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Neon lights Quote by Cornell Woolrich

“He just lingers long enough to see his plane put to bed properly, then grabs a cab at the airport-gate. "The Settlement" and forgetting that he's not inland any more, that Shanghai's snappier than Chicago, "Chop-chop." "Sure, Mike," grins the slant-eyed driver. "Hop in." A change has come over the…” quote by Cornell Woolrich
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““He just lingers long enough to see his plane put to bed properly, then grabs a cab at the airport-gate. "The Settlement" and forgetting that he's not inland any more, that Shanghai's snappier than Chicago, "Chop-chop." "Sure, Mike," grins the slant-eyed driver. "Hop in." A change has come over the city since he went away, he can feel that the minute they hit the outskirts, clear the congested native sections, and cross the bridge into the Settlement. Shanghai is already tuning-up for its oncoming doom, without knowing it. A city dancing on the brink of the grave. There's an electric tension in the air, the place never seemed so gay, so hectic, as tonight; the roads opening off the Bund a welter of blinking, flashing neon lights, in ideographs and Latin letters alike, as far as the eye can see. Traffic hopelessly snarled at every crossing, cops piping on their whistles, packed sidewalks, the blare of saxophones coming from taxi-dance mills, and overhead the feverish oriental stars competing with inter-crossed searchlight beams from some warships or other on the Whang-poo. Just about the right town and the right night to have fifteen thousand bucks in, all at one time. ("Jane Brown's Body")””

Cornell Woolrich

About This Quote

Source Short story: “Jane Brown’s Body”, 1945

The city is a restless, neon‑lit stage where danger and excitement converge, reflecting a looming, unseen catastrophe.

In simple terms: Shanghai feels chaotic and ominous, full of neon and tension.

Key Takeaway

Beware hidden threats in bustling environments.

Themes

urban decay anticipation danger

Mood

tense electric foreboding

Type

narrative descriptive

When to use this quote

  • nighttime city walk
  • traveling alone
  • observing crowds
  • planning a heist

Key Concepts

neon aesthetic apocalyptic mood

Questions to Reflect On

  • What signs indicate a city’s hidden peril?
  • How does neon lighting affect perception of safety?
A Different Perspective

The vivid description may romanticize danger, overlooking real safety concerns.

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