--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But he had turned, little by little, a…" description: "\"“But he had turned, little by little, a disturbance into words, he had made a pillow of old words, for his head.”\" — Samuel Beckett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/samuel-beckett-365_language_but-he-had-turned-little-by-little-a-dis_2038628.png" --- # But he had turned, little by little, a disturbance into… ![“But he had turned, little by little, a disturbance into words, he had made a pillow of old words, for his head.” quote by Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/samuel-beckett-365_language_but-he-had-turned-little-by-little-a-dis_2038628.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/samuel-beckett-365_language_but-he-had-turned-little-by-little-a-dis_2038628.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb0/samuel-beckett-365_language_but-he-had-turned-little-by-little-a-dis_2038628.png) > ““But he had turned, little by little, a disturbance into words, he had made a pillow of old words, for his head.”” [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words can become a cushion, softening the impact of chaos, yet they also mask underlying turmoil. **In simple terms:** Words soften reality. Key Takeaway Use language to manage turmoil. Themes language comfort chaos Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - therapy - writing - conflict resolution - public speaking Key Concepts literature psychology communication Questions to Reflect On - How do words both heal and hide pain? - When should we act beyond words? A Different Perspective Overreliance on words may prevent confronting real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [“Words in the head are sticky and social creatures – when you finally pull one out, you're liable to get lots of bits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-carlson/words-in-the-head-are-sticky-and-social-creatures-when-you-finally/) [Greg Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-carlson/) > [Put these words on your head and let them percolate We need to separate church and state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/childish-gambino/put-these-words-on-your-head-and-let-them-percolate-we-need-to/) [Childish Gambino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/childish-gambino/) > [It has often been said there’s so much to be read, you never can cram all those words in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/it-has-often-been-said-there-s-so-much-to-be-read-you-never-can-cram/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [It's an illusion I've noticed before-- words on a page are like oxygen to a petrol engine, firing up ghosts. It only lasts while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-wein/it-s-an-illusion-i-ve-noticed-before-words-on-a-page-are-like-oxygen/) [Elizabeth Wein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-wein/) > [The words you say never live up to the words in your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/the-words-you-say-never-live-up-to-the-words-in-your-head/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [I don't know how to answer. I know what I think, but words in the head are like voices underwater. They are distorted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/i-don-t-know-how-to-answer-i-know-what-i-think-but-words-in-the-head/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [He suffered from a rush of words to the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-suffered-from-a-rush-of-words-to-the-head/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Memories are killing. So you must not think of certain things, of those that are dear to you, or rather you must think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/memories-are-killing-so-you-must-not-think-of-certain-things-of-those/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“You weep, and weep, for nothing, so as not to laugh, and little by little . . . you begin to grieve.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/you-weep-and-weep-for-nothing-so-as-not-to-laugh-and-little-by-little/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Unfortunately I am afraid, as always, of going on. 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Most are old words revived and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-dent/the-extraordinary-thing-about-new-words-is-that-probably-only-about/) [Susie Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-dent/) > [Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/short-words-are-best-and-the-old-words-when-short-are-best-of-all/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [When a man is in love how can he use old words? Should a woman desiring her lover lie down with grammarians and linguists?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/when-a-man-is-in-love-how-can-he-use-old-words-should-a-woman/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [“old words can be re-narrated in new words: all that was needed was empathy, a power and ability to embrace and to feel the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamsur-rahman-faruqi/old-words-can-be-re-narrated-in-new-words-all-that-was-needed-was/) [Shamsur Rahman Faruqi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamsur-rahman-faruqi/) ## More by Samuel Beckett > [“It was December, I had never felt so cold, the eel soup lay heavy on my stomach, I was afraid I'd die, I turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/it-was-december-i-had-never-felt-so-cold-the-eel-soup-lay-heavy-on-my/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“To be always what I am - and so changed from what I was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/to-be-always-what-i-am-and-so-changed-from-what-i-was/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [To what will love not stoop!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/to-what-will-love-not-stoop/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [With all this darkness round me I feel less alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/with-all-this-darkness-round-me-i-feel-less-alone/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“You may say it is all in my head, and indeed sometimes it seems to me I am in a head and that these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/you-may-say-it-is-all-in-my-head-and-indeed-sometimes-it-seems-to-me/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“Here he stood. 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