--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are surprised that I should be…" description: "\"“You are surprised that I should be unhappy when I can dance and am so sure of myself in the superficial things of life. And I, my friend, am surprised..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/hermann-hesse-130_brother-and-sister_you-are-surprised-that-i-should-be-unhap_630199.jpg" --- # You are surprised that I should be unhappy when I can… ![“You are surprised that I should be unhappy when I can dance and am so sure of myself in the superficial things of life. And I, my friend, am surprised that you are so disillusioned with life when you are at home with the very things in it that are the deepest and most beautiful, spirit, art, and…” quote by Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/hermann-hesse-130_brother-and-sister_you-are-surprised-that-i-should-be-unhap_630199.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/hermann-hesse-130_brother-and-sister_you-are-surprised-that-i-should-be-unhap_630199.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/hermann-hesse-130_brother-and-sister_you-are-surprised-that-i-should-be-unhap_630199.jpg) > ““You are surprised that I should be unhappy when I can dance and am so sure of myself in the superficial things of life. And I, my friend, am surprised that you are so disillusioned with life when you are at home with the very things in it that are the deepest and most beautiful, spirit, art, and thought! That is why we were drawn to one another and why we are brother and sister. I am going to teach you to dance and play and smile, and still not be happy. And you are going to teach me to think and to know and yet not be happy.”” [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 quote explores the paradox of external joy versus internal emptiness, suggesting that external pursuits cannot fill deeper existential voids. **In simple terms:** External joy doesn't guarantee inner happiness. Key Takeaway Seek inner fulfillment beyond surface pleasures. Themes existentialism inner conflict art spirituality Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - creative work - personal relationships - philosophical discussions - artistic collaboration Key Concepts self-awareness meaninglessness dualism Questions to Reflect On - What inner voids persist despite external success? - How can art and thought bridge inner emptiness? A Different Perspective Happiness also requires confronting inner voids, not just external activities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother and sister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-and-sister/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [That is why we were drawn to one another and why we are brother and sister. I am going to teach you to dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/that-is-why-we-were-drawn-to-one-another-and-why-we-are-brother-and/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“And for a moment Annie wondered at this, that her brother and sister, good, responsible, decent, fair-minded, had never known the passion that caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/and-for-a-moment-annie-wondered-at-this-that-her-brother-and-sister/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [“That's another thing that doesn't turn me off, sweetheart, knowin' that you come with those kids and you need to know that. You also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/that-s-another-thing-that-doesn-t-turn-me-off-sweetheart-knowin-that/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“Seems we can never just be brother and sister like in other families. Our whole lives, people have felt an urge to make up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/seems-we-can-never-just-be-brother-and-sister-like-in-other-families/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [“I gave the Rayna back the phone and shook my head. "Ben and I are like brother and sister. That's gross." "Hey, I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/i-gave-the-rayna-back-the-phone-and-shook-my-head-ben-and-i-are-like/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [I'm afraid that what most people don't know about me is that I'm very close to my brother and sister, who are 16 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomie-harris/i-m-afraid-that-what-most-people-don-t-know-about-me-is-that-i-m-very/) [Naomie Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomie-harris/) > [A brother is a friend God gave you; a friend is a brother your heart chose for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/a-brother-is-a-friend-god-gave-you-a-friend-is-a-brother-your-heart/) Proverb > [You never know how much you care about your brother and sister until they are no longer around you everyday! Love you guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/you-never-know-how-much-you-care-about-your-brother-and-sister-until/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [“No two things could be more the Reverse of each other than were the Brother and Sister, in most instances; particularly in this, That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/no-two-things-could-be-more-the-reverse-of-each-other-than-were-the/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [Growing up, I had a very normal relationship with my brother and sister. But, over time, they became my best friends, and now I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-lerman/growing-up-i-had-a-very-normal-relationship-with-my-brother-and/) [Logan Lerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-lerman/) > [We're brother and sister. At the end of the day, I can't change that. I can't make you un-my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-pratt/we-re-brother-and-sister-at-the-end-of-the-day-i-can-t-change-that-i/) [Spencer Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-pratt/) > [I may have had a crush on Zac, but we are like brother and sister, so nothing would ever happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/i-may-have-had-a-crush-on-zac-but-we-are-like-brother-and-sister-so/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [I have an older brother and sister, and I'm definitely ahead of my years in terms of sci-fi and films. My brother is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-john-kamen/i-have-an-older-brother-and-sister-and-i-m-definitely-ahead-of-my/) [Hannah John-Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-john-kamen/) > [What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-devries/what-s-the-good-of-news-if-you-haven-t-a-sister-to-share-it/) Jenny DeVries > [Brother and Sister So & So are not your standard; Jesus is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/brother-and-sister-so-so-are-not-your-standard-jesus-is/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) ## More by Hermann Hesse > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. 