Sunset is such a sad hour," she said, presently. "If I watch the end of a day-any day-I always feel it's the end of a whole epoch. And the autumn! It might as well be the end of everything," he said. "That's why I hate cold countries, and love the warm ones, where there's no winter, and when night comes you feel an opening up of the life there, instead of a closing down. Don't you feel that?
The characters in *The Sheltering Sky* express a deep connection to the changing of seasons and the passage of time. The woman laments the sadness that comes with sunset, associating it with endings and loss. She perceives the twilight as a marker of time that signals the conclusion of significant periods in life, resonating with the bittersweet nature of autumn, which she considers emblematic of finality.
In contrast, the man reflects on his preference for warmer climates, where the arrival of night feels inviting rather than isolating. He appreciates how in such places, nighttime represents a flourishing of life instead of a retreat into darkness. This dialogue highlights their differing perspectives on natural cycles, embodying the themes of longing and the varied interpretations of life's transitions within Bowles' narrative.
