--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had once been splintered into a million…" description: "\"“I had once been splintered into a million beings and objects. Today I am one, tomorrow I shall splinter again. And thus everything in the world decant..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/vladimir-nabokov-198_sounds_i-had-once-been-splintered-into-a-millio_2088726.jpg" --- # I had once been splintered into a million beings and… ![“I had once been splintered into a million beings and objects. Today I am one, tomorrow I shall splinter again. And thus everything in the world decants and modulates. That day I was on the crest of a wave. I knew that all my surroundings were notes of one and the same harmony, knew - secretly…” quote by Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/vladimir-nabokov-198_sounds_i-had-once-been-splintered-into-a-millio_2088726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/vladimir-nabokov-198_sounds_i-had-once-been-splintered-into-a-millio_2088726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/vladimir-nabokov-198_sounds_i-had-once-been-splintered-into-a-millio_2088726.jpg) > ““I had once been splintered into a million beings and objects. Today I am one, tomorrow I shall splinter again. And thus everything in the world decants and modulates. That day I was on the crest of a wave. I knew that all my surroundings were notes of one and the same harmony, knew - secretly - the source and the inevitable resolution of the sounds assembled for an instant, and the new chord that would be engendered by each of the dispersing notes. My soul's musical ear knew and comprehended everything.”” [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. Identity and reality are fluid; we constantly split and recombine, creating new harmonies. **In simple terms:** We are ever-changing, forming new patterns. Key Takeaway Embrace change as creative growth. Themes identity change creativity Mood introspective creative Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - artistic creation - personal transformation - learning - team collaboration Key Concepts postmodernism musical metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you integrate past selves? - What new harmony will you create? A Different Perspective Constant change can cause loss of continuity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ear Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ear-knew-3877343/) [Harmony Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmony-knew-3573664/) [Knew Comprehended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-comprehended-4118368/) [Sounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounds/) [Splintered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splintered/) [Wave Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave-knew-4118367/) ## Related quotes > [“Whisper a word in the wrong ear and before you knew it you'd be short a head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/whisper-a-word-in-the-wrong-ear-and-before-you-knew-it-you-d-be-short/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [And when one person taps out a beat, while another leads into the melody, or when three people discover a harmony they never knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-seeger/and-when-one-person-taps-out-a-beat-while-another-leads-into-the/) [Pete Seeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-seeger/) > [“Watching them, Harmony felt too shaken to take a step. Eddie and Sheba were young; but she herself had become old. Even if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-mcmurtry/watching-them-harmony-felt-too-shaken-to-take-a-step-eddie-and-sheba/) [Larry McMurtry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-mcmurtry/) > [You must experience everything that you are feeling. This is what will lead you to the splintered parts of your personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-zukav/you-must-experience-everything-that-you-are-feeling-this-is-what-will/) [Gary Zukav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-zukav/) > [“Inside, a piece of him cracked; it was as though an emotion that had calcified into bone got tapped with a tiny hammer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-beam/inside-a-piece-of-him-cracked-it-was-as-though-an-emotion-that-had/) [cris beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-beam/) > [“ring aroung the roses, the body decomposes. hush, hush, hush, hush we'll all tumble down down, down into the deep. Give the twids our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard-3/ring-aroung-the-roses-the-body-decomposes-hush-hush-hush-hush-we-ll/) [A.G Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard-3/) > [“I'm going to fall in love with an artist. And we'll have two kids and live in the country. A quiet life, so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/i-m-going-to-fall-in-love-with-an-artist-and-we-ll-have-two-kids-and/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“Jeb releases my fingers and cups my face in his hands, barely touching me, like I'm breakable. "It's me I'm losing control of. Hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/jeb-releases-my-fingers-and-cups-my-face-in-his-hands-barely-touching/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“Some people have no business attending a dignified tea. Gawking as if I belong in a zoo, when they're the ones who have all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/some-people-have-no-business-attending-a-dignified-tea-gawking-as-if/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“Then she (Gossamer) turns to Jeb. "Elfin knight, do you wish for pleasure on your quest? I can provide it, if you so desire."