--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The silence in the room was deep as the…" description: "\"“The silence in the room was deep as the night itself. Biff stood transfixed, lost in his meditations. Then suddenly he felt a quickening in him. His h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/carson-mccullers-1694_darkness_the-silence-in-the-room-was-deep-as-the_1603229.png" --- # The silence in the room was deep as the night itself. Biff… ![“The silence in the room was deep as the night itself. Biff stood transfixed, lost in his meditations. Then suddenly he felt a quickening in him. His heart turned and he leaned his back against the counter for support. For in a swift radiance of illumination he saw a glimpse of human struggle and…” quote by Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/carson-mccullers-1694_darkness_the-silence-in-the-room-was-deep-as-the_1603229.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/carson-mccullers-1694_darkness_the-silence-in-the-room-was-deep-as-the_1603229.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/326/carson-mccullers-1694_darkness_the-silence-in-the-room-was-deep-as-the_1603229.png) > ““The silence in the room was deep as the night itself. Biff stood transfixed, lost in his meditations. Then suddenly he felt a quickening in him. His heart turned and he leaned his back against the counter for support. For in a swift radiance of illumination he saw a glimpse of human struggle and of valour. Of the endless fluid passage of humanity through endless time. And of those who labour and of those who - one word - love. His soul expanded. But for a moment only. For in him he felt a warning, a shaft of terror. Between the two worlds he was suspended . . . suspended between radiance and darkness, between bitter irony and faith . . . And would he just stand here like a jittery nanny or would he pull himself together and be reasonable? For after all was he a sensible man or was he not?”” [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) ## 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 experiences a profound, fleeting insight into humanity’s struggle and love, then feels terror and must choose between fear and reason. **In simple terms:** A brief vision of humanity’s struggle and love brings both awe and terror, prompting a choice. Key Takeaway Embrace insight, confront fear, act rationally. Themes existential introspection humanity fear reason Mood contemplative melancholic inspired Type literary philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative writing - literary analysis Key Concepts philosophical insight spiritual awakening psychological conflict Questions to Reflect On - How do fleeting insights affect daily decisions? - Can terror be a catalyst for growth? A Different Perspective The abstract nature may be hard to translate into concrete action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biff Stood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biff-stood-6101185/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-bitter-1787159/) [Meditations Suddenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditations-suddenly-6101186/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moment Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-felt-328433/) ## Related quotes > [“For in a swift radiance of illumination he saw a glimpse of human struggle and of valour. Of the endless fluid passage of humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/for-in-a-swift-radiance-of-illumination-he-saw-a-glimpse-of-human-2/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [Once you have tasted the light of living the darkness somehow seems even more bitter when you go back to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-you-have-tasted-the-light-of-living-the-darkness-somehow-seems/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know the negative connotation that I get when I look at a Bible or I look at the American flag. I know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-know-the-negative-connotation-that-i-get-when-i-look-at-a-bible-or/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) > [But who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-who-knows-what-she-spoke-to-the-darkness-alone-in-the-bitter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For in a swift radiance of illumination he saw a glimpse of human struggle and valor. Of the endless fluid passage of the humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/for-in-a-swift-radiance-of-illumination-he-saw-a-glimpse-of-human/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“For a moment, I felt like myself again. Not the new me, not the old me, just the real me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslea-tash/for-a-moment-i-felt-like-myself-again-not-the-new-me-not-the-old-me/) [Leslea Tash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslea-tash/) > [“One heartbeat passed and then another, and the moment felt hot and frozen at the same time. Then he smiled, and it was sunshine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/one-heartbeat-passed-and-then-another-and-the-moment-felt-hot-and/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“In that moment, she had felt like there wasn't a place in the world he wouldn't go with her, and she couldn't think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaye-thornbrugh/in-that-moment-she-had-felt-like-there-wasn-t-a-place-in-the-world-he/) [Kaye Thornbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaye-thornbrugh/) > [“When I kissed Havah at that moment I felt hundreds of windows fly open inside my heart. It made me wish that I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-davies/when-i-kissed-havah-at-that-moment-i-felt-hundreds-of-windows-fly/) [Adam Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-davies/) > [“The moment he felt well enough to walk any distance, he was out of here and flying to someplace hot. Hopefully not hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-elsborg/the-moment-he-felt-well-enough-to-walk-any-distance-he-was-out-of/) [Barbara Elsborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-elsborg/) > [“and in that single moment she felt as though she had seen into his soul and the very heart of the the love