--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is impossible to say how first the…" description: "\"“It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/edgar-allan-poe-315_day-and-night_it-is-impossible-to-say-how-first-the-id_492919.jpg" --- # It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my… ![“It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was…” quote by Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/edgar-allan-poe-315_day-and-night_it-is-impossible-to-say-how-first-the-id_492919.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/edgar-allan-poe-315_day-and-night_it-is-impossible-to-say-how-first-the-id_492919.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/143/edgar-allan-poe-315_day-and-night_it-is-impossible-to-say-how-first-the-id_492919.jpg) > ““It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees – very gradually –I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.”” [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes an obsessive, irrational fixation on an old man's eye that drives him to murder, illustrating how irrational fear can dominate rational thought. **In simple terms:** An irrational fear leads to violent action. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront irrational obsessions before they dictate behavior. Themes obsession guilt madness perception violence Mood uneasy tense dark Type literary psychological When to use this quote - personal reflection - mental health counseling - creative writing analysis - crime investigation Key Concepts psychology irrational fear moral conflict Questions to Reflect On - What irrational fear controls your actions? - How can you differentiate intuition from obsession? A Different Perspective The narrator’s logic is unreliable, making the justification questionable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day and night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-and-night/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Eye Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-forever-4214675/) [Eye Vulture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-vulture-4214674/) [Loved Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-old-560415/) [Object Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/object-passion-1709949/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Think Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-eye-1406619/) ## Related quotes > [You are the sunshine of my life That's why I'll always be around, You are the apple of my eye, Forever you'll stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/you-are-the-sunshine-of-my-life-that-s-why-i-ll-always-be-around-you/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) > [“It is, perhaps, a better thing to be valued only as an object of passion than never to be valued at all. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/it-is-perhaps-a-better-thing-to-be-valued-only-as-an-object-of/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [The object of the passion is just an accessory to the passion itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/the-object-of-the-passion-is-just-an-accessory-to-the-passion-itself/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [It is, perhaps, better to be valued as an object of passion than never to be valued at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/it-is-perhaps-better-to-be-valued-as-an-object-of-passion-than-never/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [It is, perhaps, a better thing to be valued only as an object of passion than never to be valued at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/it-is-perhaps-a-better-thing-to-be-valued-only-as-an-object-of-2/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [“To be truly satisfied that your life is well-lived, the object of your passion is something you feel you must be, do, or have.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/to-be-truly-satisfied-that-your-life-is-well-lived-the-object-of-your/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [If you ask me, I think it should be an eye for an eye. On everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/if-you-ask-me-i-think-it-should-be-an-eye-for-an-eye-on-everything/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [“Desp ite the na me , I d o n’ t think Eye b rig ht is a lo tio n a t a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/desp-ite-the-na-me-i-d-o-n-t-think-eye-b-rig-ht-is-a-lo-tio-n-a-t-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Here’s what I think we face. 2. Here’s what I think we should do. 3. Here’s why. 4. Here’s what I think we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-i-sutton/here-s-what-i-think-we-face-2-here-s-what-i-think-we-should-do-3-here/) [Robert I. Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-i-sutton/) > [My eye? It's a genetic thing. My dad had it and now I have it. You know, I just found out that it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/my-eye-it-s-a-genetic-thing-my-dad-had-it-and-now-i-have-it-you-know-2/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I think you always have to keep your eye open and take advantage of anything that may come your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morse/i-think-you-always-have-to-keep-your-eye-open-and-take-advantage-of/) [Robert Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morse/) > [You must think. The eye is not enough; it needs to think as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cezanne/you-must-think-the-eye-is-not-enough-it-needs-to-think-as-well/) [Paul Cezanne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cezanne/) > [Excuse me, I think you have something in your eye. Nope, it's just a sparkle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/excuse-me-i-think-you-have-something-in-your-eye-nope-it-s-just-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that The Eye is a particularly Americanized take on horror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-think-that-the-eye-is-a-particularly-americanized-take-on-horror/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [My mom loved the old black-and-white films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/my-mom-loved-the-old-black-and-white-films/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) ## More by Edgar Allan Poe > [“From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were—I have not seen As others saw—I could not bring My passions from a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/from-childhood-s-hour-i-have-not-been-as-others-were-i-have-not-seen/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [There is no passion in nature so demoniacally impatient, as that of him who, shuddering upon the edge of a precipice, thus meditates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/there-is-no-passion-in-nature-so-demoniacally-impatient-as-that-of/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [To vilify a great man is the readiest way in which a little man can himself attain greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-vilify-a-great-man-is-the-readiest-way-in-which-a-little-man-can/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“A skillful literary artist has constructed a tale. If wise, he has not fashioned his thoughts to accommodate his incidents; but having conceived, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/a-skillful-literary-artist-has-constructed-a-tale-if-wise-he-has-not/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“For eyes we have no models in the remotely antique.