--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But as Van casually directed the…" description: "\"But as Van casually directed the searchlight of backthought into that maze of the past where the mirror-lined narrow paths not only took different turn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg" --- # But as Van casually directed the searchlight of… ![“But as Van casually directed the searchlight of backthought into that maze of the past where the mirror-lined narrow paths not only took different turns, but used different levels (as a mule-drawn cart passes under the arch of a viaduct along which a motor skims by), he found himself tackling, in…” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg) > “But as Van casually directed the searchlight of backthought into that maze of the past where the mirror-lined narrow paths not only took different turns, but used different levels (as a mule-drawn cart passes under the arch of a viaduct along which a motor skims by), he found himself tackling, in still vague and idle fashion, the science that was to obsess his mature years - problems of space and time, space versus time, time-twisted space, space as time, time as space - and space breaking away from time, in the final tragic triumph of human cogitation: I am because I die.” [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explores complex ideas of space‑time, perception, and mortality, concluding that existence is defined by the interplay of life and death. **In simple terms:** Life and death intertwine, shaping our understanding of reality. Key Takeaway Embrace the paradox of being and dying. Themes philosophy science mortality perception Mood introspective enigmatic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - academic discussion - creative writing - personal contemplation - teaching Key Concepts theoretical physics existentialism literary metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect your sense of purpose? - What does “I am because I die” mean to you? A Different Perspective Complex scientific concepts may be oversimplified in poetic language. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaking away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-away/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mazes/) [Mirrors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirrors/) [Mules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mules/) [Narrow path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrow-path/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Space and time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-and-time/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time and space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-space/) [Tragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragic/) [Triumph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumph/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) ## Related quotes > [“Our destiny becomes the accumulation of the choices that we make; the choices of which paths we took in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/our-destiny-becomes-the-accumulation-of-the-choices-that-we-make-the/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Your destiny becomes the accumulation of the choices that you make; the choices of which paths you took in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/your-destiny-becomes-the-accumulation-of-the-choices-that-you-make/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [ Authors and artists are still afraid of breaking away as far as \[William Burroughs\] did... 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We are different and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-barr/scotland-has-always-been-independent-we-have-our-own-legal-system-our/) [Damian Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-barr/) > [We are empty shells if we do not possess, if we do not fill our life with furniture, with music, with knowledge, with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-are-empty-shells-if-we-do-not-possess-if-we-do-not-fill-our-life/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [In breaking away from the familiar and the expected, you'll be forced and privileged to face greater challenges, learn harder lessons, and really get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-cutrone/in-breaking-away-from-the-familiar-and-the-expected-you-ll-be-forced/) [Kelly Cutrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-cutrone/) > [Breaking Away' was a great experience. It's the kind of movie that engenders a lot of goodwill from people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-christopher/breaking-away-was-a-great-experience-it-s-the-kind-of-movie-that/) Dennis Christopher > [A lot of times, when a band finds success with a certain style or sound, they have a really hard time breaking away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cameron/a-lot-of-times-when-a-band-finds-success-with-a-certain-style-or/) [Matt Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cameron/) > [“Like a porcelain facade, her outer shell was breaking away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-kuehlke/like-a-porcelain-facade-her-outer-shell-was-breaking-away/) L.A. Kuehlke > [The danger is to cling to comfort and custom at a time when events demand breaking away from both. But it is also foolish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-moore/the-danger-is-to-cling-to-comfort-and-custom-at-a-time-when-events/) [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) > [I was extremely close with my parents. Breaking away from that is a double-edged sword: It's something you need to do, but it's hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-cardellini/i-was-extremely-close-with-my-parents-breaking-away-from-that-is-a/) [Linda Cardellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-cardellini/) > [As I had once done thus in my breaking away from my Parents, so I could not be content now, but I must go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/as-i-had-once-done-thus-in-my-breaking-away-from-my-parents-so-i/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [To revolt within society in order to make it a little better, to bring about certain reforms, is like the revolt of prisoners to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/to-revolt-within-society-in-order-to-make-it-a-little-better-to-bring/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Another sleepless night, another day just washed away so you count your scars, hoping for a new day. I know you have the strength…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/another-sleepless-night-another-day-just-washed-away-so-you-count/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Vladimir Nabokov > [And the rest is rust and stardust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-the-rest-is-rust-and-stardust/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [There is no science without fancy and no art without fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/there-is-no-science-without-fancy-and-no-art-without-fact/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“My solemn exasperation was to her the silence of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/my-solemn-exasperation-was-to-her-the-silence-of-love/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [ “...under no circumstances would he \[Humbert Humbert\] have interfered with the innocence of a child, if there was the least risk of a row.