They supposed that their tinted papers showed something of…
““They supposed that their tinted papers showed something of what a man saw apart from himself--something they called the visible world. But they had never considered where that world must lie. They fondled their scraps of paper and admired the stains and blotches seemingly fixed there. But did they know that all the while the great tide of daylight was ebbing away from all they looked at and pouring through the holes in their faces into a profound darkness? If the visible world was anywhere, it was somewhere in that darkness--an island lapped by the boundless ocean of the visible.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Our perception is limited to what we notice, while the larger reality recedes into unseen darkness.
In simple terms: We see only fragments; the whole is hidden.
Key Takeaway
Question what you ignore.
Themes
perception
reality
illusion
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading literature
- art critique
- philosophical reflection
Key Concepts
subjectivity
existentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the 'darkness' represent in your life?
- How might unseen forces shape your worldview?