The object is not really lifelike but byconvention and repetition has been made to appear so.
This quote emphasizes that what we accept as "realistic" is often the result of repeated social conventions rather than an accurate reflection of reality. This suggests that reality is learned and reinforced through cultural practices, media, and representation. It challenges the assumption that realism simply mirrors the world as it is.
Our common distinction betweenappearance and reality goes back, fundamentally, to the early use - ‘thereality underlying appearances
Williams highlights a long-standing tension between what things seem to be and what they actually are. This distinction is central, which often looks beyond surface-level behaviors to uncover deeper social meanings, beliefs, and power relations. The quote reinforces the idea that reality is not immediately visible, but must be interpreted through context, culture, and history.
‘Let’s be realistic’ probably more often means ‘let us accept thelimits of this situation’ (limits meaning hard facts, often of power or money,in their existing and established forms) than ‘let us look at the whole truth ofthis situation’
This quote stood out because it shows how “reality” is often framed as something fixed and unavoidable, rather than something shaped by social power and historical context. Williams suggests that calling something “realistic” can actually limit imagination and reinforce existing structures, rather than reveal truth.This is important because it challenges the idea that reality is objective or universal, and instead shows how it is culturally constructed and politically used.