Computers Quote by Gabriel García Márquez
““Get down! Get down!" The people in front had already done so, swept down by the wave of bullets. The survivors, instead of getting down, tried to go back to the small square, and the panic became a dragon's tail as one compact wave ran against another which was moving in the opposite direction, towards the other dragon's tail in the street across the way, where the machine guns were firing without cease. They were penned in, swirling about in a gigantic whirlwind that little by little was being reduced to its epicenter as the edges were systematically being cut off all around like an onion being peeled by the insatiable and methodical shears of the machine guns.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: One Hundred Years of Solitude, 1967
A chaotic battle scene where panic spreads like a vortex, tightening around its victims as gunfire closes in.
In simple terms: Panic spreads and traps people like a tightening vortex.
Key Takeaway
Stay aware and seek cover early to avoid being trapped.
Themes
war
panic
survival
chaos
Mood
tense
urgent
grim
Type
narrative
descriptive
dramatic
When to use this quote
- combat zones
- crowd evacuations
- disaster drills
- urban conflict
Key Concepts
psychology of crowd behavior
military tactics
human instinct
Questions to Reflect On
- How does panic alter decision making?
- What strategies can break a tightening vortex of fear?
A Different Perspective
The description may romanticize violence, overlooking the human cost.
