That which makes me shudder when at the very entrance to…
““That which makes me shudder when at the very entrance to the Mosque I observe that it is written: "Mondays and Thursdays tuberculosis; Wednesdays and Fridays syphilis." In every Metro station there are grinning skulls that greet you with "De f endez-vous contre la syphilis!" Wherever there are walls, there are posters with bright venomous crabs heralding the approach of cancer. No matter where you go, no matter what you touch, there is cancer and syphilis. It is written in the sky; it flames and dances, like an evil portent. It has eaten into our souls and we are nothing but a dead thing like the moon.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The narrator sees disease metaphors everywhere, expressing dread that life is consumed by illness and death.
In simple terms: Feels surrounded by disease and doom.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge fear but seek meaning beyond it.
Themes
existential dread
urban decay
health anxiety
Mood
dark
intense
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- city life
- public health
- personal anxiety
Key Concepts
metaphor
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How does constant exposure to danger affect psyche?
- Can art transform fear into insight?
A Different Perspective
The hyperbolic language may exaggerate reality.