“To define is to kill. To suggest is to create.”
What this quote means
Mallarmé expresses a conception of art where suggestion prevails over definition. To define is to confine, to freeze; to suggest is to open possibilities, to awaken imagination. This idea profoundly influenced modern poetry, which prefers to evoke rather than describe, leaving the reader free to interpret.
How to apply it daily
In a creation or conversation, replace an overly explicit description with a suggestion. Leave room for your interlocutor's imagination.
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