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. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“... it would be better for our country and the world in general, if at least the few people who were capable of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-would-be-better-for-our-country-and-the-world-in-general-if-at/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-bird-fights-its-way-out-of-the-egg-the-egg-is-the-world-who-would/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Everything becomes a little different as soon as it is spoken out loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/everything-becomes-a-little-different-as-soon-as-it-is-spoken-out-loud/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“..it is useless for you to build walls and dormitories and chapels and churches. 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 Brother and sister quotes > [The best realationship is when u talk like bestfriends, play like children, argue like husband and wife, protect each other like brother and sister…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meka-cooper/the-best-realationship-is-when-u-talk-like-bestfriends-play-like/) Meka Cooper > [The only siblings I have are half-siblings. My nuclear family would have been an extra-suffocating threesome. Instead, I have an interesting brother and sister,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/the-only-siblings-i-have-are-half-siblings-my-nuclear-family-would/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) > [“My next memory is of waking up, it then being dark outside, and my brother and sister fast asleep on the couch. Sitting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-levene/my-next-memory-is-of-waking-up-it-then-being-dark-outside-and-my/) Shane Levene > [When you go somewhere like Kenya and you see how the children don't have pencils and pens, and all of these things are considered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomie-harris/when-you-go-somewhere-like-kenya-and-you-see-how-the-children-don-t/) [Naomie Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomie-harris/) > [“I love people who play guitars on roofs!" said Rose, hopping along the pavement in one of her sudden happy moods. "Don't you?" "Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mckay/i-love-people-who-play-guitars-on-roofs-said-rose-hopping-along-the/) [Hilary McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mckay/) > [“Maybe that’s his game, though,” I said. “The hunt for one soul, again and again.” “Then why are you still here?” “The other women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/maybe-that-s-his-game-though-i-said-the-hunt-for-one-soul-again-and/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [“Go didn't like grilled cheese; she was scooping peanut butter out of the jar onto saltines. When a commercial break came on, she paused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/go-didn-t-like-grilled-cheese-she-was-scooping-peanut-butter-out-of/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Brother and Sister So & So are not your standard; Jesus is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/brother-and-sister-so-so-are-not-your-standard-jesus-is/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [What's the good of news if you haven't a sister to share it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-devries/what-s-the-good-of-news-if-you-haven-t-a-sister-to-share-it/) Jenny DeVries > [Crime is a very hard genre to feminise. If you have a female protagonist she is going to be looking after her mum when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-mina/crime-is-a-very-hard-genre-to-feminise-if-you-have-a-female/) [Denise Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-mina/) > [“Wild horses wouldn't have made Daniel admit that his wife, Anna, would have lectured him for an hour if she'd known what he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/wild-horses-wouldn-t-have-made-daniel-admit-that-his-wife-anna-would/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Does all this have anything to do with Cameron coming back?" "Basically." She didn't put any letters down. Our game had effectively stopped. "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/does-all-this-have-anything-to-do-with-cameron-coming-back-basically/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I have an older brother and sister, and I'm definitely ahead of my years in terms of sci-fi and films. My brother is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-john-kamen/i-have-an-older-brother-and-sister-and-i-m-definitely-ahead-of-my/) [Hannah John-Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-john-kamen/) > [I may have had a crush on Zac, but we are like brother and sister, so nothing would ever happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/i-may-have-had-a-crush-on-zac-but-we-are-like-brother-and-sister-so/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [We're brother and sister. At the end of the day, I can't change that. I can't make you un-my sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-pratt/we-re-brother-and-sister-at-the-end-of-the-day-i-can-t-change-that-i/) [Spencer Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-pratt/) [Browse all 242 Brother and sister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-and-sister/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You are surprised that I should be unhappy when I can dance and am so sure of myself in the superficial things of life. And I, my friend, am surprised that you are so disillusioned with life when you are at home with the very things in it that are the deepest and most beautiful, spirit, art, and thought! That is why we were drawn to one another and why we are brother and sister. I am going to teach you to dance and play and smile, and still not be happy. 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