In Jonathan Safran Foer's "Everything Is Illuminated," a character reflects on his perception of cucumbers and pickles. He believes cucumbers are satisfactory but considers pickles to be extraordinary. This distinction highlights a deeper contemplation about the transformation of simple ingredients into something remarkable, suggesting that pickles hold a value that cucumbers cannot match.

This idea encourages readers to think about the nature of enjoyment and the evolution of experiences. The character's questioning of the origin of pickles serves as a metaphor for how we can often overlook the journey of creation that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary, making us appreciate life's layers and complexities even more.