This quote presents a view of life as an unchosen, almost random event rather than a deliberate journey. It implies a sense of existential bewilderment, suggesting that human existence is not necessarily planned or purposeful, but rather a contingent occurrence we simply find ourselves in, without agency.
Quote by Roberto Bolaño: “Life was an accident, something that had suddenly happened to us.”
Life was an accident, something that had suddenly happened to us.
Insight
Historical Context
From 'Los detectives salvajes,' published as Latin America reflected on the fragmented realities post-dictatorship. Bolaño's work often expressed a sense of aimlessness and the arbitrary nature of fate for individuals caught in the sweep of history, grappling with profound existential questions.
About the Author
Chilean novelist and poet whose novels The Savage Detectives and 2666 made him one of the most celebrated and discussed writers of the late twentieth century. He lived most of his life in exile in Mexico and Spain, and his work is preoccupied with violence, failure, and the fate of writers under political repression.
View all quotes by Roberto Bolaño