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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
It knows not me
Hello,
In the book "Parrot and Olivier in America" by Peter Carey, I came upon the following sentence:
"Full well I know the anguish of the soul that knows not me."
Context: Many years ago, Parrot left his own son in Australia and returned to Europe. Now he is watching a small boy throwing stones against the outhouse and this boy reminds him of his son. This causes him a pain "like a corkscrew in [his] heart".
I don't understand the second part of the sentence. Could, you, please, explain it to me.
Many thanks.
In the book "Parrot and Olivier in America" by Peter Carey, I came upon the following sentence:
"Full well I know the anguish of the soul that knows not me."
Context: Many years ago, Parrot left his own son in Australia and returned to Europe. Now he is watching a small boy throwing stones against the outhouse and this boy reminds him of his son. This causes him a pain "like a corkscrew in [his] heart".
I don't understand the second part of the sentence. Could, you, please, explain it to me.
Many thanks.
Top answer
It is a construction usually used in a poetic manner which is meant to convey a sense of isolation, loneliness and hurt which is very deep. " In another sense: I know you but you do not know me. Perhaps you can never know me.
- It is a construction usually used in a poetic manner which is meant to convey a sense of isolation, loneliness and hurt which is very deep.
- " In another sense: I know you but you do not know me.
- Perhaps you can never know me.
- There is a distance at many levels - spiritual, psychological, etc.
- Perhaps some cruelty of mind or spirit is implied.
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1 Answers
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It is a construction usually used in a poetic manner which is meant to convey a sense of isolation, loneliness and hurt which is very deep.
More literally: "I know the anguish of the soul but the anguish of the soul does not know me."
In another sense: I know you but you do not know me. Perhaps you can never know me. There is a distance at many levels - spiritual, psychological, et
More literally: "I know the anguish of the soul but the anguish of the soul does not know me."
In another sense: I know you but you do not know me. Perhaps you can never know me. There is a distance at many levels - spiritual, psychological, et
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