--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With the first jolt he was in daylight…" description: "\"“With the first jolt he was in daylight; they had left the gateways of King’s Cross, and were under blue sky. Tunnels followed, and after each the sky ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/e-m-forster-2-1148_atheism_with-the-first-jolt-he-was-in-daylight-t_3232299.jpg" --- # With the first jolt he was in daylight; they had left the… ![“With the first jolt he was in daylight; they had left the gateways of King’s Cross, and were under blue sky. Tunnels followed, and after each the sky grew bluer, and from the embankment at Finsbury Park he had his first sight of the sun. It rolled along behind the eastern smokes — a wheel, whose…” quote by E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/e-m-forster-2-1148_atheism_with-the-first-jolt-he-was-in-daylight-t_3232299.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/e-m-forster-2-1148_atheism_with-the-first-jolt-he-was-in-daylight-t_3232299.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/e-m-forster-2-1148_atheism_with-the-first-jolt-he-was-in-daylight-t_3232299.jpg) > ““With the first jolt he was in daylight; they had left the gateways of King’s Cross, and were under blue sky. Tunnels followed, and after each the sky grew bluer, and from the embankment at Finsbury Park he had his first sight of the sun. It rolled along behind the eastern smokes — a wheel, whose fellow was the descending moon — and as yet it seemed the servant of the blue sky, not its lord. He dozed again. Over Tewin Water it was day. To the left fell the shadow of the embankment and its arches; to the right Leonard saw up into the Tewin Woods and towards the church, with its wild legend of immortality. Six forest trees — that is a fact — grow out of one of the graves in Tewin churchyard. The grave’s occupant — that is the legend — is an atheist, who declared that if God existed, six forest trees would grow out of her grave. These things in Hertfordshire; and farther afield lay the house of a hermit — Mrs. Wilcox had known him — who barred himself up, and wrote prophecies, and gave all he had to the poor. While, powdered in between, were the villas of business men, who saw life more steadily, though with the steadiness of the half-closed eye. Over all the sun was streaming, to all the birds were singing, to all the primroses were yellow, and the speedwell blue, and the country, however they interpreted her, was uttering her cry of “now. ” She did not free Leonard yet, and the knife plunged deeper into his heart as the train drew up at Hilton. But remorse had become beautiful.”” [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leonard experiences a vivid, hopeful journey through the English countryside, juxtaposing natural beauty with human frailty and lingering remorse. **In simple terms:** A hopeful journey meets lingering sorrow. Key Takeaway Embrace moments of beauty despite pain. Themes hope remorse nature humanity journey Mood contemplative melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - train travel - reflection - grief - nature walks - spiritual contemplation Key Concepts Existentialism transcendence memory Questions to Reflect On - How do moments of beauty influence our handling of grief? - What does the train symbolize for Leonard? A Different Perspective The narrative’s poetic style may obscure practical lessons for everyday life. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) [Blue sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue-sky/) [Existed Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existed-forest-4747202/) [First sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-sight/) [Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowers/) [Followed Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/followed-sky-6119671/) [Immortality Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immortality-forest-6119670/) [Remorse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remorse/) [Sky Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky-grew-664473/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [You discovered yourself and what really mattered only after you passed through the lens of the fairy tale, imposed on every human female and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/you-discovered-yourself-and-what-really-mattered-only-after-you/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [“The woods, the vines, the very stones, were at one with the brightness of the sun and the unblemished sky, and even when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/the-woods-the-vines-the-very-stones-were-at-one-with-the-brightness/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“This is where Amy’s from. 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Forster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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Over Tewin Water it was day. To the left fell the shadow of the embankment and its arches; to the right Leonard saw up into the Tewin Woods and towards the church, with its wild legend of immortality. Six forest trees — that is a fact — grow out of one of the graves in Tewin churchyard. The grave’s occupant — that is the legend — is an atheist, who declared that if God existed, six forest trees would grow out of her grave. These things in Hertfordshire; and farther afield lay the house of a hermit — Mrs. Wilcox had known him — who barred himself up, and wrote prophecies, and gave all he had to the poor. While, powdered in between, were the villas of business men, who saw life more steadily, though with the steadiness of the half-closed eye. Over all the sun was streaming, to all the birds were singing, to all the primroses were yellow, and the speedwell blue, and the country, however they interpreted her, was uttering her cry of “now. ” She did not free Leonard yet, and the knife plunged deeper into his heart as the train drew up at Hilton. But remorse had become beautiful.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E.M. 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