--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the oldest Chatwin, melancholy…" description: "\"When the oldest Chatwin, melancholy Martin, opens the cabinet of the grandfather clock that stands in a dark, narrow back hallway in his aunt’s house a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/lev-grossman-747_aunt_when-the-oldest-chatwin-melancholy-marti_2889590.jpg" --- # When the oldest Chatwin, melancholy Martin, opens the… ![“When the oldest Chatwin, melancholy Martin, opens the cabinet of the grandfather clock that stands in a dark, narrow back hallway in his aunt’s house and slip through into Fillory...it’s like he’s opening the covers of a book, but a book that did what books always promised to do and never ac…” quote by Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/lev-grossman-747_aunt_when-the-oldest-chatwin-melancholy-marti_2889590.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/lev-grossman-747_aunt_when-the-oldest-chatwin-melancholy-marti_2889590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ced/lev-grossman-747_aunt_when-the-oldest-chatwin-melancholy-marti_2889590.jpg) > “When the oldest Chatwin, melancholy Martin, opens the cabinet of the grandfather clock that stands in a dark, narrow back hallway in his aunt’s house and slip through into Fillory...it’s like he’s opening the covers of a book, but a book that did what books always promised to do and never ac tually quite did: get you out, really out, of where you were and into something better.” [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opening a portal to a fantastical realm offers escape from mundane reality, promising transformation. **In simple terms:** Escaping to a magical world can change your life. Key Takeaway Seek transformative experiences. Themes escape fantasy transformation Mood hopeful reflective Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - reading - creative imagination - life change Key Concepts portal literary metaphor hope Questions to Reflect On - What does the portal symbolize? - Can fantasy truly improve reality? A Different Perspective Escapism may avoid real problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Grandfather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandfather/) [Melancholy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melancholy/) [Something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-better/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [Don't ever forget the 'L' if you ever Google, 'Grandfather Clock.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-singh/don-t-ever-forget-the-l-if-you-ever-google-grandfather-clock/) [Nishan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-singh/) > [“The grandfather clock struck the half hour. She must be away. 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