Unlike him I had been unable to escape into the simple complexities of science. All he had to do was solve the mystery of the universe, which may be difficult but is not as difficult as living an ordinary life...{How happy scientists are! Why didn't we become scientists, Percival? They confront problems which can be solved. We don't know what we confront. Does it have a name?}
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The quote reflects a contrast between the life of a scientist and the narrator's own struggles with existence. The narrator envies the simplicity of scientific inquiry, where questions have defined solutions, unlike the complexities of ordinary life that he and Percival confront. Scientists tackle mysteries of the universe, which, while challenging, seem more manageable than the uncertainties of living a typical life.
This internal conflict reveals the narrator's feelings of inadequacy and confusion. The longing to be a scientist underscores a desire for clarity and purpose that the narrator feels is missing. Life's unpredictability leaves him with existential questions that lack clear answers, amplifying his sense of isolation and discontent.
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