--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From the advertisement, his eyes moved up…" description: "\"“From the advertisement, his eyes moved up the skywalk, the zigzagging metal bridge that connected various locations in the neighborhood to the Banda t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png" --- # From the advertisement, his eyes moved up the skywalk, the… ![“From the advertisement, his eyes moved up the skywalk, the zigzagging metal bridge that connected various locations in the neighborhood to the Banda train station. Behind the metal grid, men moved back and forth. Tommy Sir's eyes grew tired. He felt that up there, on that seemingly never-ending…” quote by Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png) > ““From the advertisement, his eyes moved up the skywalk, the zigzagging metal bridge that connected various locations in the neighborhood to the Banda train station. Behind the metal grid, men moved back and forth. Tommy Sir's eyes grew tired. He felt that up there, on that seemingly never-ending bridge, shadowy figures were moving toward obscure destinations, possibly only to return to their point of origin, like in an architectural sketch of infinity by M.C. Escher. Hell is a choice, made daily and by millions, and breathing slowly and watching this aerial cage, Tommy Sir saw Mumbai, minute by minute, unbecome and become hell.”” [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage depicts urban alienation, endless cycles, and the daily choice of suffering in a bustling city. **In simple terms:** City life feels endless and painful, but we choose how to endure it. Key Takeaway Recognize daily choices shape your experience. Themes urban alienation choice suffering Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - commuting - observing city life - reflecting on personal suffering Key Concepts existentialism urbanism infinity architecture Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which daily choices become burdens? - What small actions can break the cycle of suffering? A Different Perspective The metaphor may over‑dramatize everyday life, ignoring moments of joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Human condition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-condition/) [Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity/) [Mumbai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mumbai/) [Urban life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urban-life/) ## Related quotes > [All right, cupcakes. You are about to see the Grand Canyon. Try not to break it. The skywalk can hold the weight of seventy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/all-right-cupcakes-you-are-about-to-see-the-grand-canyon-try-not-to/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“As far as I could recall, with long hair, she had been just another cute coed. From the girl who sat before me now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/as-far-as-i-could-recall-with-long-hair-she-had-been-just-another/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [From the girl who sat before me now...surged a fresh and physical life force. She was like a small animal that has popped into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/from-the-girl-who-sat-before-me-now-surged-a-fresh-and-physical-life/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“He blinked , and his eyes moved at last from her face, slowly taking in her appearance, and- with what seemed to her a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/he-blinked-and-his-eyes-moved-at-last-from-her-face-slowly-taking-in/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I was observing her closely as I talked, and after a while I began to get the impression that she was not, in fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/i-was-observing-her-closely-as-i-talked-and-after-a-while-i-began-to/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [“Then his eyes moved to me and about a nanosecond later he moved to me, all masculine grace, a big cat on the prowl,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/then-his-eyes-moved-to-me-and-about-a-nanosecond-later-he-moved-to-me/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“You know, I still feel in my wrists certain echoes of the pram-pusher’s knack, such as, for example, the glib downward pressure one applied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/you-know-i-still-feel-in-my-wrists-certain-echoes-of-the-pram-pusher/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [“Affraig’s eyes moved to the oak tree that towered above her, its branches like antlers against the white sky. Her gaze travelled up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-young/affraig-s-eyes-moved-to-the-oak-tree-that-towered-above-her-its/) [Robyn Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-young/) > [“Anson looked searchingly at her. His eyes moved over her body. He thought: you meet a woman and she starts a chemical reaction in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hadley-chase/anson-looked-searchingly-at-her-his-eyes-moved-over-her-body-he/) [James Hadley Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hadley-chase/) > [“There was something strange about her eyes. They were mysteriously lacking in depth. They were lovely eyes, but they did not seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-was-something-strange-about-her-eyes-they-were-mysteriously/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“His eyes moved over me, but hovered mostly on my face. That was almost worse. Who am I without this? I thought. Without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/his-eyes-moved-over-me-but-hovered-mostly-on-my-face-that-was-almost/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) > [“His eyes moved over my face again before they caught mine and he whispered back, “Gone for you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/his-eyes-moved-over-my-face-again-before-they-caught-mine-and-he/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [“You sure you don't want me to bring you back something?" Her eyes moved in the direction of his office. "A hit man? Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/you-sure-you-don-t-want-me-to-bring-you-back-something-her-eyes-moved/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [“So, you really think…” Dylan’s voice trailed off as soon as he saw me. His eyes moved up and down my entire body, staring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-k-burke/so-you-really-think-dylan-s-voice-trailed-off-as-soon-as-he-saw-me/) [Rachel K. Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-k-burke/) > [“My eyes moved over his face. 'Why did you do it?' He was silent for a couple beats, looking down, taking his bottom lip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/my-eyes-moved-over-his-face-why-did-you-do-it-he-was-silent-for-a/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) ## More by Aravind Adiga > [Columbia University, where I went to study in 1993, insisted its undergraduates learn a foreign language, so I discovered French.