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/under-no-circumstances-would-he-humbert-humbert-have-interfered-with/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/the-cradle-rocks-above-an-abyss-and-common-sense-tells-us-that-our/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Ami azt illeti, Vannak kezdtek nagyon tetszeni a fák is, a csodák is meg az Adák is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/ami-azt-illeti-vannak-kezdtek-nagyon-tetszeni-a-f-k-is-a-csod-k-is/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [We live not only in a world of thoughts, but also in a world of things. Words without experience are meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/we-live-not-only-in-a-world-of-thoughts-but-also-in-a-world-of-things/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“As palavras sem a experiência não teriam qualquer significado.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/as-palavras-sem-a-experi-ncia-n-o-teriam-qualquer-significado/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“It isn’t possible. I cannot imagine it. Come on over here, you foolish little doe, and tell me on what day I shall die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/it-isn-t-possible-i-cannot-imagine-it-come-on-over-here-you-foolish/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Precautions to be taken in the case Of freak reincarnation: what to do On suddenly discovering that you Are now a young and vulnerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/precautions-to-be-taken-in-the-case-of-freak-reincarnation-what-to-do/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [And this is the only immortality you and i may share, my Lolita.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/and-this-is-the-only-immortality-you-and-i-may-share-my-lolita/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Be true to your Dick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/be-true-to-your-dick/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“It is indeed a tricky name. It is often misspelt, because the eye tends to regard the "a" of the first syllable as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/it-is-indeed-a-tricky-name-it-is-often-misspelt-because-the-eye-tends/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“(T)here exist friendships which develop their own inner duration, their own eons of transparent time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/t-here-exist-friendships-which-develop-their-own-inner-duration-their/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“She was all rose and honey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/she-was-all-rose-and-honey/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) [Explore all 883 Vladimir Nabokov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) ## More Arches quotes > [There was only the broad square with the scattered dim moons of the street lamps and with the monumental stone arch which receded into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/there-was-only-the-broad-square-with-the-scattered-dim-moons-of-the/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [An arch consists of two weaknesses which, leaning one against the other, make a strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/an-arch-consists-of-two-weaknesses-which-leaning-one-against-the/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [If I'm ever feeling uninspired, all I have to do is go see Exodus or Arch Enemy, and think 'Oh yeah, that's what we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-king/if-i-m-ever-feeling-uninspired-all-i-have-to-do-is-go-see-exodus-or/) [Kerry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-king/) > [The Golden Arches are now more widely recognized than the Christian cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/the-golden-arches-are-now-more-widely-recognized-than-the-christian/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [If architects want to strengthen a decrepit arch, they increase the load which is laid upon it, for thereby the parts are joined more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-e-frankl/if-architects-want-to-strengthen-a-decrepit-arch-they-increase-the/) [Viktor E. 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They have seen abysmal oceans and charred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-destefano/suddenly-the-clouds-seem-high-above-us-they-re-moving-over-us-in-an/) [Lauren DeStefano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-destefano/) > [Dianetics is a milestone for man comparable to his discovery of fire and superior to his invention of the wheel and the arch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/dianetics-is-a-milestone-for-man-comparable-to-his-discovery-of-fire/) [L. 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I love the texture of your skin, the taste of your saliva, the softness of your ears. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/polly-jean-i-love-you-i-love-the-texture-of-your-skin-the-taste-of/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [It is frivolous to fix pedantically the date of particular inventions. They have all been invented over and over fifty times. Man is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/it-is-frivolous-to-fix-pedantically-the-date-of-particular-inventions/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) Browse all 190 Arches quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But as Van casually directed the searchlight of backthought into that maze of the past where the mirror-lined narrow paths not only took different turns, but used different levels (as a mule-drawn cart passes under the arch of a viaduct along which a motor skims by), he found himself tackling, in still vague and idle fashion, the science that was to obsess his mature years - problems of space and time, space versus time, time-twisted space, space as time, time as space - and space breaking away from time, in the final tragic triumph of human cogitation: I am because I die.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vladimir Nabokov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchlight-of-backthought-into-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arches" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchlight-of-backthought-into-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ae/vladimir-nabokov-198_arches_but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchl_2601212.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But as Van casually directed the searchlight of backthought into that maze of the past where the…” — Vladimir Nabokov", "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": "Vladimir Nabokov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "But as Van casually directed the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchlight-of-backthought-into-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/but-as-van-casually-directed-the-searchlight-of-backthought-into-that/#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 } } ] } ```