---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mort thought that history was thrashing…"
description: "\"“Mort thought that history was thrashing around like a steel hawser with the tension off, twanging backwards and forwards across reality in great destr..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/terry-pratchett-19_different-people_mort-thought-that-history-was-thrashing_2819253.jpg"
---

#  Mort thought that history was thrashing around like a…

![“Mort thought that history was thrashing around like a steel hawser with the tension off, twanging backwards and forwards across reality in great destructive sweeps. History isn’t like that. History unravels gently, like an old sweater. It has been patched and darned many times, reknitted to suit…” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/terry-pratchett-19_different-people_mort-thought-that-history-was-thrashing_2819253.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/terry-pratchett-19_different-people_mort-thought-that-history-was-thrashing_2819253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/terry-pratchett-19_different-people_mort-thought-that-history-was-thrashing_2819253.jpg)

> ““Mort thought that history was thrashing around like a steel hawser with the tension off, twanging backwards and forwards across reality in great destructive sweeps. History isn’t like that. History unravels gently, like an old sweater. It has been patched and darned many times, reknitted to suit different people, shoved in a box under the sink of censorship to be cut up for the dusters of propaganda, yet it always—eventually—manages to spring back into its old familiar shape. History has a habit of changing the people who think they are changing it. History always has a few tricks up its frayed sleeve. It’s been around a long time.””

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

## About This Quote

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

History is reshaped, patched, and restored, yet returns to familiar patterns.

**In simple terms:** History is repaired and repeats.

Key Takeaway

Learn from patterns.

Themes

history memory revision

Mood

reflective analytical

Type

historical philosophical

When to use this quote

- education
- archival work
- political discourse

Key Concepts

narrative theory cultural memory

Questions to Reflect On

- How does history shape identity?
- What patterns repeat in modern events?

A Different Perspective

Revisionism can obscure truth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Changing History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-history-2007243/) [Different people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-people/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-isn-316660/) [History Thrashing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-thrashing-3576670/) [History Unravels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-unravels-2007242/) [Like History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-history/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/)

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