"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg"

This quote by Samuel Butler is a metaphor for the cycle of life. It recommends that life is a constant cycle of development and also destruction, with each generation structure upon the previous one. The chicken is a symbol of the mother, that brings to life a new generation of eggs, which will eventually end up being chickens themselves. This quote is a reminder that life is a perpetual cycle, which each generation is accountable for producing the following. It also indicates that the cycle of life is a natural process, and that it is essential to appreciate and value the generations that have come before us. Inevitably, this quote is a suggestion that life is a cycle, and that each generation is responsible for creating the next.