--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to…" description: "\"Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see Ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be Ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sand of the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/henrik-ibsen-1419_between-the-lines_whenever-i-take-up-a-newspaper-i-seem-to_1413853.jpg" --- # Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see Ghosts… ![“Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see Ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be Ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sand of the sea… We are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.” quote by Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/henrik-ibsen-1419_between-the-lines_whenever-i-take-up-a-newspaper-i-seem-to_1413853.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/henrik-ibsen-1419_between-the-lines_whenever-i-take-up-a-newspaper-i-seem-to_1413853.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/henrik-ibsen-1419_between-the-lines_whenever-i-take-up-a-newspaper-i-seem-to_1413853.jpg) > “Whenever I take up a newspaper, I seem to see Ghosts gliding between the lines. There must be Ghosts all the country over, as thick as the sand of the sea… We are, one and all, so pitifully afraid of the light.” [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that hidden truths and fears are pervasive, like unseen spirits lurking in everyday life, and people avoid confronting them. **In simple terms:** Hidden fears are everywhere, like ghosts in a newspaper. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and confront hidden anxieties. Themes fear truth society illusion confrontation Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical critical When to use this quote - personal introspection - public discourse - mental health awareness - literary analysis Key Concepts existential dread social critique psychology Questions to Reflect On - What unseen fears shape your daily decisions? - How does confronting truth change your perception? A Different Perspective The metaphor may over‑dramatize ordinary concerns, risking fatalism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-light-268033/) [Between the lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/between-the-lines/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghosts/) [Ghosts Gliding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghosts-gliding-4989950/) [Gliding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gliding/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Lines Ghosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines-ghosts-2923004/) [Newspaper Ghosts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspaper-ghosts-1928887/) [Newspapers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/newspapers/) [Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sand/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Thick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thick/) ## Related quotes > [But I almost think we are all of us ghosts. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/but-i-almost-think-we-are-all-of-us-ghosts-it-is-not-only-what-we/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [ Ghosts! \[…\] I almost think we are all of us ghosts. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/ghosts-i-almost-think-we-are-all-of-us-ghosts-it-is-not-only-what-we/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [''It is not only what we have inherited from our fathers and mothers that again in us, but all sorts of old dead ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/it-is-not-only-what-we-have-inherited-from-our-fathers-and-mothers/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“Who is more foolish—the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light? —MAURICE FREEHILL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/who-is-more-foolish-the-child-afraid-of-the-dark-or-the-man-afraid-of/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“Demons come out in the dark because they’re afraid of the light. We need to smash those motherfuckers to smithereens with light.” Okay,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-jacquelyn/demons-come-out-in-the-dark-because-they-re-afraid-of-the-light-we/) [Nicole Jacquelyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-jacquelyn/) > [We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-can-easily-forgive-a-child-who-is-afraid-of-the-dark-the-real-2/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“I’ve seen most of what there is to be afraid of in this world, and to tell you the truth, the worst of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/i-ve-seen-most-of-what-there-is-to-be-afraid-of-in-this-world-and-to/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [Don't be afraid to show your light.. If it ends up being too much for people.. tell them to wear sunglasses!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-roth/don-t-be-afraid-to-show-your-light-if-it-ends-up-being-too-much-for/) [Gabrielle Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-roth/) > [The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-real-tragedy-of-life-is-when-men-are-afraid-of-the-light/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When I was young I was afraid of dark, Now when I get my electricity bill I'm afraid of light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/when-i-was-young-i-was-afraid-of-dark-now-when-i-get-my-electricity/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [When you sit and meditate and begin to experience expanded states of mind, you will be afraid. The light makes most people very, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-you-sit-and-meditate-and-begin-to-experience-expanded-states-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“It is easy to forgive children who are afraid of the dark but the real tragedy of life is men who are afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/it-is-easy-to-forgive-children-who-are-afraid-of-the-dark-but-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“Tell me, if you teach someone the alphabet, how can you stop him from reading? When one has tasted the elixir of love, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-shafak/tell-me-if-you-teach-someone-the-alphabet-how-can-you-stop-him-from/) [Elif Shafak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-shafak/) > [Atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennox/atheism-is-a-fairy-story-for-people-afraid-of-the-light/) [John Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennox/) > [“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy is when men are afraid of the light”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-can-easily-forgive-a-child-who-is-afraid-of-the-dark-the-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Henrik Ibsen > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [What's to become of the morally sound? Left out in the cold, I suppose. We must heal the sick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/what-s-to-become-of-the-morally-sound-left-out-in-the-cold-i-suppose/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“To be oneself on a basis of gold is no better than founding one’s house on the sand. 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When I lived at home with Papa, he used to tell me his opinion about everything, and so I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/nora-it-s-true-torvald-when-i-lived-at-home-with-papa-he-used-to-tell/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Each bird must sing with his own throat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/each-bird-must-sing-with-his-own-throat/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [I propose to raise a revolution against the lie that the majority has the monopoly of the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/i-propose-to-raise-a-revolution-against-the-lie-that-the-majority-has/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [But I almost think we are all of us ghosts. It is not only what we have inherited from our father and mother that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/but-i-almost-think-we-are-all-of-us-ghosts-it-is-not-only-what-we/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“A thousand words leave not the same deep impression as does a single deed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/a-thousand-words-leave-not-the-same-deep-impression-as-does-a-single/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/home-life-ceases-to-be-free-and-beautiful-as-soon-as-it-is-founded-on/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“You see, the fact is that the strongest man upon earth is he who stands most alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/you-see-the-fact-is-that-the-strongest-man-upon-earth-is-he-who/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) [Explore all 229 Henrik Ibsen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) ## More Between the lines quotes > [I ain't the captain of the yacht, but I'm on the boat; I ain't acting what I'm not, knowing that I don't. 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