“Sometimes I get nice letters from people who know they're due to meet him (Death) soon, and hope I've got him right.Those are the kind of letters that cause me to stare at the wall for some time.”
In this quote, Terry Pratchett reflects on receiving letters from readers who are facing their own mortality and are seeking comfort in his portrayal of Death. The impact of these letters causes Pratchett to pause and contemplate the weight of his words.
These letters show the profound effect that literature can have on individuals during difficult times, and the responsibility that authors may feel in accurately representing the human experience. Pratchett's acknowledgment of this weight highlights the power of storytelling in providing solace and understanding in the face of death.
Terry Pratchett's quote about receiving letters from people facing their own mortality raises important questions about our attitudes towards death and how we perceive the afterlife. In today's society, where discussions about death and dying are often taboo, this quote prompts us to think about our beliefs and fears surrounding the end of life. It also highlights the comfort that can come from facing death with humor and introspection.
In this quote, Terry Pratchett reflects on receiving letters from people who are aware they will soon meet Death, a character from his Discworld series. The impact of such letters prompts him to pause and reflect on his portrayal of Death in his books.
When reading this quote from Terry Pratchett, it prompts us to consider our own perceptions and beliefs about death. Here are some reflection questions to ponder:
Feel free to take your time to reflect on these questions and consider how they relate to your own experiences and beliefs.
“And the people next door oppress me all night long. I tell them, I work all day, a man's got to have some time to learn to play the tuba. That's oppression, that is. If I'm not under the heel of the oppressor, I don't know who is.”
“The disc, being flat, has no real horizon. Any adventurous sailor who got funny ideas from staring at eggs and oranges for too long and set out for the antipodes soon learned that the reason why distant ships sometimes looked as though they were disappearing over the edge of the world was that they were disappearing over the edge of the world.”
“He shrugged. - They're just people - he said. - They're just doing what people do. Sir.Lord Vetinari gave him a friendly smile.- Of course, of course - he said. - You have to believe that, I appreciate. Otherwise you'd go quite mad. Otherwise you'd think you're standing on a feather-thin bridge over the vaults of Hell. Otherwise existence would be a dark agony and the only hope would be that there is no life after death. I quite understand.”
“Picture a tall, dark figure, surrounded by cornfields...NO, YOU CAN'T RIDE A CAT. WHO EVER HEARD OF THE DEATH OF RATS RIDING A CAT? THE DEATH OF RATS WOULD RIDE SOME KIND OF DOG.Picture more fields, a great horizon-spanning network of fields, rolling in gentle waves...DON'T ASK ME I DON'T KNOW. SOME KIND OF TERRIER, MAYBE....fields of corn, alive, whispering in the breeze...RIGHT, AND THE DEATH OF FLEAS CAN RIDE IT TOO. THAT WAY YOU KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE....awaiting the clockwork of the seasons.METAPHORICALLY.”
“Death rode out, but found himself guiding the white horse down the track to the orchard. He stopped in front of one particular tree, and stared at it for some time. Eventually he said: LOOKS PERFECTLY LOGICAL TO ME.”
“Oh no, not -' OF COURSE, WHAT'S SO BLOODY VEXING ABOUT THE WHOLE BUSINESS IS THAT I WAS EXPECTING TO MEET THEE IN PSEPHOPOLOLIS'But that's five hundred miles away!'YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL ME, THE WHOLE SYSTEM'S GOT SCREWED UP AGAIN, I CAN SEE THAT. LOOK, THERE'S NO CHANCE OF YOU-?Rincewind backed away, hands spread protectively in front of him...'Not a chance!'I COULD LEND YOU A VERY FAST HORSE.'No!'IT WON'T HURT A BIT.'No!' Rincewind turned and ran. Death watched him go, and shrugged bitterly.”