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/for-eyes-we-have-no-models-in-the-remotely-antique/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/during-the-whole-of-a-dull-dark-and-soundless-day-in-the-autumn-of/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things that escape those who dream only at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/those-who-dream-by-day-are-cognizant-of-many-things-that-escape-those/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“I have said that the sole effect of my somewhat childish experiment—that of looking down within the tarn—had been to deepen the first singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/i-have-said-that-the-sole-effect-of-my-somewhat-childish-experiment/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [And all my days are trances, And all my nightly dreams Are where thy dark eye glances, And where thy footstep gleams-- In what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/and-all-my-days-are-trances-and-all-my-nightly-dreams-are-where-thy/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“Other friends have flown before — On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.” Quoth the raven, “Nevermore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/other-friends-have-flown-before-on-the-morrow-he-will-leave-me-as-my/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“To the right and left, as far as the eye could reach, there lay outstretched, like ramparts of the world, lines of horridly black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/to-the-right-and-left-as-far-as-the-eye-could-reach-there-lay/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [Men die nightly in their beds, wringing the hands of ghostly confessors ... on account of the hideousness of mysteries which will not suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/men-die-nightly-in-their-beds-wringing-the-hands-of-ghostly/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [And the Raven, never flitting, Still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas Just above my chamber door; And his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/and-the-raven-never-flitting-still-is-sitting-still-is-sitting-on-the/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [I was forced to fall back upon the unsatisfactory conclusion, that while, beyond doubt, there are combinations of very simple natural objects which have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/i-was-forced-to-fall-back-upon-the-unsatisfactory-conclusion-that/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [“For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but i feel the bright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/for-the-moon-never-beams-without-bringing-me-dreams-of-the-beautiful/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) [Explore all 615 Edgar Allan Poe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) ## More Day and night quotes > [“helping me. It’s a full-time job, and I am grateful for your concern for my reader friends. Of course, thanks to my daughter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/helping-me-it-s-a-full-time-job-and-i-am-grateful-for-your-concern/) [Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“The host is rushing 'twixt day and night, And where is there hope or deed as fair? Caoilte tossing his burning hair, And Niamh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-b-yeats/the-host-is-rushing-twixt-day-and-night-and-where-is-there-hope-or/) [W.B. Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-b-yeats/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Because when I have been busy at the United Nations during crises, it has meant working day and night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-frederick/because-when-i-have-been-busy-at-the-united-nations-during-crises-it/) [Pauline Frederick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-frederick/) > [I just want to stay by you day and night. The best feeling I get is when I see your face early morning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-just-want-to-stay-by-you-day-and-night-the-best-feeling-i-get-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was young, I spent my days and nights trying to impress future generations. I spent them. They're gone. All because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-syjuco/when-i-was-young-i-spent-my-days-and-nights-trying-to-impress-future/) [Miguel Syjuco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-syjuco/) > [A man received message from his neighbor... Sorry sir.., I am using your wife. I am using day and night. I am using when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritesh/a-man-received-message-from-his-neighbor-sorry-sir-i-am-using-your/) [Ritesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritesh/) > [“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings-2/to-be-nobody-but-yourself-in-a-world-which-is-doing-its-best-day-and/) [E.E. Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings-2/) > [“He smiled at me, as innocent as an angel. "I will sit her all day and night. I'll camp out on your porch. and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/he-smiled-at-me-as-innocent-as-an-angel-i-will-sit-her-all-day-and/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [“I always found in myself a dread of west and love of east. Where I ever got such an idea I cannot say, unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-always-found-in-myself-a-dread-of-west-and-love-of-east-where-i/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [ Sweet discourse makes short daies and nights. \[Sweet discourse makes short days and nights.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/sweet-discourse-makes-short-daies-and-nights-sweet-discourse-makes/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Day and night, meditate forever on the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-gobind-singh/day-and-night-meditate-forever-on-the-lord/) [Guru Gobind Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-gobind-singh/) [Browse all 756 Day and night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-and-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture –a pale blue eye, with a film over it. 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