---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This here is your inheritance, says the…"
description: "\"“This here is your inheritance, says the senior partner. Yes, he says, Ludwig, I know, and stows the plan for the bathing house (5.5m long, 3.8m wide, ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-erpenbeck-24088_foresight_this-here-is-your-inheritance-says-the-s_658384.jpg"
---

#  This here is your inheritance, says the senior partner…

![“This here is your inheritance, says the senior partner. Yes, he says, Ludwig, I know, and stows the plan for the bathing house (5.5m long, 3.8m wide, outer wall construction: wood, roof construction: thatch), stows both the plan and the mosquito in his briefcase. On a German shelf, this mosquito…” quote by Jenny Erpenbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-erpenbeck-24088_foresight_this-here-is-your-inheritance-says-the-s_658384.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-erpenbeck-24088_foresight_this-here-is-your-inheritance-says-the-s_658384.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/jenny-erpenbeck-24088_foresight_this-here-is-your-inheritance-says-the-s_658384.jpg)

> ““This here is your inheritance, says the senior partner. Yes, he says, Ludwig, I know, and stows the plan for the bathing house (5.5m long, 3.8m wide, outer wall construction: wood, roof construction: thatch), stows both the plan and the mosquito in his briefcase. On a German shelf, this mosquito, pressed flat between large quantities of paper, will outlast time and times, and one day it might even be petrified, who knows.””

[Jenny Erpenbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-erpenbeck/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The passage reflects on the fleeting nature of objects and memories, juxtaposing a mundane plan with a preserved mosquito that outlasts time.

**In simple terms:** Even tiny, preserved things can endure longer than human plans.

Key Takeaway

Value the lasting impact of small details.

Themes

transience preservation memory

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

literary metaphorical

When to use this quote

- archival work
- personal legacy
- historical documentation

Key Concepts

ephemerality material culture

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the mosquito symbolize?
- Why preserve mundane artifacts?

A Different Perspective

It may romanticize decay without addressing its causes.

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## More by Jenny Erpenbeck

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Browse all 342 Flies quotes

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