--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Harry closed his eyes. He never wanted to…" description: "\"Harry closed his eyes. He never wanted to open them again. His heart sent this message to his molecules: \"For reasons obvious to all of us, this galaxy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/kurt-vonnegut-41_closed-eyes_harry-closed-his-eyes-he-never-wanted-to_2613166.jpg" --- # Harry closed his eyes. He never wanted to open them again… ![“Harry closed his eyes. He never wanted to open them again. His heart sent this message to his molecules: "For reasons obvious to all of us, this galaxy is dissolved!” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/kurt-vonnegut-41_closed-eyes_harry-closed-his-eyes-he-never-wanted-to_2613166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/kurt-vonnegut-41_closed-eyes_harry-closed-his-eyes-he-never-wanted-to_2613166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72a/kurt-vonnegut-41_closed-eyes_harry-closed-his-eyes-he-never-wanted-to_2613166.jpg) > “Harry closed his eyes. He never wanted to open them again. His heart sent this message to his molecules: "For reasons obvious to all of us, this galaxy is dissolved!” [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in chaos, the mind seeks meaning, but sometimes the message is that existence is fleeting. **In simple terms:** Life is fragile and fleeting. Key Takeaway Embrace impermanence. Themes existential humor nihilism Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief coping - philosophical reflection - creative writing Key Concepts meaninglessness human condition Questions to Reflect On - What does this say about purpose? - How do you cope with impermanence? A Different Perspective Finding meaning may be impossible in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dissolved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissolved/) [Galaxy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/galaxy/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [And what is literature, Rabo," he said, "but an insider's newsletter about affairs relating to molecules, of no importance to anything in the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-what-is-literature-rabo-he-said-but-an-insider-s-newsletter-about/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Therefore there is not anything which returns to nothing, but all things return dissolved into their elements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/therefore-there-is-not-anything-which-returns-to-nothing-but-all/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“...There is not anything which returns to nothing, but all things return dissolved into their elements. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/there-is-not-anything-which-returns-to-nothing-but-all-things-return/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [When moms stayed home, it was easier just to let the kids play around the house. But as women entered the workplace and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-honor/when-moms-stayed-home-it-was-easier-just-to-let-the-kids-play-around/) [Carl Honore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-honor/) > [By the time a partnership dissolves, it has dissolved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/by-the-time-a-partnership-dissolves-it-has-dissolved/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [“the sky’s sediment had sunk to a place where all the woe of the words ‘I am’ dissolved into blue peace. He said it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/the-sky-s-sediment-had-sunk-to-a-place-where-all-the-woe-of-the-words/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [That is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/that-is-happiness-to-be-dissolved-into-something-complete-and-great/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Consequences don’t just go away. They aren’t suddenly dissolved just because forgiveness has been desired or given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracie-peterson/consequences-don-t-just-go-away-they-aren-t-suddenly-dissolved-just/) [Tracie Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracie-peterson/) > [“I had never wanted permanence before, not really, or I had wanted my freedom more; I had accepted that passionate feeling faded, all my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/i-had-never-wanted-permanence-before-not-really-or-i-had-wanted-my/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [“The one whose ego has dissolved, he can please anyone in this world, and he can deal with everyone, with equanimity .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-one-whose-ego-has-dissolved-he-can-please-anyone-in-this-world/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The foolish man conceives the idea of 'self.' The wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the idea of 'self;'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/the-foolish-man-conceives-the-idea-of-self-the-wise-man-sees-there-is/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [“he was solid. he was there as i dissolved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/he-was-solid-he-was-there-as-i-dissolved/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [As marriage and the family institution constitute the foundation and chief cornerstone of civil society, it is of the greatest moment that the marriage-tie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-bradley/as-marriage-and-the-family-institution-constitute-the-foundation-and/) [Joseph P. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-bradley/) > [Plate tectonics is not all havoc and destruction. The slow movement of continents and ocean floors recycles carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/plate-tectonics-is-not-all-havoc-and-destruction-the-slow-movement-of/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [The love of her life dissolved into dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/the-love-of-her-life-dissolved-into-dreams/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) ## More by Kurt Vonnegut > [“You must bloom as a writer and I must bloom as a painter. Everything else about us is uninteresting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-must-bloom-as-a-writer-and-i-must-bloom-as-a-painter-everything/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“People aren't supposed to look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/people-aren-t-supposed-to-look-back/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Have a good nap, did you?” said the porter. “Yes,” said Billy. “Man,” said the porter, “you sure had a hard-on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/have-a-good-nap-did-you-said-the-porter-yes-said-billy-man-said-the/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I told him that if we doubted that we are demons in Hell, he should read The Mysterious Stranger, which Mark Twain wrote in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-told-him-that-if-we-doubted-that-we-are-demons-in-hell-he-should/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [ “Thomas Jefferson High School \[..\] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-school-was-named-after-a-slave/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I had a certain amount of skill as a dramatist, and Dr. Goebbels wanted me to use it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-had-a-certain-amount-of-skill-as-a-dramatist-and-dr-goebbels-wanted/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/i-was-some-of-the-mud-that-got-to-sit-up-and-look-around-lucky-me/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“The town was Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., Earth, Solar System, Milky Way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/the-town-was-newport-rhode-island-u-s-a-earth-solar-system-milky-way/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Her face was one of a kind, a surprising variation that made observers think, Yes--that would be another very nice way for people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/her-face-was-one-of-a-kind-a-surprising-variation-that-made-observers/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“You finally fell in love, I see,” said Salo. “Only an Earthling year ago,” said Constant. “It took us that long to realize that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/you-finally-fell-in-love-i-see-said-salo-only-an-earthling-year-ago/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Like all Earthlings at the point of death, Mary Young sent faint reminders of herself to those who had known her. She released a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/like-all-earthlings-at-the-point-of-death-mary-young-sent-faint/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“And contrast Mary Kathleen, if you will, with my wife Ruth, the Ophelia of the death camps, who believed that even the most intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/and-contrast-mary-kathleen-if-you-will-with-my-wife-ruth-the-ophelia/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend. And if,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/someday-someday-this-crazy-world-will-have-to-end-and-our-god-will/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“They were going back to the slaughterhouse for souvenirs of the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/they-were-going-back-to-the-slaughterhouse-for-souvenirs-of-the-war/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“There are plenty of good reasons for fighting," I said, "but no good reason ever to hate without reservation, to imagine that God Almighty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/there-are-plenty-of-good-reasons-for-fighting-i-said-but-no-good/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) [Explore all 2,089 Kurt Vonnegut quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More Closed eyes quotes > [You were the oníly one I saw when I closed my eyes..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/you-were-the-on-ly-one-i-saw-when-i-closed-my-eyes/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [In my room I'd barely closed my eyes when the blonde from the movie house came along and sang her whole song of sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/in-my-room-i-d-barely-closed-my-eyes-when-the-blonde-from-the-movie/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Jesus Christ does not teach us a spirituality “of closed eyes”, but one of “alertness”, one which entails an absolute duty to take notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/jesus-christ-does-not-teach-us-a-spirituality-of-closed-eyes-but-one/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [True beauty is seen through closed eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-beauty-is-seen-through-closed-eyes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I closed my eyes and my body settled.Without thinking my body knew it'd do anything,anything, for Holden Maxwell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/i-closed-my-eyes-and-my-body-settled-without-thinking-my-body-knew-it/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [And the last thought he had that morning as he closed his eyes was: I hope the tornado hit the moose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-paulsen/and-the-last-thought-he-had-that-morning-as-he-closed-his-eyes-was-i/) [Gary Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-paulsen/) > [“She closed her eyes and prayed to whichever small ineffectual god protects the hearts of women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-wright/she-closed-her-eyes-and-prayed-to-whichever-small-ineffectual-god/) [Kim Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-wright/) > [If a dream affords the dreamer some light on himself, it is not the person with closed eyes who makes the discovery but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-leiris/if-a-dream-affords-the-dreamer-some-light-on-himself-it-is-not-the/) [Michel Leiris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-leiris/) > [Keep your head high,legs closed,eyes open](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-bluntst0ner/keep-your-head-high-legs-closed-eyes-open/) [Y!bluntSt0ner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-bluntst0ner/) > [Nearly unable to bear the thought of how much he needed her quiet strength, he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/nearly-unable-to-bear-the-thought-of-how-much-he-needed-her-quiet/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [You said you dint wanna see me get hurt , so does that mean you closed your eyes when I cried ???](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-said-you-dint-wanna-see-me-get-hurt-so-does-that-mean-you-closed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Study your subject through half-closed eyes before starting to draw - you'll find that the lights and darks are exaggerated and easier to identify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-smith/study-your-subject-through-half-closed-eyes-before-starting-to-draw/) [Stan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-smith/) > [“No.” Valentina closed her eyes. Of course not. “It’ll be great, Mouse. We’ll have our own apartment, we won’t have to work,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/no-valentina-closed-her-eyes-of-course-not-it-ll-be-great-mouse-we-ll/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [Few times ago I closed my eyes. Than I saw a dream that u r the happiest person in this world. If it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/few-times-ago-i-closed-my-eyes-than-i-saw-a-dream-that-u-r-the/) Unknow > [He fell in love with the way she closed her eyes, long before he fell in love with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/he-fell-in-love-with-the-way-she-closed-her-eyes-long-before-he-fell/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) Browse all 210 Closed eyes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Harry closed his eyes. He never wanted to open them again. 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