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Quote by Machado de Assis

Work

Dom Casmurro

Dom Casmurro is a complex psychological novel that delves into the mind of its protagonist, Manoel da Silva, as he grapples with his feelings for his childhood friend, Capitu. The story is set in the late 19th century in Brazil and is known for its intricate narrative structure and philosophical depth. more

Author

Machado de Assis
Machado de Assis

Brazilian novelist, considered one of the greatest writers in the Portuguese language. His works deeply reveal the contradictions and conflicts of Brazilian society, and have had a profound impact on literature both in Brazil and around the world. more

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“Presença, ausência,no fundo vai a dar no mesmo, não? Alguém definiu cultura de uma forma engraçada: aquilo que fica depois de esquecermos o que aprendemos. Um resíduo, um resto, uma poeira dentro de ti." "Como pé numa garrafa de vinho?" "Como pé numa garrafa de vinho. Boa imagem, surfista. Aprendemos a desaprender. Lemos livros para ler aquilo que é o oposto dos livros. Tentamos domar as palavras para podermos prescindir das palavras.”

“The Tower of Babel is one of those mythological narratives that, in the words of the 4th-century philosopher Sallustius, 'never happened, but always are.' Man in his arrogance always strives against his own nature and circumstances to bring together the different nations of the world and establish an order that can facilitate some lofty ideal and he always fails. Just as Nimrod’s tower fell, so did Alexander’s, Cyrus’s, Attila’s, and Napoleon’s. This sort of geopolitical project—even when buttressed by the best reasons and most noble goals—never succeeds.”

“Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It's like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can't stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.”

“Few people realize that the Bible discourages people from studying foreign languages. They story of the tower of Babel informs us that there is one humanity (God's one), only that "our languages are confused." That has always meant that, say, any German philosopher could know exactly what the Chinese people were thinking, only that he couldn't understand them. So instead of learning the foreign language, he demanded a translation.”