--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Strange: how when a light is…" description: "\"Strange: how when a light is extinguished, it's immediately as if it has never been. Darkness fills in again, complete.\" — Joyce Carol Oates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/joyce-carol-oates-344_darkness_strange-how-when-a-light-is-extinguished_114578.png" --- # Strange: how when a light is extinguished, it's… ![“Strange: how when a light is extinguished, it's immediately as if it has never been. Darkness fills in again, complete.” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/joyce-carol-oates-344_darkness_strange-how-when-a-light-is-extinguished_114578.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/joyce-carol-oates-344_darkness_strange-how-when-a-light-is-extinguished_114578.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c48/joyce-carol-oates-344_darkness_strange-how-when-a-light-is-extinguished_114578.png) > “Strange: how when a light is extinguished, it's immediately as if it has never been. Darkness fills in again, complete.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a light is turned off, the absence of illumination is perceived as if the light never existed; darkness instantly fills the void, creating a complete sense of emptiness. **In simple terms:** Extinguished light feels like it never was. Key Takeaway Absence can erase memory of presence. Themes perception light vs. darkness ephemerality Mood melancholic contemplative Type philosophical observation When to use this quote - loss of a loved one - ending a relationship - decommissioning a landmark Key Concepts psychology of memory ontological void Practical Applications - use in poetry or visual art Questions to Reflect On - Why does the mind fill empty space so quickly? - Can absence ever be fully erased? A Different Perspective The metaphor may overlook lingering after‑effects that persist beyond immediate darkness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Fills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-fills-569702/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Immediately Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immediately-darkness-1351395/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Light Extinguished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-extinguished-614500/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Strange Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange-light-1351396/) ## Related quotes > [Overhead, the two moons worked together to bathe the world in a strange light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/overhead-the-two-moons-worked-together-to-bathe-the-world-in-a/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [There is in every animal's eye a dim image and gleam of humanity, a flash of strange light through which their life looks out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/there-is-in-every-animal-s-eye-a-dim-image-and-gleam-of-humanity-a/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [“How do you find light when so much darkness still fills you? Erry”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-arenson/how-do-you-find-light-when-so-much-darkness-still-fills-you-erry/) [Daniel Arenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-arenson/) > [Darkness fills your eyes and all you see is bad things and do them. Worst part is its like your living in hell for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/darkness-fills-your-eyes-and-all-you-see-is-bad-things-and-do-them/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [There is a light which cannot ever be extinguished. It is inside of you... It is you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/there-is-a-light-which-cannot-ever-be-extinguished-it-is-inside-of/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [“Every light can be extinguished. The intellect is a light. 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It is the passing away of vitality (āyu),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-rada-maha-thera/death-according-to-buddhism-is-the-cessation-of-the-psycho-physical/) [Nārada, Maha Thera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-rada-maha-thera/) > [She walked quickly through the darkness with the frank stride of someone who was at least certain that the forest, on this damp and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/she-walked-quickly-through-the-darkness-with-the-frank-stride-of/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? 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Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Strange: how when a light is extinguished, it's immediately as if it has never been. 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