A reader can never tell if it's a real thimble or an imaginary thimble, because by the time you're reading it, they're the same. It's a thimble. It's in the book.
This quote highlights the fluid boundary between reality and imagination within literature. Once a story is read, its elements become part of the reader's mind, blurring the lines between what is tangible and what is fictional. It emphasizes that books have the power to make us question perception and merge the real with the imaginary, creating a shared space where distinctions fade. The image of a thimble serves as a simple yet profound symbol of this merging, reminding us that the essence of a story often lies in our perception and engagement with it rather than its intrinsic reality.
