Every night Quote by James Joyce
““There was no hope for him this time: it was the third stroke. Night after night I had passed the house (it was vacation time) and studied the lighted square of window: and night after night I had found it lighted in the same way, faintly and evenly. If he was dead, I thought, I would see the reflection of candles on the darkened blind, for I knew that two candles must be set at the head of a corpse. He had often said to me: I am not long for this world and I had thought his words idle. Now I knew they were true. Every night as I gazed up at the window I said softly to myself the word paralysis. It had always sounded strangely in my ears, like the word gnomon in the Euclid and the word simony in the Catechism. But now it sounded to me like the name of some maleficent and sinful being. It filled me with fear, and yet I longed to be nearer to it and to look upon its deadly work.””
About This Quote
The narrator confronts death, linking it to a haunting word “paralysis,” reflecting fear and fascination with mortality.
In simple terms: Facing death brings fear and a strange attraction.
Key Takeaway
Explore your feelings about mortality openly.
Themes
mortality
fear
obsession
Mood
somber
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grief counseling
- creative writing
- philosophical discussion
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “paralysis” symbolize for you?
- How does fear shape your curiosity about the unknown?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may romanticize death, overlooking its pain.
