--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And so it was when anyone tried to speak…" description: "\"And so it was when anyone tried to speak: their minds would become tangled in remembrance. Words became floods of thought with no beginning or end, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/jonathan-safran-foer-136_ends_and-so-it-was-when-anyone-tried-to-speak_1981445.png" --- # And so it was when anyone tried to speak: their minds… ![“And so it was when anyone tried to speak: their minds would become tangled in remembrance. Words became floods of thought with no beginning or end, and would drown the speaker before he could reach the life raft of the point he was trying to make. It was impossible to remember what one meant…” quote by Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/jonathan-safran-foer-136_ends_and-so-it-was-when-anyone-tried-to-speak_1981445.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/jonathan-safran-foer-136_ends_and-so-it-was-when-anyone-tried-to-speak_1981445.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/029/jonathan-safran-foer-136_ends_and-so-it-was-when-anyone-tried-to-speak_1981445.png) > “And so it was when anyone tried to speak: their minds would become tangled in remembrance. Words became floods of thought with no beginning or end, and would drown the speaker before he could reach the life raft of the point he was trying to make. It was impossible to remember what one meant, what, after all of the words, was intended.” [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When thoughts overwhelm, language fails, making true expression nearly impossible. **In simple terms:** Words can drown meaning. Key Takeaway Seek clarity beyond chaotic thoughts. Themes communication memory overwhelm Mood conflicted reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - therapy - writing - public speaking Key Concepts cognitive overload expressive limits Questions to Reflect On - How do you convey meaning when words fail? - What methods help untangle tangled thoughts? A Different Perspective Silence can be more honest than speech. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flood/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Remembrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remembrance/) ## Related quotes > [It is almost impossible to remember how tragic a place the world is when one is playing golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson-lynd/it-is-almost-impossible-to-remember-how-tragic-a-place-the-world-is/) [Robert Wilson Lynd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson-lynd/) > [“Another quirk of Dad's was that although he could remember an infinite number of intricate surgical maneuvers and enough random details and trivia to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/another-quirk-of-dad-s-was-that-although-he-could-remember-an/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [To those of us who have seen all of Eric Rohmer's films, it is impossible not to remember when, where, with whom we saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/to-those-of-us-who-have-seen-all-of-eric-rohmer-s-films-it-is/) [Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“A remembrance of what’s impossible to remember. 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