“Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn? Yet if you look east, at sunset, you can see night rising, not falling; darkness lifting into the sky, up from the horizon, like a black sun behind cloud cover. Like smoke from an unseen fire, a line of fire just below the horizon, brushfire or a burning city. Maybe night falls because it’s heavy, a thick curtain pulled up over the eyes. Wool blanket.”
Quote Analysis
In this quote by Margaret Atwood, the author contemplates the phenomenon of nightfall and questions why it is described as "falling" rather than "rising" like the dawn. The imagery she employs paints a vivid picture of night rising in the east at sunset, giving the illusion of darkness lifting into the sky like a black sun behind clouds. Atwood suggests that night may appear to "fall" due to its heaviness, comparing it to a thick curtain or wool blanket being pulled over the eyes. This thoughtful reflection on the nature of night challenges conventional perceptions and invites readers to consider the beauty and mystery of darkness.
Exploring the Concept of Night Falling
Margaret Atwood's poetic reflection on the phenomenon of night falling prompts us to consider the concept of darkness in a different light. In a world where day and night have become blurred by artificial lighting and technology, Atwood's words remind us of the natural rhythms and beauty of the changing skies. Let's delve deeper into the modern relevance of this thought-provoking passage.
In a world where we are constantly surrounded by artificial lights and illuminated screens, the idea of night falling can feel distant and disconnected from our daily lives. However, Atwood's description of night rising in the east at sunset challenges our conventional perception of darkness. It invites us to pause and observe the beauty of the natural world, where darkness is not just an absence of light, but a presence in itself.
Atwood's comparison of night falling to a heavy curtain or wool blanket speaks to the weight and depth of darkness. In a society where we are often afraid of the dark and seek constant illumination, her words remind us that night is not something to be feared, but rather embraced and appreciated for its own unique qualities.
As we navigate a world that is increasingly dominated by artificial light and 24/7 connectivity, Atwood's reflection on the rising darkness serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty and mystery of the night sky. It encourages us to look up, slow down, and appreciate the natural rhythms of day and night that have been a part of human existence since the beginning of time.
Margaret Atwood's Reflection on Nightfall
In this passage, Margaret Atwood cleverly describes the phenomenon of nightfall in a unique and thought-provoking way. She questions why we say that night "falls" instead of "rises" like the dawn, and paints a vivid picture of darkness creeping into the sky like a black sun behind clouds. Atwood's use of imagery and metaphors invites readers to ponder the nature of night and its effects on the world around us.
Reflection Questions
This quote by Margaret Atwood invites us to contemplate the concept of night and its gradual descent upon us. As we reflect on this passage, consider the following questions:
- How does the imagery of night falling versus rising impact your perception of darkness and light?
- In what ways does Atwood's description of night as a "thick curtain" or "wool blanket" resonate with your own experiences of nighttime?
- Do you agree with the idea that night falls because it's heavy, or do you have a different interpretation of why darkness descends upon us?
- How does the imagery of a "black sun behind cloud cover" or "smoke from an unseen fire" add to the atmosphere of the passage?
- How does this passage make you feel about the transition from day to night and the mysteries that darkness brings?
Similar quotes
“That afternoon the sky was scattered with black clouds galloping in from the sea and clustering over the city. Flashes of lightening echoed on the horizon and a charged warm wind smelling of dust announced a powerful summer storm. When I reached the station I noticed the first few drops, shiny and heavy, like coins falling from heaven...Night seemed to fall suddenly, interrupted only by the lightning now bursting over the city, leaving a trail of noise and fury.”
“You could feel the war getting ready in the sky that night. The way the clouds moved aside and came back, and the way the stars looked, a million of the swimming between the clouds, like the enemy disks, and the feeling that the sky might fall upon the city and turn it to chalk dust, and the moon go up in red fire; that was how the night felt.”
“..because when we look up into the sky at night there will be no darkness, just the blazing light of billions and billions of stars, all falling.”
“There will come a time of fire and night, when enemies rise and empires fall, when the stars themselves begin to die.”
“People talk about nightfall, or night falling, or dusk falling, and it’s never seemed right to me. Perhaps they once meant befalling. As in night befalls. As in night happens. Perhaps they, whoever they were, thought of a falling sun. That might be it, except that that ought to give us dayfall. Day fell on Rupert the Bear. And we know, if we’ve ever read a book, that day doesn’t fall or rise. It breaks. In books, day breaks, and night falls.In life, night rises from the ground. The day hangs on for as long as it can, bright and eager, absolutely and positively the last guest to leave the party, while the ground darkens, oozing night around your ankles, swallowing for ever that dropped contact lens, making you miss that low catch in the gully on the last ball of the last over.”