The function of a book or a poem or a story is to delight, to enchant, to beguile.
Philip PullmanRead
One moment several things are possible, the next moment only one happens, and the rest don't exist. Except that other worlds have sprung into being, on which the did happen.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that in each moment, multiple possibilities exist, but ultimately, only one becomes reality while others create separate alternate realities.
Philip Pullman's quote reflects the philosophical notion of possible worlds and the nature of reality. It implies that each decision or moment leads to a singular outcome, yet it acknowledges the existence of all potential scenarios, suggesting that every choice expands our understanding of existence into alternate realities where other decisions came to fruition. This invites contemplation on the significance of our choices and the unseen paths not taken.
Themes
PossibilityRealityChoiceExistenceAlternate Worlds
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a discussion about decision-making and life choices.
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All quotes →Education and health were always matters of charity. You educated children and you helped the sick because they were good things to do, not because you were going to make money out of them. If you let the money-making principle, the profit-seeking motive, anywhere near education and health, things go bad.
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To get the best out of life here ...Good grief. There's plenty of it about, so indulge. Give yourself some thing to remember. Fall in love. Fall out of love. Gamble. Get drunk. See how long you can stay awake. Go for long walks at night. Discover what you're afraid of doing, and then do it.
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People should decide on the books' meanings for themselves. They'll find a story that attacks such things as cruelty, oppression, intolerance, unkindness, narrow-mindedness, and celebrates love, kindness, open-mindedness, tolerance, curiosity, human intelligence.
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I told him I was going to betray you, and betray Lyra, and he believed me because I was corrupt and full of wickedness; he looked so deep I felt sure he'd see the truth. But I lied too well. I was lying with every nerve and fiber and everything I'd ever done...I wanted him to find no good in me, and he didn't. There is none.
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Lyra learns to her great cost that fantasy isn’t enough. She has been lying all her life, telling stories to people, making up fantasies, and suddenly she comes to a point where that’s not enough. All she can do is tell the truth. She tells the truth about her childhood, about the experiences she had in Oxford, and that is what saves her. True experience, not fantasy - reality, not lies - is what saves us in the end.
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