Footnotes Quote by Vladimir Nabokov
““Human life is but a series of footnotes to a vast obscure unfinished masterpiece””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art of Fiction, 1940s
Life is reduced to marginal notes, suggesting that our existence is secondary to a larger, unfinished narrative.
In simple terms: Life as footnotes to a larger story.
Key Takeaway
Recognize your part in a larger, unfinished story.
Themes
existentialism
literature
meaning
humility
Mood
thoughtful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- personal journaling
- teaching literature
Key Concepts
postmodernism
metafiction
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you view your role in the larger narrative?
- Does seeing life as footnotes inspire or discourage?
A Different Perspective
May diminish personal agency.
![“[Footnote:] Pliny the Elder described a Whale called "Balaena or Whirlpool, which is so long and broad as to take up more in length and breadth than two acres of ground." This brings up again the old question: Are the classics doomed? Our ancestors believed that four years of this sort of…” quote by Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1c1/will-cuppy-7569_acres_footnote-pliny-the-elder-described-a-wha_84284.jpg)
![“...under no circumstances would he [Humbert Humbert] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0f0/vladimir-nabokov-198_children_under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert_16228.jpg)
