Face to face Quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald
““Most of the big shore places were closed now. And there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of the ferryboat across the sound. And as the moon rose higher, the inessential houses began to melt away till gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes, A fresh green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams. For a transitory, enchanted moment man must have held his breath in the presence of this continent. Face to face, for the last time in history, with something commensurate to its capacity for wonder.””
About This Quote
The narrator experiences a fleeting, awe‑inspiring moment of encountering an untouched natural landscape, evoking a sense of wonder and transience.
In simple terms: Ephemeral encounter with wilderness
Key Takeaway
Nature evokes profound reverence
Themes
Nature
Wonder
Transience
Romanticism
Discovery
Mood
Nostalgia
Awe
Type
Literary passage
Descriptive
When to use this quote
- Literary analysis
- Creative writing
- Travel reflection
Key Concepts
Landscape imagery
Practical Applications
- Descriptive prose
- Poetic inspiration
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the landscape symbolize for the narrator?
- How does the fleeting nature of the scene affect its impact?
![“Gerber, who studied seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Ottoman court decisions, points to examples of Ottoman muftis (official jurists) who, despite being paid by the government, “did not hesitate to speak out against the government when [they] came face to face with an injustice.” quote by Mustafa Akyol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/790/mustafa-akyol-15064_face-to-face_gerber-who-studied-seventeenth-and-eight_22267.jpg)
