Animal Quote by Marcel Proust
“We say that we often see animals in our dreams, but we forget that almost always we are ourselves animals therein, deprived of that reasoning power which projects upon things the light of certainty; on the contrary we bring to bear on the spectacle of life only a dubious vision, extinguished anew every moment by oblivion, the former reality fading before that which follows it as one projection of a magic lantern fades before the next as we change the slide.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: In Search of Lost Time, 1913
We project certainty onto life, but reality is fleeting and uncertain.
In simple terms: Life is an ever‑changing illusion.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty as natural.
Themes
philosophy
perception
reality
Mood
thoughtful
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- mindfulness practice
- creative writing
- psychology therapy
Key Concepts
epistemology
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you find certainty?
- What anchors your perception?
A Different Perspective
May induce nihilism.
![“At the very least, they can be persuaded that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget[...]that they are animals and that whatever their bodies do affects their souls.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9d4/c-s-lewis-2-132_animal_at-the-very-least-they-can-be-persuaded_3123760.jpg)
![“For her [Françoise], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between the two that she came to see their qualities as interchangeable, expecting material comfort from virtue and moral edification from wealth.” quote by Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/marcel-proust-114_character_for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-nece_2687.jpg)
