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Alliteration Quote by James Joyce

“A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over…” quote by James Joyce
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““A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.””

James Joyce

About This Quote

Source Novel: Dubliners, James Joyce, 1914

The narrator feels a profound, almost cosmic connection to the snow, symbolizing both the universality of death and the start of a personal journey westward.

In simple terms: Snow links all life and death, prompting a journey.

Key Takeaway

Embrace change as part of life's cycle.

Themes

mortality journey nature reflection death

Mood

melancholic reflective poetic

Type

literary descriptive philosophical

When to use this quote

  • walking through a snowy landscape
  • contemplating loss
  • starting a new chapter
  • grieving a loved one
  • seeking purpose

Key Concepts

existentialism symbolism Irish literature

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does the snow change your perception of loss?
  • What does the westward journey represent for you?
A Different Perspective

The passage may romanticize death, overlooking its harsh realities.

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