--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the beginning—before the beginning—was…" description: "\"“In the beginning—before the beginning—was the word. And the word was “Doctor!”\" — Neil Gaiman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/neil-gaiman-29_beginning_in-the-beginning-before-the-beginning-wa_290119.jpg" --- # In the beginning—before the beginning—was the word. And… ![“In the beginning—before the beginning—was the word. And the word was “Doctor!” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/neil-gaiman-29_beginning_in-the-beginning-before-the-beginning-wa_290119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/neil-gaiman-29_beginning_in-the-beginning-before-the-beginning-wa_290119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6df/neil-gaiman-29_beginning_in-the-beginning-before-the-beginning-wa_290119.jpg) > ““In the beginning—before the beginning—was the word. And the word was “Doctor!”” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Before creation, the word existed, and the word itself is identified as “Doctor,” hinting at identity and origin. **In simple terms:** The word existed before creation, named Doctor. Key Takeaway Recognize origins of identity. Themes creation identity language Mood mysterious thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - storytelling - character development Key Concepts metaphysics literary symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What does “Doctor” symbolize? - How does naming affect existence? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) ## Related quotes > [In the beginning was the word and the word was with and God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/collins-adoma-asante/in-the-beginning-was-the-word-and-the-word-was-with-and-god/) [Collins Adoma Asante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/collins-adoma-asante/) > [“In the beginning was the word. And the word was "Hey, you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-the-beginning-was-the-word-and-the-word-was-hey-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [In the beginning there was the word. The word was Jah. The word is in I, Jah is in I. I make what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-tosh/in-the-beginning-there-was-the-word-the-word-was-jah-the-word-is-in-i/) [Peter Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-tosh/) > [In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was Gotcha!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/attila-the-stockbroker/in-the-beginning-was-the-word-and-the-word-was-gotcha/) Attila the Stockbroker > [At the end of the day, a man is only as good as his word, and if he has no word, why is he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-paulina-luna/at-the-end-of-the-day-a-man-is-only-as-good-as-his-word-and-if-he-has/) [Anna Paulina Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-paulina-luna/) > [My word is my word, and my word is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-boesch/my-word-is-my-word-and-my-word-is-good/) [Rudy Boesch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-boesch/) > [In the beginning was the Word. It doesn't say in the beginning was God. 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Whatever this was, the Word, disease or creation, it was still running rampant; it would run on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/in-the-beginning-was-the-word-whatever-this-was-the-word-disease-or/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [In the beginning was the word, but it wasn't a fixed number of bits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barton/in-the-beginning-was-the-word-but-it-wasn-t-a-fixed-number-of-bits/) Bob Barton ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. 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They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. 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Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. 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That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) Jacklyn H Lucas [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the beginning—before the beginning—was the word. 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