Excitement-of-youth Quote by Cormac McCarthy
““They rode out along the fenceline and across the open pastureland. The leather creaked in the morning cold. They pushed the horses into a lope. The lights fell away behind them. They rode out on the high prairie where they slowed the horses to a walk and the stars swarmed around them out of the blackness. They heard somewhere in that tenantless night a bell that tolled and ceased where no bell was and they rode out on the round dais of the earth which alone was dark and no light to it and which carried their figures and bore them up into the swarming stars so that they rode not under but among them and they rode at once jaunty and circumspect, like thieves newly loosed in that dark electric, like young thieves in a glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the choosing.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, 1985
A vivid, lyrical depiction of riders moving through a vast, dark prairie, confronting the unknown while feeling both daring and cautious.
In simple terms: Riders travel through dark night, feeling bold yet careful.
Key Takeaway
Embrace adventure while staying aware of risks.
Themes
adventure
exploration
duality
nature
existence
Mood
awe
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
descriptive
philosophical
When to use this quote
- night travel
- star gazing
- frontier journeys
- personal reflection
- creative writing
Key Concepts
existentialism
romanticism
frontier myth
human vs environment
solitude
courage
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the night symbolize for you?
- How do you balance daring with caution?
A Different Perspective
The poetic style may romanticize harsh realities, overlooking suffering.
