--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then the storm came swiftly, first…" description: "\"“Then the storm came swiftly, first falling from the heavens, then doubly falling in torrents from the mountains and washing loud down the roads and st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg" --- # Then the storm came swiftly, first falling from the… ![“Then the storm came swiftly, first falling from the heavens, then doubly falling in torrents from the mountains and washing loud down the roads and stone ditches; with it came a dark, frightening sky and savage filaments of lightning and world-splitting thunder, while ragged, destroying clouds…” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg) > ““Then the storm came swiftly, first falling from the heavens, then doubly falling in torrents from the mountains and washing loud down the roads and stone ditches; with it came a dark, frightening sky and savage filaments of lightning and world-splitting thunder, while ragged, destroying clouds fled along past the hotel. Mountains and lake disappeared - the hotel crouched amid tumult, chaos and darkness.”” [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A violent storm overwhelms a hotel, symbolizing chaos and the fragility of human constructs. **In simple terms:** A storm destroys, showing chaos over order. Key Takeaway Prepare for unexpected upheaval. Themes nature chaos fragility humanity Mood tense dramatic Type narrative descriptive When to use this quote - travel - emergency response - architecture - storytelling Key Concepts natural disaster symbolism psychological tension Questions to Reflect On - What does the storm reveal about the characters? - How can chaos lead to growth? A Different Perspective Storms can also bring renewal, not just destruction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ## Related quotes > [Who knows whither the clouds have fled? In the unscarred heaven they leave no wake; And the eyes forget the tears they have shed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/who-knows-whither-the-clouds-have-fled-in-the-unscarred-heaven-they/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The storm came. Lives were washed away. Ancient pains resurfaced. Now it is time for a sea of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavis-smiley/the-storm-came-lives-were-washed-away-ancient-pains-resurfaced-now-it/) [Tavis Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavis-smiley/) > [“As the storm came nearer I began to realize that I hadn't made the most of my three years' immunity. In fact, I hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/as-the-storm-came-nearer-i-began-to-realize-that-i-hadn-t-made-the/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [“And when our kids grow up and ask about the story of Mummy and Daddy – how we met and how the Might Storm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/and-when-our-kids-grow-up-and-ask-about-the-story-of-mummy-and-daddy/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [“The storm came pretty soon," said John. "They won't have got much further before it caught them. We may find them any minute. They'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-ransome/the-storm-came-pretty-soon-said-john-they-won-t-have-got-much-further/) [Arthur Ransome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-ransome/) > [“I'm a leaf / Look at me on my branch / A terrible storm / Came and knocked me off / The day you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram/i-m-a-leaf-look-at-me-on-my-branch-a-terrible-storm-came-and-knocked/) Ram > [Writing an opera and premiering in England, you could say I was going right into the eye of the storm and I came out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/writing-an-opera-and-premiering-in-england-you-could-say-i-was-going/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [You said when the storm came that you would be there with your umbrella to block the rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/you-said-when-the-storm-came-that-you-would-be-there-with-your/) [Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/) > [“A storm came chasing the sky away. And virgin sands Drank all the water of the evening woods, God's wind blew icicles into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rimbaud/a-storm-came-chasing-the-sky-away-and-virgin-sands-drank-all-the/) [Arthur Rimbaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rimbaud/) > [“Things could change. A they could change quickly. As fast as the storm came, the sun came even more rapidly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-herron/things-could-change-a-they-could-change-quickly-as-fast-as-the-storm/) [Rachael Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-herron/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Their peace and their war Are like wind and storm. War grows from their peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/their-peace-and-their-war-are-like-wind-and-storm-war-grows-from/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [No matter how strong the storm, how hard the rain and how vicious the wind there is always a gap in the clouds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-greenhalgh/no-matter-how-strong-the-storm-how-hard-the-rain-and-how-vicious-the/) Ben Greenhalgh > [Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/be-in-a-state-of-gratitude-for-everything-that-shows-up-in-your-life/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“After the storm, reigns the calm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simdi-onuora/after-the-storm-reigns-the-calm/) Simdi Onuora ## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I found something! Courage--just that; courage as a rule of life and something to cling to always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-found-something-courage-just-that-courage-as-a-rule-of-life-and/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Then the storm came swiftly, first falling from the heavens, then doubly falling in torrents from the mountains and washing loud down the roads and stone ditches; with it came a dark, frightening sky and savage filaments of lightning and world-splitting thunder, while ragged, destroying clouds fled along past the hotel. Mountains and lake disappeared - the hotel crouched amid tumult, chaos and darkness.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "F. Scott Fitzgerald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-falling-from-the-heavens-then/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-falling-from-the-heavens-then/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_darkness_then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-fallin_2105053.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Then the storm came swiftly, first falling from the heavens, then doubly falling in torrents from the…” — F. Scott Fitzgerald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "F. Scott Fitzgerald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Then the storm came swiftly, first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-falling-from-the-heavens-then/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/then-the-storm-came-swiftly-first-falling-from-the-heavens-then/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```