“The universe will express itself as long as somebody will be able to say, "I read, therefore it writes.”
Explore This Quote Further
Analysis of Quote by Italo Calvino
Italo Calvino's quote, "The universe will express itself as long as somebody will be able to say, 'I read, therefore it writes,'" captures the reciprocal relationship between the act of reading and writing. This quote suggests that reading is not simply a passive act, but rather an active engagement with the universe. By reading and interpreting words, we are contributing to the ongoing creation and expression of the universe. This idea emphasizes the power of literature to shape our understanding of the world and our place within it. Through the act of reading, we are able to connect with the universe in a meaningful way, continually adding to the richness and complexity of our collective human experience.
The Power of Reading in Shaping the Universe
In today's digital age, the act of reading continues to hold significance in shaping the world around us. Just as Italo Calvino believed that reading gives us the power to influence the universe, the information we consume and share through reading plays a crucial role in shaping our perspectives, beliefs, and ultimately the reality we live in. By embracing the power of reading and acknowledging its ability to shape our thoughts and actions, we can actively participate in co-creating the world we want to see.
Italo Calvino on the Power of Reading
"The universe will express itself as long as somebody will be able to say, 'I read, therefore it writes.'” - Italo Calvino
Reflection Questions
Reflecting on this quote by Italo Calvino, consider the power and impact of reading on our understanding of the world.
- How does reading shape our perceptions of the universe?
- In what ways does reading influence our ability to communicate and write?
- What significance does storytelling have in the expression of the universe?
- How can reading challenge and expand our understanding of different perspectives?
- How does reading connect individuals across time and space through shared experiences and ideas?
Similar quotes
“If you think about it, reading is a necessarily individual act, far more than writing. If we assume that writing manages to go beyond the limitations of the author, it will continue to have a meaning only when it is read by a single person and passes through his mental circuits. Only the ability to be read by a given individual proves that what is written shares in the power of writing, a power based on something that goes beyond the individual. The universe will express itself as long as somebody will be able to say, "I read, therefore it writes.”
“I, too, feel the need to reread the books I have already read," a third reader says, "but at every rereading I seem to be reading a new book, for the first time. Is it I who keep changing and seeing new things of which I was not previously aware? Or is reading a construction that assumes form, assembling a great number of variables, and therefore something that cannot be repeated twice according to the same pattern? Every time I seek to relive the emotion of a previous reading, I experience different and unexpected impressions, and do not find again those of before. At certain moments it seems to me that between one reading and the next there is a progression: in the sense, for example, of penetrating further into the spirit of the text, or of increasing my critical detachment. At other moments, on the contrary, I seem to retain the memory of the readings of a single book one next to another, enthusiastic or cold or hostile, scattered in time without a perspective, without a thread that ties them together. The conclusion I have reached is that reading is an operation without object; or that its true object is itself. The book is an accessory aid, or even a pretext.”
“As long as I know there exists in the world someone who does tricks only for the love of the trick, as long as I know there is a woman who loves reading for reading's sake, I can convince myself that the world continues...And every evening I, too, abandon myself to reading, like that distant unknown woman...”
“Instead of making myself write the book I ought to write, the novel that was expected of me, I conjured up the book I myself would have liked to read, the sort by an unknown writer, from another age and another country, discovered in an attic.”
“But Ludmilla is always at least one step ahead of you. “I like to know that book exists that I will still be able to read…” she says, sure that existent objects, concrete albeit unknown, must correspond to the strength of her desire. How can you keep up with her, this woman who is always reading another book besides the one before her eyes, a book that does not yet exist, but which, since she wants it, cannot fail to exist?”
“Something must always remain that eludes us ... For power to have an object on which it can be exercised, a space in which to stretch out its arms ... As long as I know there exists in the world someone who does tricks only for the love of the trick, as long as I know there is a woman who loves reading for reading's sake, I can convince myself that the world continues ... And every evening I, too, abandon myself to reading, like that distant unknown woman ....”