Short story, "The break", p.18
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On the wall above the desk was an ikon he had bought in Thessaloníki - he afterwards discovered that he had paid too much for it. It had been hanging for some months before he noticed, his attention focused by a moment of rare idleness, that Christ had a woodworm hole in the pupil of his left eye. It was inconspicuous by its position, and rather than detracting from the impact, he felt the ikon was enhanced by the authenticity of this small defect.
— Bernard MacLaverty
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "On the wall above the desk was an ikon he had bought in Thessaloníki - he afterwards discovered that he had paid too much for it. It had been hanging for some months before he noticed, his attention focused by a moment of rare idleness, that Christ had a woodworm hole in the pupil of his left eye. It was inconspicuous by its position, and rather than detracting from the impact, he felt the ikon was enhanced by the authenticity of this small defect." in the context of "Short story, "The break", p.18" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Bernard MacLaverty" (Short Stories, The Great Profundo and Other Stories (1987))
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About Bernard MacLaverty
Bernard MacLaverty (born 14 September 1942) is an Irish fiction writer and novelist. His novels include Cal, Grace Notes, and Midwinter Break. He has written five books of short stories.
About Bernard MacLaverty
Bernard MacLaverty (born 14 September 1942) is an Irish fiction writer and novelist. His novels include Cal, Grace Notes, and Midwinter Break. He has written five books of short stories.
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