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/columbia-university-where-i-went-to-study-in-1993-insisted-its/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [What keeps India safe really is the heroism of millions of poor Indians who every day reject the allure of terrorism. What keeps India…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/what-keeps-india-safe-really-is-the-heroism-of-millions-of-poor/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“Every day, on the roads of Delhi, some chauffeur is driving an empty car with a black suitcase sitting on the backseat. Inside that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/every-day-on-the-roads-of-delhi-some-chauffeur-is-driving-an-empty/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [I am coming back to New York after five years, and it seems that psychics are taking over the city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/i-am-coming-back-to-new-york-after-five-years-and-it-seems-that/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [You ask 'Are you a man or a demon?' Neither, I say. I have woken up, and the rest of you are sleeping, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/you-ask-are-you-a-man-or-a-demon-neither-i-say-i-have-woken-up-and/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [I’ve lived in several countries and been a disaster everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/i-ve-lived-in-several-countries-and-been-a-disaster-everywhere/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [Neither. I am just one who has woken up while the rest of you are still sleeping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/neither-i-am-just-one-who-has-woken-up-while-the-rest-of-you-are/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“People in this country are still waiting for the war of their freedom to come from somewhere else, from the jungles, from the mountains,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/people-in-this-country-are-still-waiting-for-the-war-of-their-freedom/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“These people were building homes for the rich, but they lived in tents covered with blue tarpaulin sheets, and partitioned into lanes by lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/these-people-were-building-homes-for-the-rich-but-they-lived-in-tents/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“And then he realized that the thing that was blocking his passage was cleared, and he was falling; his body had begun its short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/and-then-he-realized-that-the-thing-that-was-blocking-his-passage-was/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“When it comes to work - hurry, hurry, hurry. When it comes to payment - delay, delay, delay. Caste, religion, family background nothing. Talent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/when-it-comes-to-work-hurry-hurry-hurry-when-it-comes-to-payment/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“There was a fierce jam on the road to Gurgaon. Every five minutes the traffic would tremble - we'd move a foot - hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/there-was-a-fierce-jam-on-the-road-to-gurgaon-every-five-minutes-the/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [It's amazing. The moment you show cash, everyone knows your language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/it-s-amazing-the-moment-you-show-cash-everyone-knows-your-language/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“Even here, in the weight machine of a train station, they try to hoodwink us. Here, on the threshold of a man's freedom, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/even-here-in-the-weight-machine-of-a-train-station-they-try-to/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [Here's a strange fact: murder a man, and you feel responsible for his life - ''possessive'', even. You know more about him than his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/here-s-a-strange-fact-murder-a-man-and-you-feel-responsible-for-his/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) [Explore all 111 Aravind Adiga quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) ## More Hell quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“Hell is only loneliness, a place without play for the soul, a place without God. How could there be God in loneliness when God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/hell-is-only-loneliness-a-place-without-play-for-the-soul-a-place/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Just when I thought that I was gtting better, boy was I wrong.. Things just turned to hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cupecake/just-when-i-thought-that-i-was-gtting-better-boy-was-i-wrong-things/) Cupecake > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Hey...Hey...What's up?. Nothing much, you? Nothing. K!..What the hell was the point of this communication?...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-hey-what-s-up-nothing-much-you-nothing-k-what-the-hell-was-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“ALAS, IF ALL HUMANS WERE WISE AND HAD MORE GOOD WILL THE WORLD WOULD BE A PARADISE NOW IT IS MOSTLY A HELL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/alas-if-all-humans-were-wise-and-had-more-good-will-the-world-would/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 8,212 Hell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“From the advertisement, his eyes moved up the skywalk, the zigzagging metal bridge that connected various locations in the neighborhood to the Banda train station. Behind the metal grid, men moved back and forth. Tommy Sir's eyes grew tired. He felt that up there, on that seemingly never-ending bridge, shadowy figures were moving toward obscure destinations, possibly only to return to their point of origin, like in an architectural sketch of infinity by M.C. Escher. Hell is a choice, made daily and by millions, and breathing slowly and watching this aerial cage, Tommy Sir saw Mumbai, minute by minute, unbecome and become hell.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aravind Adiga" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up-the-skywalk-the-zigzagging/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hell" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up-the-skywalk-the-zigzagging/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e6/aravind-adiga-4424_hell_from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up_562324.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“From the advertisement, his eyes moved up the skywalk, the zigzagging metal bridge that connected various…” — Aravind Adiga", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aravind Adiga", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“From the advertisement, his eyes moved...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up-the-skywalk-the-zigzagging/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/from-the-advertisement-his-eyes-moved-up-the-skywalk-the-zigzagging/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```