--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was dark now as it becomes dark…" description: "\"“It was dark now as it becomes dark quickly after the sun sets in September. He lay against the worn wood of the bow and rested all that he could. The ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/ernest-hemingway-83_sun-set_it-was-dark-now-as-it-becomes-dark-quick_839234.jpg" --- # It was dark now as it becomes dark quickly after the sun… ![“It was dark now as it becomes dark quickly after the sun sets in September. He lay against the worn wood of the bow and rested all that he could. The first stars were out. He did not know the name of Rigel but he saw it and knew soon they would all be out and he would have all his distant friends…” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/ernest-hemingway-83_sun-set_it-was-dark-now-as-it-becomes-dark-quick_839234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/ernest-hemingway-83_sun-set_it-was-dark-now-as-it-becomes-dark-quick_839234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b3/ernest-hemingway-83_sun-set_it-was-dark-now-as-it-becomes-dark-quick_839234.jpg) > ““It was dark now as it becomes dark quickly after the sun sets in September. He lay against the worn wood of the bow and rested all that he could. The first stars were out. He did not know the name of Rigel but he saw it and knew soon they would all be out and he would have all his distant friends. 'The fish is my friend too,' he said aloud. 'I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.”” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man reflects on darkness, stars, and an unknown fish, confronting the paradox of wanting to kill something he admires, while feeling relief that the stars are untouchable. **In simple terms:** He feels conflicted about harming something he respects, yet relieved that the stars are safe. Key Takeaway Accept the tension between desire and restraint. Themes conflict nature existence humor Mood melancholic contemplative wry Type literary philosophical humorous When to use this quote - nighttime contemplation - fishing expedition - philosophical musings - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism paradox human-nature relationship Questions to Reflect On - What drives us to harm what we cherish? - How do we reconcile admiration with destructive urges? A Different Perspective The desire to kill may stem from fear or curiosity, not just malice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish/) [Fish Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish-friend-627080/) [Fish Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fish-kill-627078/) [Heard Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-fish-627082/) [Kill Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-stars-627079/) [Know Rigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-rigel-627081/) [Sun set](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun-set/) ## Related quotes > [“The fish is my friend too," he said aloud. "I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-fish-is-my-friend-too-he-said-aloud-i-have-never-seen-or-heard-of-2/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [The fish is my friend too...I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. 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Imagine if each day a man must try to kill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-am-glad-we-do-not-have-to-try-to-kill-the-stars-imagine-if-each-day/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I am glad we do not have to try to kill the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-am-glad-we-do-not-have-to-try-to-kill-the-stars/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“I have never seen or heard of such a fish. But I must kill him. I am glad we do not have to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-have-never-seen-or-heard-of-such-a-fish-but-i-must-kill-him-i-am/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Fall" Fall, falling, fallen. 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Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-c-marshall/) ## More by Ernest Hemingway > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“There was no wind, and, outside now of the warm air of the cave, heavy with smoke of both tobacco and charcoal, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-was-no-wind-and-outside-now-of-the-warm-air-of-the-cave-heavy/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“It was not brilliant bull-fighting. It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. 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There was the green of the headlands, the white, red-roofed villas, patches of forest, and the ocean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/we-drove-out-along-the-coast-road-there-was-the-green-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [As a Nobel Prize winner I cannot but regret that the award was never given to Mark Twain, nor to Henry James, speaking only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/as-a-nobel-prize-winner-i-cannot-but-regret-that-the-award-was-never/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Oh, darling, I've been so miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/oh-darling-i-ve-been-so-miserable/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I read my own books sometimes to cheer me when it is hard to write, and then I remember that it was always difficult,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-read-my-own-books-sometimes-to-cheer-me-when-it-is-hard-to-write/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“You find everything on earth at Harry's." "Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More Fish quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [I love to fish. 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