Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
A dream...I was trying to explain to St. Peter, and was doing it in the German tongue, because I didn't want to be too explicit.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the complexity of communication and the nuances involved in expressing one's thoughts, especially about significant themes like dreams and the afterlife.
In this quote, Mark Twain humorously contemplates the difficulties of explaining one's dreams to St. Peter, using the German language to avoid full disclosure. It illustrates the challenges of conveying profound thoughts and experiences, highlighting that even in dreams, clarity can be elusive and that we often grapple with how to articulate our inner lives to others.
Themes
DreamsCommunicationPhilosophyHumorAfterlife
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a discussion about the significance of dreams in literature.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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