And then there is that day when all around, all around you…
““And then there is that day when all around, all around you hear the dropping of the apples, one by one, from the trees. At first it is one here and one there, and then it is three and then it is four and then nine and twenty, until the apples plummet like rain, fall like horse hoofs in the soft, darkening grass, and you are the last apple on the tree; and you wait for the wind to work you slowly free from your hold upon the sky, and drop you down and down. Long before you hit the grass you will have forgotten there ever was a tree, or other apples, or a summer, or green grass below, You will fall in darkness...””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The metaphor of falling apples illustrates inevitable decline and loss of awareness as one descends into darkness.
In simple terms: Life can feel like a fall into the unknown.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront inevitable decline.
Themes
mortality
inevitability
awareness
Mood
somber
philosophical
Type
literary
poetic
When to use this quote
- aging
- grief
- terminal illness
- career burnout
Key Concepts
existentialism
symbolism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “last apple” symbolize for you?
- How do you find meaning before the fall?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may oversimplify complex endings.