First-Grader Answers Teacher's Lighthearted Riddle In Super Philosophical Way

The first guess from one of my 1st graders was “death” and such an awed, somber, reflective hush fell over the class that I didn’t want to tell them that actually the answer is the letter e, which just seemed so banal in the moment pic.twitter.com/7sYFxHNcZk

— Bret Turner (@bretjturner) January 2, 2018

Before I finally revealed the "correct" answer to the riddle, to a largely unimpressed audience, I fielded other guesses that continued along a similarly existential vein. There was "NOT everything," "all stuff," "the end," and maybe my favorite, "nothingthing."

— Bret Turner (@bretjturner) January 3, 2018

How is death the beginning of everything exactly?

— Lonely Goomba (@LonelyGoomba) January 3, 2018

See, its things like this (as well as my own son's insights) that give me a lot of hope for the future. Honestly. :) https://t.co/hy91u55udT

— fredrin (@fredrin) January 3, 2018

Existentialism grade 101

— Nestor (@NestorRedux) January 3, 2018

Give that kid the “A” I expect a great screenplay from him/her some day.

— Harrison Smith (@HarrisonSmith85) January 3, 2018

I once subbed for a 3rd gr class which was asked to write a letter to Washington for President's Day. One awesome kid, Bilal, wrote an entire letter asking what the afterlife was like, if GW could talk to living people, did he know ghosts. I hope that kid is a millionaire now. https://t.co/wCoOhGbssr

— Patrick McDevitt (@pfmcdevitt) January 3, 2018

In practical terms, death leads to new life. Your remains become a part of everything. We are all made of ancient stardust. If you're religious death marks the beginning of everything. Life is merely a doorway into eternal life in paradise with god (whichever one you worship)

— 💡Sal-Robin💡 (@Sal_Robins) January 3, 2018

#whyIteach #momentlikethese https://t.co/IHIoGp5Bjo

— courtney (@teacher_mama3) January 3, 2018

Too late, but a cushion to the seeming banality of the final answer might be that Odin hung himself upside down for three days to gain the wisdom of letters... what magical things, that allow us to know another's words across time and space!

— 🌹 Helen South 🌿 (@helsouth) January 3, 2018

Best think thread in the abyss of stupid we're stuck in, awesome replys https://t.co/R51yDDxMPi

— future primative (@futureprimativ1) January 3, 2018

Send this child to read a novel by the Franco-Polish writer Georges Perec, who wrote an entire book without the letter "e" in it! https://t.co/MDv7XSAigE

— Mary Kenny (@MaryKenny4) January 3, 2018