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N-no-o, all that excitement, it wouldn't reach us,'…

“N-no-o, all that excitement, it wouldn't reach us,' Timosha spoke gloomily. 'We're like the sunken city of Kitezh, living at the bottom of the lake. We do not hear a thing, and the water over us is muddy and sleepy. And on the surface, way above - why, everything's in flames, and the alarms are…” quote by Yevgeny Zamyatin
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““N-no-o, all that excitement, it wouldn't reach us,' Timosha spoke gloomily. 'We're like the sunken city of Kitezh, living at the bottom of the lake. We do not hear a thing, and the water over us is muddy and sleepy. And on the surface, way above - why, everything's in flames, and the alarms are ringing.' (“A Provincial Tale”)””

Yevgeny Zamyatin

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character feels isolated, hearing distant alarms while submerged in a stagnant, indifferent world.

In simple terms: Feeling cut off from chaos above while stuck in quiet gloom.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and address emotional isolation.

Themes

isolation perception despair

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal crisis
  • societal disengagement
  • mental health

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does isolation affect your choices?
  • What alarms are you ignoring?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may exaggerate reality.

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