--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His whole life was now summed up in two…" description: "\"His whole life was now summed up in two words: absolute uncertainty within an impenetrable fog.\" — Victor Hugo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg" --- # His whole life was now summed up in two words: absolute… ![“His whole life was now summed up in two words: absolute uncertainty within an impenetrable fog.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg) > “His whole life was now summed up in two words: absolute uncertainty within an impenetrable fog.” [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His existence is defined by doubt and an impenetrable fog of uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Life shrouded in doubt. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and seek clarity. Themes uncertainty fog existence Mood reflective serious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career decision - health diagnosis - relationship crisis Key Concepts existentialism nihilism clarity Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with uncertainty? - What steps can you take toward clarity? A Different Perspective Uncertainty can paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Fog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fog/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [“Never perceive anything as being inevitable or predestined. The only absolute is uncertainty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/never-perceive-anything-as-being-inevitable-or-predestined-the-only/) [Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/) > [To sum up all, let it be known that science and religion are two identical words. The learned do not suspect this, no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/to-sum-up-all-let-it-be-known-that-science-and-religion-are-two/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Emergencies have always been necessary to progress. It was darkness which produced the lamp. It was fog that produced the compass. It was hunger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/emergencies-have-always-been-necessary-to-progress-it-was-darkness/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [In winter there is no heat, no light, no noon, evening touches morning, there is fog, and mist, the window is frosted, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/in-winter-there-is-no-heat-no-light-no-noon-evening-touches-morning/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“It's like there's a glass wall between us now, invisible but impenetrable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-s-like-there-s-a-glass-wall-between-us-now-invisible-but/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Artists probably should have some impenetrable aspects of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-callow/artists-probably-should-have-some-impenetrable-aspects-of-themselves/) [Simon Callow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-callow/) > [That which is impenetrable to us really exists. Behind the secrets of nature remains something subtle, intangible, and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/that-which-is-impenetrable-to-us-really-exists-behind-the-secrets-of/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I think it's easy to make impenetrable music that nobody can get, and you can hide behind that sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/i-think-it-s-easy-to-make-impenetrable-music-that-nobody-can-get-and/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Nothing is so impenetrable as laughter in a language you don't understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/nothing-is-so-impenetrable-as-laughter-in-a-language-you-don-t/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [For an impenetrable shield, stand inside yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/for-an-impenetrable-shield-stand-inside-yourself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I can never say 'why' about anything I do. I suppose I can say 'how' and 'when' and 'what.' But 'why' is impenetrable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-can-never-say-why-about-anything-i-do-i-suppose-i-can-say-how-and/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“Within a broken heart lie a realm of impenetrable shadows, and the echo of what could have been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-alexander/within-a-broken-heart-lie-a-realm-of-impenetrable-shadows-and-the/) [Felix Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-alexander/) > [Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/let-your-plans-be-dark-and-impenetrable-as-night/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [However impenetrable it seems, if you don't try it, then you can never do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wiles/however-impenetrable-it-seems-if-you-don-t-try-it-then-you-can-never/) [Andrew Wiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wiles/) > [“As we survey the challenges of life, that which is easy is rarely right. In fact, the course that we should properly follow appears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/as-we-survey-the-challenges-of-life-that-which-is-easy-is-rarely/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) ## More by Victor Hugo > [Houses are like the human beings that inhabit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/houses-are-like-the-human-beings-that-inhabit-them/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“There is still a certain grace in a dead festival. It has been happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/there-is-still-a-certain-grace-in-a-dead-festival-it-has-been-happy/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“First I loved women, then animals, and now I love stones. They're just as amusing as women and animals and they're much less trecherous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/first-i-loved-women-then-animals-and-now-i-love-stones-they-re-just/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Nature is pitiless; she never withdraws her flowers, her music, her fragrance, and her sunlight from before human cruelty or suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/nature-is-pitiless-she-never-withdraws-her-flowers-her-music-her/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [The peasants of the Asturias believe that in every litter of wolves there is one pup that is killed by the mother for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-peasants-of-the-asturias-believe-that-in-every-litter-of-wolves/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Great blunders are often made, like large ropes, of a multitude of fibres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/great-blunders-are-often-made-like-large-ropes-of-a-multitude-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“For love is like a tree; it grows of itself; it send its roots deep into our being, and often continues to grow green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/for-love-is-like-a-tree-it-grows-of-itself-it-send-its-roots-deep/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Blacheville smiles with the self-satisfied smugness of a man whose vanity is tickled”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/blacheville-smiles-with-the-self-satisfied-smugness-of-a-man-whose/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Loving in ignorance, she loved with all the more passion. She did not know whether it was good or evil, beneficent or dangerous, necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/loving-in-ignorance-she-loved-with-all-the-more-passion-she-did-not/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/laughter-is-the-sun-that-drives-winter-from-the-human-face/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Our joys have shadows. The perfect smile belongs to God alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/our-joys-have-shadows-the-perfect-smile-belongs-to-god-alone/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“When those we love are in question, our prudence invents every sort of madness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/when-those-we-love-are-in-question-our-prudence-invents-every-sort-of/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Love is a fault; so be it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-is-a-fault-so-be-it/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) [Explore all 2,181 Victor Hugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) ## More Doubt quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Vision motivates, sustains and dispels doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-young/vision-motivates-sustains-and-dispels-doubt/) [Thomas Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-young/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Let smiles overshadow sadness. Let faith make you believe. Let confidence wash away doubts. Let love complete your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-smiles-overshadow-sadness-let-faith-make-you-believe-let/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapman/when-in-doubt-suggest-that-a-subcommittee-be-appointed/) Harry Chapman > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) [Browse all 9,582 Doubt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "His whole life was now summed up in two words: absolute uncertainty within an impenetrable fog.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Victor Hugo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two-words-absolute-uncertainty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doubt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two-words-absolute-uncertainty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/victor-hugo-32_doubt_his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two_2400619.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“His whole life was now summed up in two words: absolute uncertainty within an impenetrable fog.” — Victor Hugo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Victor Hugo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "His whole life was now summed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two-words-absolute-uncertainty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/his-whole-life-was-now-summed-up-in-two-words-absolute-uncertainty/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```