In Penelope Fitzgerald's "The Bookshop," a thought-provoking exchange highlights the nature of success and sacrifice. One character asserts that pouring one's entire self into a pursuit should guarantee success, while another counters that such total investment inevitably leads to mortality, suggesting that ultimate failure is inherent in life itself.
This dialogue invites readers to reflect on the true meaning of success and whether it is defined solely by outcomes. It raises important questions about the value of effort and the distinction between striving for achievement and the inevitability of human limitations.