When he placed a candle on the shelf across the room from him and lit its wick, he came to realize that in fact everything he saw was a flat surface, like a screen – that in fact dimension was an illusion. Everything was a flat surface and the pinpoints of light, whether from a candle on the shelf or a gaslamp above the street, were punctures in that surface – gashes made by somebody behind the screen. He realized then that beyond everything he saw there was an entire realm of blazing sunfire, and that colors were only the silhouettes of people in that realm – walking, eating, dancing, doing whatever they were doing behind the screen
by Steve Erickson
(0 Reviews)

In the narrative, the protagonist has a profound realization about the nature of reality. By lighting a candle across the room, he perceives everything around him as merely flat surfaces, akin to a screen. This revelation suggests that the depth and dimension he once believed to be real are merely illusions, with the candlelight symbolizing deeper layers of existence. The light becomes a metaphorical breach, hinting at a greater reality that lies beyond the visual constraints.

The imagery of pinpricks of light as "gashes" implies a connection to an unseen world teeming with activity and vibrancy. The protagonist understands that colors and the hustle of life are merely shadows of entities engaging in diverse activities within this hidden realm. This concept challenges the perception of existence, urging a contemplation of the unseen forces that shape our understanding of reality.

Stats

Categories
Votes
0
Page views
1
Update
January 29, 2025

Rate the Quote

Add Comment & Review

User Reviews

Based on 0 reviews
5 Star
0
4 Star
0
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0
Add Comment & Review
We'll never share your email with anyone else.
More »

Popular quotes

My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?
by David Mitchell
A half-read book is a half-finished love affair.
by David Mitchell
The pollenless trees were genomed to repel bugs and birds; the stagnant air reeked of insecticide.
by David Mitchell
Travel far enough, you meet yourself.
by David Mitchell
Our lives are not our own. We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.
by David Mitchell
I believe there is another world waiting for us. A better world. And I'll be waiting for you there.
by David Mitchell
People pontificate, "Suicide is selfishness." Career churchmen like Pater go a step further and call in a cowardly assault on the living. Oafs argue this specious line for varying reason: to evade fingers of blame, to impress one's audience with one's mental fiber, to vent anger, or just because one lacks the necessary suffering to sympathize. Cowardice is nothing to do with it - suicide takes considerable courage. Japanese have the right idea. No, what's selfish is to demand another to endure an intolerable existence, just to spare families, friends, and enemies a bit of soul-searching.
by David Mitchell
A random sequence of seemingly unrelated events.
by David Mitchell
Books don't offer real escape, but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw.
by David Mitchell
You say you're 'depressed' - all i see is resilience. You are allowed to feel messed up and inside out. It doesn't mean you're defective - it just means you're human.
by David Mitchell