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/then-she-gossamer-turns-to-jeb-elfin-knight-do-you-wish-for-pleasure/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“Tearing down the rest of the world won't make you happy. Look inside yourself. Because finding who you were meant to be? What you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/tearing-down-the-rest-of-the-world-won-t-make-you-happy-look-inside/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“Nevertheless, he picked up a piece of smashed chair. It had splintered nicely. And the nice thing about a stake through the heart was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/nevertheless-he-picked-up-a-piece-of-smashed-chair-it-had-splintered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Linux is its own worst enemy: it's splintered, it has different distributions, it's too complex to run for most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/linux-is-its-own-worst-enemy-it-s-splintered-it-has-different/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) > [“I clench my fingers. "She's right, huh? The morbid and revolting are such fascinating subjects.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/i-clench-my-fingers-she-s-right-huh-the-morbid-and-revolting-are-such/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) > [“Because of all the things I've experienced on this journey - shrinking and growing, flying sprites, living chess pieces - not a one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-howard/because-of-all-the-things-i-ve-experienced-on-this-journey-shrinking/) [A.G. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-howard/) ## 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 Sounds quotes > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [Although it sounds very trite, I wish people were nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobcat-goldthwait/although-it-sounds-very-trite-i-wish-people-were-nice/) [Bobcat Goldthwait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobcat-goldthwait/) > [I don't know much about 'Katy Keene,' but it sounds unbelievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-cott/i-don-t-know-much-about-katy-keene-but-it-sounds-unbelievable/) [Casey Cott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-cott/) > [“There was a strange exciting smell in the air - the smell of wine, cigar smoke, and perfume, mingled with the scent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-was-a-strange-exciting-smell-in-the-air-the-smell-of-wine-cigar/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If anybody sounds like me... everyone knows me, I'm flattered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-dream/if-anybody-sounds-like-me-everyone-knows-me-i-m-flattered/) [The-Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-dream/) > [You hear sounds and orchestration, it's ... the fastest way, I think, to your emotions, even if you don't understand the language of the song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/you-hear-sounds-and-orchestration-it-s-the-fastest-way-i-think-to/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > ['Tarak' is a 'class' movie and a family entertainer, so the album sounds trendy and peppy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-janya/tarak-is-a-class-movie-and-a-family-entertainer-so-the-album-sounds/) [Arjun Janya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-janya/) > [“Sounds—possibly musical—heard in the night from other worlds or realms of being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/sounds-possibly-musical-heard-in-the-night-from-other-worlds-or/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [I've always said the bass just happens to be the crayon I picked out of the box. I'd still be drawing the same pictures...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ve-always-said-the-bass-just-happens-to-be-the-crayon-i-picked-out/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [You do not want to talk to me on the phone. How do I know? Because I don't want to talk to you on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/you-do-not-want-to-talk-to-me-on-the-phone-how-do-i-know-because-i/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [My songs have a lot going on in them -they're packed with sounds. When I have only three or four minutes to capture something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-heap/my-songs-have-a-lot-going-on-in-them-they-re-packed-with-sounds-when/) [Imogen Heap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-heap/) > [Music is nothing but sound, and there is no place for value judgement among various sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/music-is-nothing-but-sound-and-there-is-no-place-for-value-judgement/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [The commonest and cheapest sounds, as the barking of a dog, produce the same effect on fresh and healthy ears that the rarest music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-commonest-and-cheapest-sounds-as-the-barking-of-a-dog-produce-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Browse all 930 Sounds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sounds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I had once been splintered into a million beings and objects. Today I am one, tomorrow I shall splinter again. And thus everything in the world decants and modulates. That day I was on the crest of a wave. I knew that all my surroundings were notes of one and the same harmony, knew - secretly - the source and the inevitable resolution of the sounds assembled for an instant, and the new chord that would be engendered by each of the dispersing notes. 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