Coincidence Quote by Teju Cole
“Not all coincidence has to be loaded with meaning. Sometimes, things simply recur because that's how it is in life, that's how the mood gets in. It's good to subtly overdo it too, as Nabokov does, as Sebald does. It's a good way to intensify that region of localized weather that we call a novel.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Novel as Weather” in The New Yorker, 2015
Coincidences may be random, but intentional repetition can intensify a novel’s atmosphere.
In simple terms: Random repeats can shape a story’s mood.
Key Takeaway
Use deliberate motifs.
Themes
literary technique
randomness
atmosphere
Mood
analytical
creative
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- novel writing
- screenwriting
- advertising
- music composition
Key Concepts
structuralism
postmodernism
Questions to Reflect On
- When does repetition become redundant?
- How does mood affect narrative impact?
A Different Perspective
Too much repetition risks monotony.
