Children Quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
““Perhaps one may be out late, and had got separated from one's companions. Oh horrors! Suddenly one starts and trembles as one seems to see a strange-looking being peering from out of the darkness of a hollow tree, while all the while the wind is moaning and rattling and howling through the forest—moaning with a hungry sound as it strips the leaves from the bare boughs, and whirls them into the air. High over the tree-tops, in a widespread, trailing, noisy crew, there fly, with resounding cries, flocks of birds which seem to darken and overlay the very heavens. Then a strange feeling comes over one, until one seems to hear the voice of some one whispering: "Run, run, little child! Do not be out late, for this place will soon have become dreadful! Run, little child! Run!" And at the words terror will possess one's soul, and one will rush and rush until one's breath is spent—until, panting, one has reached home.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Brothers Karamazov, 1880
A vivid night scene where fear and warning from unseen forces drive a child to flee, illustrating how terror can dominate thoughts and actions.
In simple terms: Fear can force urgent escape.
Key Takeaway
Heed warnings, avoid dangerous situations.
Themes
fear
survival
warning
night
psychology
Mood
anxious
tense
dramatic
Type
narrative
warning
psychological
When to use this quote
- walking alone at night
- camping in woods
- hearing unsettling sounds
- being warned by strangers
- childhood anxieties
Key Concepts
psychological terror
environmental cues
human instinct
Questions to Reflect On
- What warnings have you ignored?
- How does fear shape your decisions?
A Different Perspective
The quote dramatizes fear but may exaggerate realistic reactions to danger.
![“if [God] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without God?” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/09b/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_ethics_if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of_16023.jpg)