he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catrin-collier/and-in-that-single-moment-she-felt-as-though-she-had-seen-into-his/) [catrin collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catrin-collier/) > [For a moment he felt good about this. A moment or two later he felt bad about feeling good about it. Then he felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/for-a-moment-he-felt-good-about-this-a-moment-or-two-later-he-felt/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“For a moment it felt like we weren’t in the Danube at all but in the river of time, and everyone was at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-batuman/for-a-moment-it-felt-like-we-weren-t-in-the-danube-at-all-but-in-the/) [Elif Batuman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-batuman/) > [“that moment, it felt like we had a connection, something true and deep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/that-moment-it-felt-like-we-had-a-connection-something-true-and-deep/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“I knew what she meant, and in that moment felt as though I had shaken off some of the dust and grit of ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/i-knew-what-she-meant-and-in-that-moment-felt-as-though-i-had-shaken/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) ## More by Carson McCullers > [“Because things accumulate around your name," said Berenice. "You have a name and one thing after another happens to you, and you behave in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/because-things-accumulate-around-your-name-said-berenice-you-have-a/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [It was like she was cheated. Only nobody had cheated her. So there was nobody to take it out on. However, just the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/it-was-like-she-was-cheated-only-nobody-had-cheated-her-so-there-was/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“Love is a joint experience between two persons—but the fact that it is a joint experience does not mean that it is a similar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/love-is-a-joint-experience-between-two-persons-but-the-fact-that-it/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [The thinking mind is best controlled by the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/the-thinking-mind-is-best-controlled-by-the-imagination/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“He was like a man who had served a term in prison or had been to Harvard College or had left for a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/he-was-like-a-man-who-had-served-a-term-in-prison-or-had-been-to/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [Comparing the Brooklyn that I know with Manhattan is like comparing a comfortable and complacent duenna to her more brilliant and neurotic sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/comparing-the-brooklyn-that-i-know-with-manhattan-is-like-comparing-a/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“Son, do you know how love should be begun?" The boy sat small and listening and still. Slowly he shook his head. The old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/son-do-you-know-how-love-should-be-begun-the-boy-sat-small-and/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [The most fatal thing a man can do is try to stand alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/the-most-fatal-thing-a-man-can-do-is-try-to-stand-alone/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [The dimensions of a work of art are seldom realized by the author until the work is accomplished. It is like a flowering dream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/the-dimensions-of-a-work-of-art-are-seldom-realized-by-the-author/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [Now hoppin'-john was F. Jasmine's very favorite food. She had always warned them to wave a plate of rice and peas before her nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/now-hoppin-john-was-f-jasmine-s-very-favorite-food-she-had-always/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [There's nothing that makes you so aware of the improvisation of human existence as a song unfinished. Or an old address book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/there-s-nothing-that-makes-you-so-aware-of-the-improvisation-of-human/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“Maybe when people longed for a thing that bad the longing made them trust in anything that might give it to them . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/maybe-when-people-longed-for-a-thing-that-bad-the-longing-made-them/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“But the music did not come again. The tune was left broken, unfinished. And the drawn tightness she could no longer stand. She felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/but-the-music-did-not-come-again-the-tune-was-left-broken-unfinished/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [“...we must remember that we all make the things of this earth of value because of labor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/we-must-remember-that-we-all-make-the-things-of-this-earth-of-value/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [I have more to say than Hemingway, and God knows, I say it better than Faulkner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/i-have-more-to-say-than-hemingway-and-god-knows-i-say-it-better-than/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) [Explore all 211 Carson McCullers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? 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Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The silence in the room was deep as the night itself. Biff stood transfixed, lost in his meditations. Then suddenly he felt a quickening in him. His heart turned and he leaned his back against the counter for support. For in a swift radiance of illumination he saw a glimpse of human struggle and of valour. Of the endless fluid passage of humanity through endless time. And of those who labour and of those who - one word - love. His soul expanded. But for a moment only. For in him he felt a warning, a shaft of terror. 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