and-you-mortal-transient/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Explore all 951 Hermann Hesse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. 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