I had many things to say, I did not have the words to say them. Painfully aware of my limitations, I watched helplessly and language became an obstacle. It became clear that it would be necessary to invent a new language... I would pause at every sentence, and start over and over again. I would conjure up other verbs, other images, other silent cries. It still was not right. But what exactly was "it"? "It" was something elusive, darkly shrouded for fear of being usurped, profaned. All the dictionary had to offer seemed meager, pale, lifeless.
by Elie Wiesel
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In this passage from Elie Wiesel's "Night," the speaker grapples with a profound inability to articulate deep, complex emotions and experiences. Despite having countless thoughts, the words seem inadequate, creating a frustrating barrier to communication. This struggle highlights the speaker's awareness of their limitations and the urgency to express feelings that go beyond conventional language. They attempt to find new expressions, yet the essence of what needs to be conveyed remains just out of reach.

The elusiveness of "it," the unnamed truth or emotion, suggests a deep fear of vulnerability and the consequences of revealing one's true self. The speaker feels that existing words fall short, leaving them to seek alternatives that might better capture their inner turmoil. This desperate quest for language reflects a larger theme about the inadequacy of conventional expressions in the face of profound suffering and the complexities of human experience.

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