Computers Quote by Glenn Haybittle
““Sometimes at night the only sound was the syncopated footfalls of a Nazi patrol stiffly marching past in their nailed boots. It was like the noise of a pitiless machine. The sound of those unseen boots created an abyss in the atmosphere that you felt yourself falling into. You can’t imagine how sinister it seemed that they marched in step like that when there was no one around to see them. They didn’t seem like human beings, more like programmed automatons.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Night Watch, by Glenn Haybittle, 2019
The passage depicts the eerie, dehumanizing effect of a Nazi patrol’s synchronized marching, making the environment feel oppressive and mechanical.
In simple terms: Patrol sounds felt cold and machine‑like, creating a terrifying atmosphere.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how uniform, relentless forces can strip humanity.
Themes
war
dehumanization
psychology
fear
soundscape
Mood
ominous
intense
reflective
Type
literary
descriptive
historical
When to use this quote
- nighttime patrols
- military occupation
- urban resistance
- civilian trauma
Key Concepts
totalitarianism
mechanical obedience
psychological terror
Questions to Reflect On
- How does synchronized movement affect perception of threat?
- What sounds make you feel unsafe?
A Different Perspective
The description may amplify horror for literary effect, not reflecting all experiences.
![“[...]there was always a part of the human mind that was prepared to entertain such notions, particularly at night, in the world of shadows, when there were sounds that one could not understand and when each one of us was in some sense alone.” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f8/alexander-mccall-smith-372_human-mind_there-was-always-a-part-of-the-human-min_536203.jpg)
