This excerpt from Samuel Beckett's novel "Watt" reflects on the complexity of responding to external calls or invitations in life. The narrator acknowledges how simple it can be to either embrace or reject such calls when they are clearly heard. However, for those trapped in a confining existence, where sensory experiences are limited, the nature of such calls becomes elusive and trivial. The inability to perceive the world fully leads to a deep sense of mockery in attempting to engage with life's demands.

This sense of isolation is compounded by the absence of elements that typically invigorate human experience, like the wind and sunlight. In a state where perception is clouded or restricted, the narrator suggests that the calls they might hear—if they can hear them at all—are but faint whispers that mock the very idea of choice. Thus, acceptance or refusal loses its significance, highlighting a profound existential struggle and the search for meaning in a world that feels detached and inaccessible.