"We live," states Pursewarden in Lawrence Durrell's Balthazar, "lives based upon selected fictions." This suggests that our understanding of reality is fundamentally shaped by subjective perceptions and constructed narratives rather than objective truth. Our view is influenced by where and when we are, meaning that our personal circumstances play a crucial role in how we interpret the world around us.

The quote emphasizes that perception is relative; even a small change in position can alter our entire perspective. Durrell implies that reality is not fixed but a constantly shifting experience rooted in individual vantage points. Therefore, each person’s reality is uniquely colored by their spatial and temporal context, challenging the notion of an absolute or universal truth.