---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing to say about Finnegans…"
description: "\"The first thing to say about Finnegans Wake is that it is, in an important sense, unreadable.\" — Seamus Deane"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/seamus-deane-72898_finnegans-wake_the-first-thing-to-say-about-finnegans-w_1067364.jpg"
---

#  The first thing to say about Finnegans Wake is that it is…

![“The first thing to say about Finnegans Wake is that it is, in an important sense, unreadable.” quote by Seamus Deane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/seamus-deane-72898_finnegans-wake_the-first-thing-to-say-about-finnegans-w_1067364.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/seamus-deane-72898_finnegans-wake_the-first-thing-to-say-about-finnegans-w_1067364.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/seamus-deane-72898_finnegans-wake_the-first-thing-to-say-about-finnegans-w_1067364.jpg)

> “The first thing to say about Finnegans Wake is that it is, in an important sense, unreadable.”

Seamus Deane

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He describes Finnegans Wake as fundamentally unreadable, highlighting its complexity.

**In simple terms:** Finnegans Wake is essentially unreadable.

Key Takeaway

Accept its challenging nature.

Themes

literary complexity modernist literature readability

Mood

intellectual curious

Type

scholarly analytical

When to use this quote

- academic study
- reading groups
- literary workshops

Key Concepts

experimental narrative language play

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do some readers persist with difficult texts?
- What can be learned from unreadable works?

A Different Perspective

Complexity may deter valuable insights.

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[Finnegans wake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finnegans-wake/)

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