But how awful would that be? How terrible to live surrounded by the stark, sharp, hollowness of things that simply were enough?
Patrick RothfussRead
Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts. There are seven words that will make a person love you. There are ten words that will break a strong man's will. But a word is nothing but a painting of a fire. A name is the fire itself.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the profound power of words and names in influencing emotions and actions.
In this quote by Patrick Rothfuss, the author reflects on the immense power that words and names hold in human interaction and emotion. Words are described as mere representations, or 'pale shadows,' of the deeper significance that names carry. While words can invoke strong feelings and reactions—like love or despair—it is the names that encapsulate true essence and power. The ability of words to evoke profound emotions suggests a deeper connection to identity and meaning, indicating that language is a powerful tool in human relationships and emotions.
Themes
WordsPowerNamesEmotionLanguage
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about the impact of communication.
More from Patrick Rothfuss
All quotes →I wanted to tell her that she was the first beautiful thing I had seen in three years. That the sight of her yawning to the back of her hand was enough to drive the breath from me. How I sometimes lost the sense of her words in the sweet fluting of her voice. I wanted to say that if she were with me then somehow nothing could ever be wrong for me again.
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Using words to talk of words is like using a pencil to draw a picture of itself, on itself. Impossible. Confusing. Frustrating ... but there are other ways to understanding.
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How odd to watch a mortal kindle / Then to dwindle day by day / Knowing their bright souls are tinder / And the wind will have its way
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All the truth in the world is held in stories.
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Music is a proud, temperamental mistress. Give her the time and attention she deserves, and she is yours. Slight her and there will come a day when you call and she will not answer. So I began sleeping less to give her the time she needed.
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