In William Faulkner's "Absalom, Absalom!", the protagonist comes to understand the fundamental aspects of existence. The narrative suggests that life revolves around three essential elements: the act of breathing, the pursuit of pleasure, and the experience of darkness. These elements are interconnected in such a way that the absence of money eliminates the potential for pleasure, reducing life to mere survival without joy.

The quote emphasizes the significance of pleasure as a crucial component of a meaningful life. When stripped of financial resources, an individual is left with lifeless breathing, transformed into a mere biological function devoid of richness. In this perspective, darkness symbolizes not just the absence of light, but also the void left when life lacks fulfillment and joy, highlighting the struggle for meaning in a world that is often bleak.