What does: a hyena cannot know it's own stench mean?

This is the political, social, cultural, and economic 'time and place' surrounding the creation of a literary text.

Read this excerpt from white fang by jack london. the qualities in his kind that in the beginning made it possible for them to come in to the fires of men, were qualities capable of development. they were developing in him, and the camp-life, replete with misery as it was, was secretly endearing itself to him all the time. but white fang was unaware of it. he knew only grief for the loss of kiche, hope for her return, and a hungry yearning for the free life that had been his. which quotation from the paragraph supports the story’s theme of homesickness? “the camp life . . was secretly endearing itself to him all the time.” “but white fang was unaware of it.” “he knew only . . a hungry yearning for the free life that had been his.” “the qualities in his kind . . were qualities capable of development.”

How is time represented in “persistence of memory” by salvador dali? what effect does dali achieve? can writers use similar techniques in written works? how would writers achieve this with words?