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Autumn Quote by Andrzej Stasiuk

“In the slanting light of late autumn, the gestures and bodies of people are more expressive the less meaning they have. Men stand on street corners staring at the emptiness of the day. They spit on the sidewalk and smoke cigarettes. That's the present. ...Time, approaching from afar, is like the…” quote by Andrzej Stasiuk
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““In the slanting light of late autumn, the gestures and bodies of people are more expressive the less meaning they have. Men stand on street corners staring at the emptiness of the day. They spit on the sidewalk and smoke cigarettes. That's the present. ...Time, approaching from afar, is like the air that someone else has already breathed.””

Andrzej Stasiuk

About This Quote

Source Novel: “Tropic of the Sea” by Andrzej Stasiuk, 2005

In late autumn, people’s gestures become exaggerated yet meaningless, reflecting emptiness; time passes unnoticed like breath already taken.

In simple terms: Autumn emptiness makes gestures empty; time feels distant.

Key Takeaway

Observe the emptiness around you.

Themes

existence time urban alienation seasonality expression

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

literary descriptive

When to use this quote

  • city walks
  • late evenings
  • observing strangers
  • reflecting on time

Key Concepts

existentialism modernism social observation

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does “meaningless gesture” reveal about society?
  • How does time feel different in seasonal change?
A Different Perspective

The description may romanticize poverty and neglect systemic causes.

3.9 out of 5 (5 ratings)

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