“People feared snowstorms once. Hazel read about this all the time. Pioneers opened their front doors and saw they’d been entombed in snow overnight. They walked across malevolent swirling whiteness and did not know if they would survive. Nature can destroy us in a blink. We live on only at its pleasure. That was what looking at the witch was like.”
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Reflection Questions
As we ponder on the powerful imagery of nature's potential for destruction in Anne Ursu's quote, here are some reflection questions to consider:
- How does this description of snowstorms and nature's power make you feel about the world around you?
- Have you ever experienced a moment where nature's power felt overwhelming or beyond your control?
- How does this quote relate to the idea of vulnerability and our place in the natural world?
- In what ways can we find solace or strength in the face of nature's unpredictability and potential dangers?
Analysis
In this quote from Anne Ursu's novel, "The Real Boy," the protagonist Hazel reflects on the fear and power of nature. Through the comparison of a snowstorm to facing the witch, Ursu conveys the sense of uncertainty and danger present in both situations. The imagery of pioneers being entombed in snow overnight highlights the sudden and overwhelming force nature can exert on human beings. The idea that we live at nature's mercy emphasizes our vulnerability and the lack of control we have over our environment. Overall, this quote serves to underscore the primal fear and awe that nature can evoke in us.
Nature's Power and Human Vulnerability
In the quote by Anne Ursu, the fear and awe of nature's power is vividly depicted through the imagery of snowstorms and the sense of being at the mercy of the environment. This theme of humanity's vulnerability in the face of nature's wrath remains relevant in the modern world, where natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, and wildfires continue to remind us of our own mortality. The quote serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between human civilization and the forces of nature.
Example of Usage:
In this passage from Anne Ursu's book, "The Real Boy," the character Hazel reflects on the power and unpredictability of nature. Ursu uses vivid imagery to convey the fear and uncertainty that can come with facing the forces of the natural world.
Similar quotes
“But I can tell you this,” he continued. “The white witch doesn’t feel things the way we do, do you understand? She’s all ice. That is her whole point.” A palace of ice and a heart to match. “I don’t understand. Why would people go looking for her? Why would they want to go with her?” Ben sat back. He looked at Hazel searchingly, sadly. His shoulders rose and fell. “Sometimes,” he said slowly, “it seems like it would be easier to give yourself to the ice.”
“I believe that the world isn’t always what we can see,” he said. “I believe there are secrets in the woods. And I believe that goodness wins out.” He gave Hazel a serious look. “So, if someone’s changed overnight—by witch curse or poison apple or were-turtle—you have to show them what’s good. You show them love. That works a surprising amount of the time. And if that doesn’t save them, they’re not worth saving.”
“It snowed right before Jack stopped talking to Hazel, fluffy white flakes big enough to show their crystal architecture, like perfect geometric poems.”
“It was not supposed to be this easy. This was to be the final confrontation. There was to be struggle, torment, despair. But the witch—who was the only person in the woods who wanted nothing—was not what Hazel had to defeat.”
“Jack was the only person she knew with an imagination, at least a real one. The only tea parties he’d have were ones in Wonderland, or the Arctic, or in the darkest reaches of space. He was the only person who saw things for what they could be instead of just what they were. He saw what lived beyond the edges of the things your eyes took in. And though they eventually grew out of Wonderland Arctic space-people tea parties, that essential thing remained the same. Hazel fit with Jack.”
“There were so many Jacks she had known, and he had known so many Hazels. And maybe she wasn't going to be able to know all the Jacks that there would be. But all the Hazels that ever would be would have Jack in them, somewhere.”