---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She recalled how Pauline had fallen off a…"
description: "\"“She recalled how Pauline had fallen off a bus one night, late, went skidding into Creedmoor. In a novel, it would have portended the fall they were al..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/alice-mcdermott-1961_after_she-recalled-how-pauline-had-fallen-off_596543.jpg"
---

#  She recalled how Pauline had fallen off a bus one night…

![“She recalled how Pauline had fallen off a bus one night, late, went skidding into Creedmoor. In a novel, it would have portended the fall they were all about to take” quote by Alice McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/alice-mcdermott-1961_after_she-recalled-how-pauline-had-fallen-off_596543.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/alice-mcdermott-1961_after_she-recalled-how-pauline-had-fallen-off_596543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0dd/alice-mcdermott-1961_after_she-recalled-how-pauline-had-fallen-off_596543.jpg)

> ““She recalled how Pauline had fallen off a bus one night, late, went skidding into Creedmoor. In a novel, it would have portended the fall they were all about to take””

[Alice McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-mcdermott/)

## About This Quote

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

A foreshadowing incident hints at an impending collective downfall, suggesting that small accidents can presage larger tragedies.

**In simple terms:** A small accident predicts a bigger disaster.

Key Takeaway

Watch for early warnings.

Themes

foreshadowing tragedy collective fate

Mood

uneasy reflective

Type

literary cautionary

When to use this quote

- family crisis
- community collapse
- personal loss
- unexpected events

Key Concepts

determinism symbolism narrative tension

Questions to Reflect On

- What subtle signs have you ignored?
- How do we differentiate coincidence from omen?

A Different Perspective

The metaphor may overstate causality; not all minor mishaps lead to major falls.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[After](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/after/) [Creedmoor Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creedmoor-novel-4871099/) [Fallen Bus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fallen-bus-4871103/) [Pauline Fallen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pauline-fallen-4871101/) [Recalled Pauline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recalled-pauline-4871100/) [Skidding Creedmoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skidding-creedmoor-4871102/) [This](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this/)

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