--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: However, as I say, he stood there and…" description: "\"“However, as I say, he stood there and watched. Watched the smoke, or vapor, or whatever it was, whirl and whirl, faster and faster, snatching up the v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg" --- # However, as I say, he stood there and watched. Watched the… ![“However, as I say, he stood there and watched. Watched the smoke, or vapor, or whatever it was, whirl and whirl, faster and faster, snatching up the vagrant wisps and streamers that had strayed to the far corners of the room, sucking them in, incorporating them into the central column, until at…” quote by Charles Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg) > ““However, as I say, he stood there and watched. Watched the smoke, or vapor, or whatever it was, whirl and whirl, faster and faster, snatching up the vagrant wisps and streamers that had strayed to the far corners of the room, sucking them in, incorporating them into the central column, until at last that column, swirling there, seemed almost solid. It was solid. It had ceased its whirling and stood there quivering, jelly-like, plastic, but nevertheless, solid. And, as though molded in the hands of an invisible sculptor, that column was changing. Indentations appeared here, protuberances there. The character of the surface altered subtly; presently it was no longer smooth and lustrous, but rough and scaly. It lost most of its luminosity and became an uncertain, lichenous green. Until at last it was a - thing. That moment, Denning thinks, was the most horrible in all the adventure. Not because of the horror of the thing that stood before him, but because at that very moment an automobile, driven by some belated citizen passed by outside, the light from its headlights casting eerie gleams across the walls and the ceiling; and the thought of the difference between the commonplace world in which that citizen was living, and the frightful things taking place in this room almost overcame the cowering man by the doorway. And, too, the light made just that much plainer the disgusting details of the creature that towered above them. ("Out Of The Jar")”” Charles Tanner ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A grotesque, mutable entity is observed, its form changing under eerie light, evoking horror. **In simple terms:** A strange, shifting monster appears. Key Takeaway Observe details to confront fear. Themes horror transformation perception light Mood creepy imaginative Type Djinn:1 Genie:1 Monster:1 Stood Quivering:1 Stood Watched:1 Whirling Stood:1 Thing Stood:1 Appeared Protuberances:1 When to use this quote - reading - creative writing - film analysis - art critique Key Concepts Metamorphosis visual distortion psychological dread Questions to Reflect On - What does the changing form symbolize? - How does light influence perception of horror? A Different Perspective The description may be too vivid for some audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Djinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/djinn/) [Genie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genie/) [Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) ## Related quotes > [“Hill. Yes, that was it. But it is a hasty word for a thing that has stood here ever since this part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/hill-yes-that-was-it-but-it-is-a-hasty-word-for-a-thing-that-has/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [“Then it occurred to me: You either waited for someone else to do the right thing, or you stood up and did it yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-cook/then-it-occurred-to-me-you-either-waited-for-someone-else-to-do-the/) [Eileen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-cook/) > [I stood beside a hill Smooth with new-laid snow, A single star looked out From the cold evening glow. There was not other creature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-teasdale/i-stood-beside-a-hill-smooth-with-new-laid-snow-a-single-star-looked/) [Sara Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-teasdale/) > [We stood and watched as God abandoned us, and then we did the best we could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/we-stood-and-watched-as-god-abandoned-us-and-then-we-did-the-best-we/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“…stood there and watched and didn't do a thing to help me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodee-blanco/stood-there-and-watched-and-didn-t-do-a-thing-to-help-me/) [Jodee Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodee-blanco/) > [Stood there and watched you walk away From everything we had. But I still mean every word I said to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selvan-murukeshan/stood-there-and-watched-you-walk-away-from-everything-we-had-but-i/) [Selvan Murukeshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selvan-murukeshan/) > [“She should probably stop calling him "the Djinn." He did, after all, have a name. He was Khalil somebody. According to one of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/she-should-probably-stop-calling-him-the-djinn-he-did-after-all-have/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“In Turkey, ancient drawings that are two thousand or more years old show djinn in half human-half reptilian forms with horns, scaly skin, lizard-like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/in-turkey-ancient-drawings-that-are-two-thousand-or-more-years-old/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [Sorry, is my new Djinn name Mushroom ? Because I don’t like being kept in the dark and fed bullshit, David. Just so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/sorry-is-my-new-djinn-name-mushroom-because-i-don-t-like-being-kept/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“They may also ask that you bring certain types of food, alcohol, or tobacco on a regular basis. It must be noted that although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/they-may-also-ask-that-you-bring-certain-types-of-food-alcohol-or/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [“Sudden emotional and physical shocks, bouts of depression, and fear and anxiety make a person vulnerable to possession by ripping tears in his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/sudden-emotional-and-physical-shocks-bouts-of-depression-and-fear-and/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [“She'd never shaken off the feeling of being damaged by her ignorance of Love, of what it might be like to be wholly possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/she-d-never-shaken-off-the-feeling-of-being-damaged-by-her-ignorance/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“He led her back to the house, the perfume from the acacia clinging to her. The djinn was supposed to live in the scent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/he-led-her-back-to-the-house-the-perfume-from-the-acacia-clinging-to/) [Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/) > [“Djinn were cursed with a terminal curiosity. It was often their worst weakness, and sometimes it was their downfall. Khalil was no exception. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/djinn-were-cursed-with-a-terminal-curiosity-it-was-often-their-worst/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Keanu Reeves?" she asks in amazement. I nod. "What did he wish for?" "Isn't it obvious?" I say, waving a hand at the screen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pearce/keanu-reeves-she-asks-in-amazement-i-nod-what-did-he-wish-for-isn-t/) [Jackson Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pearce/) ## More Djinn quotes > [“Djinn were cursed with a terminal curiosity. It was often their worst weakness, and sometimes it was their downfall. Khalil was no exception. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/djinn-were-cursed-with-a-terminal-curiosity-it-was-often-their-worst/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“He led her back to the house, the perfume from the acacia clinging to her. The djinn was supposed to live in the scent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/he-led-her-back-to-the-house-the-perfume-from-the-acacia-clinging-to/) [Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/) > [“She'd never shaken off the feeling of being damaged by her ignorance of Love, of what it might be like to be wholly possessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/she-d-never-shaken-off-the-feeling-of-being-damaged-by-her-ignorance/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Sudden emotional and physical shocks, bouts of depression, and fear and anxiety make a person vulnerable to possession by ripping tears in his or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/sudden-emotional-and-physical-shocks-bouts-of-depression-and-fear-and/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [“They may also ask that you bring certain types of food, alcohol, or tobacco on a regular basis. It must be noted that although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/they-may-also-ask-that-you-bring-certain-types-of-food-alcohol-or/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [Sorry, is my new Djinn name Mushroom ? Because I don’t like being kept in the dark and fed bullshit, David. Just so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/sorry-is-my-new-djinn-name-mushroom-because-i-don-t-like-being-kept/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“In Turkey, ancient drawings that are two thousand or more years old show djinn in half human-half reptilian forms with horns, scaly skin, lizard-like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-ellen-guiley/in-turkey-ancient-drawings-that-are-two-thousand-or-more-years-old/) [Rosemary Ellen Guiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-ellen-guiley/) > [“She should probably stop calling him "the Djinn." He did, after all, have a name. He was Khalil somebody. According to one of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/she-should-probably-stop-calling-him-the-djinn-he-did-after-all-have/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“Keanu Reeves?" she asks in amazement. I nod. "What did he wish for?" "Isn't it obvious?" I say, waving a hand at the screen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pearce/keanu-reeves-she-asks-in-amazement-i-nod-what-did-he-wish-for-isn-t/) [Jackson Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pearce/) > [“Be careful with this one" said Dina, bending down to greet the cat. "All cats are half jinn, but I think she's three quarters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-willow-wilson/be-careful-with-this-one-said-dina-bending-down-to-greet-the-cat-all/) [G. Willow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-willow-wilson/) > [“Oh heaven and hell, stop with the tears. Given the day Sarah had just had, the tears were logical. But watching her face crumple,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mina-khan/oh-heaven-and-hell-stop-with-the-tears-given-the-day-sarah-had-just/) [Mina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mina-khan/) [Browse all 12 Djinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/djinn/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“However, as I say, he stood there and watched. Watched the smoke, or vapor, or whatever it was, whirl and whirl, faster and faster, snatching up the vagrant wisps and streamers that had strayed to the far corners of the room, sucking them in, incorporating them into the central column, until at last that column, swirling there, seemed almost solid. It was solid. It had ceased its whirling and stood there quivering, jelly-like, plastic, but nevertheless, solid. And, as though molded in the hands of an invisible sculptor, that column was changing. Indentations appeared here, protuberances there. The character of the surface altered subtly; presently it was no longer smooth and lustrous, but rough and scaly. It lost most of its luminosity and became an uncertain, lichenous green. Until at last it was a - thing. That moment, Denning thinks, was the most horrible in all the adventure. Not because of the horror of the thing that stood before him, but because at that very moment an automobile, driven by some belated citizen passed by outside, the light from its headlights casting eerie gleams across the walls and the ceiling; and the thought of the difference between the commonplace world in which that citizen was living, and the frightful things taking place in this room almost overcame the cowering man by the doorway. And, too, the light made just that much plainer the disgusting details of the creature that towered above them. (\"Out Of The Jar\")”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Tanner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tanner/however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watched-watched-the-smoke-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Djinn" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tanner/however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watched-watched-the-smoke-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94f/charles-tanner-113455_djinn_however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watc_1632065.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“However, as I say, he stood there and watched. Watched the smoke, or vapor, or whatever it was, whirl and…” — Charles Tanner", "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": "Charles Tanner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tanner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“However, as I say, he stood...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tanner/however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watched-watched-the-smoke-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tanner/however-as-i-say-he-stood-there-and-watched-watched-the-smoke-or/#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 } } ] } ```