"L'histoire est un cauchemar dont j'essaie de m'éveiller"
— James Joyce
Simplified Meaning:
Sometimes, terrible events from the past can feel like a bad dream that we wish we could wake up from. Think about how people feel when they remember something really frightening or sad that happened, like a war or a natural disaster. These memories can be so troubling that they seem to haunt us, just like nightmares do. However, unlike dreams that fade away when we wake up, past events are real and their effects can still be felt today. An example would be how many people try to forget the horrors of war; soldiers who have seen combat often suffer from these memories long after the fighting is over. By learning from these past nightmares, we can try our best to create a better future and avoid repeating the same mistakes. This means facing our history honestly and finding ways to overcome its negative effects.
