Who said 'You see things; and you say why? But I dream things that never were; and I say why not?'

• A. George Bernard Shaw
• B. Oscar Wilde
• C. T. S. Eliot
• D. Samuel Beckett

Answer: (A)

This line embodies a stance of turning imagination into action, a hallmark of George Bernard Shaw’s writing. Shaw often pits practical skepticism against bold, transformative thinking, inviting us to move from simply describing the world to envisioning and pursuing better possibilities. The first part—seeing things and asking why—speaks to a realist who questions the status quo. The second part—dreaming things that never were and asking why not—shows a fearless imagination that challenges limits and propels change. That combination—critical insight paired with inventive vision—fits Shaw’s voice and his habit of using sharp, memorable remarks to spark reform.

Oscar Wilde is known for witty, aesthetic quips about art and society; T. S. Eliot’s strength is in modernist, often somber lyric and criticism; Samuel Beckett writes in a minimalist, existential vein. While each has a distinctive style, the particular blend of social critique with a call to dare the possible aligns most closely with Shaw.