--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All her violence had drained away…" description: "\"“All her violence had drained away, replaced by a fear older and deeper than anything she'd ever experienced. An old, old recognition. Something inside..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/l-j-smith-962_darkness_all-her-violence-had-drained-away-replac_259236.png" --- # All her violence had drained away, replaced by a fear… ![“All her violence had drained away, replaced by a fear older and deeper than anything she'd ever experienced. An old, old recognition. Something inside her knew him from a time when girls took skin bags to the river to get water, a time when panthers walked in the darkness outside mud huts. From a…” quote by L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/l-j-smith-962_darkness_all-her-violence-had-drained-away-replac_259236.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/l-j-smith-962_darkness_all-her-violence-had-drained-away-replac_259236.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01a/l-j-smith-962_darkness_all-her-violence-had-drained-away-replac_259236.png) > ““All her violence had drained away, replaced by a fear older and deeper than anything she'd ever experienced. An old, old recognition. Something inside her knew him from a time when girls took skin bags to the river to get water, a time when panthers walked in the darkness outside mud huts. From a time before electric lights, before candles, when darkness was fended off with stone lamps. When darkness was the greatest danger of all.”” [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character’s trauma transforms into a deep, ancestral fear, recalling a time when darkness itself was deadly. **In simple terms:** She feels an ancient, primal fear. Key Takeaway Recognize how past trauma shapes present anxiety. Themes fear trauma ancestry darkness survival Mood haunting reflective Type literary atmospheric When to use this quote - nighttime travel - walking through dark forests - surviving in remote villages - confronting personal nightmares Key Concepts psychology historical memory primal instinct Questions to Reflect On - What ancient fears still influence you today? - How can you transform that fear into strength? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize fear without offering a path to healing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Electric light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electric-light/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. 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Although frightening, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-nestor/i-quickly-got-used-to-being-picked-up-by-my-mother-and-taken-to-the/) [Alfred Nestor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-nestor/) > [Let not this darkness outside be of any effect to your inner self, wait for the morning and swallow the light and brightness. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-not-this-darkness-outside-be-of-any-effect-to-your-inner-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This was the last time I ever saw my mother alive. Just the same, this picture gets all mixed up in my mind with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/this-was-the-last-time-i-ever-saw-my-mother-alive-just-the-same-this/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“No lights shone beyond the windows of his room. The reflection from the bedside lamp seemed insubstantial as a candle flame; the darkness outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hand/no-lights-shone-beyond-the-windows-of-his-room-the-reflection-from/) [Elizabeth Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hand/) > [“They constantly try to escape From the darkness outside and within By dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot-2/they-constantly-try-to-escape-from-the-darkness-outside-and-within-by/) [T.S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot-2/) > [I’m not afraid of the darkness outside. It’s the darkness inside houses I don’t like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelagh-delaney/i-m-not-afraid-of-the-darkness-outside-it-s-the-darkness-inside/) [Shelagh Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelagh-delaney/) > [“She smiled at last. And damn if it didn’t kill him, the quiet joy in her face. They had walked out of darkness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-smiled-at-last-and-damn-if-it-didn-t-kill-him-the-quiet-joy-in/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Queer, how her own desperate need of light seemed to throw such brilliance over the affairs of the members of her family. She carried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hull/queer-how-her-own-desperate-need-of-light-seemed-to-throw-such/) Helen Hull > [One of the signs that you are walking in the light is that you are honest about having walked in the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/one-of-the-signs-that-you-are-walking-in-the-light-is-that-you-are/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/the-people-who-walked-in-darkness-have-seen-a-great-light-those-who/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a land of deep shadow a light has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah/the-people-who-walked-in-darkness-have-seen-a-great-light-on-those/) [Isaiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaiah/) > [“Because somehow, even with the encumbrance of such an unfortunate and isolating occupation, she walked through darkness with elegance, navigating the corridors of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/because-somehow-even-with-the-encumbrance-of-such-an-unfortunate-and/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) ## More by L.J. Smith > [“You're Giving me a...stick" MaryL to a very dangerious vampire”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/you-re-giving-me-a-stick-maryl-to-a-very-dangerious-vampire/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“I'd rather cut my throat," she said. An intriguing thought. But I can do it so much more enjoyably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/i-d-rather-cut-my-throat-she-said-an-intriguing-thought-but-i-can-do/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“I love you Stefan, never let that go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/i-love-you-stefan-never-let-that-go/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“That's how I want to go. Taking my own way out and totally pissing everybody off at the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/that-s-how-i-want-to-go-taking-my-own-way-out-and-totally-pissing/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“Mary-Lynnette had an inexplicable impulse to knock Ash flat and fall down on top of him. She'd never felt that for any boy before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/mary-lynnette-had-an-inexplicable-impulse-to-knock-ash-flat-and-fall/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“It's all right," Jeanne was yelling. "Yeah, you heard me, it's all right! Delos isn't dangerous. Not to us, anyway. Come on, you, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/it-s-all-right-jeanne-was-yelling-yeah-you-heard-me-it-s-all-right/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“Katherine," he said. He was still smiling. "Yes." She leaned closer. "Katherine..." "Yes, Damon?" "Go to hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/katherine-he-said-he-was-still-smiling-yes-she-leaned-closer/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“Still, there was no point in hurting Damon. She loved Damon, too. “I’ll try,” she promised. “We’ll take you home,” he said. “But not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/still-there-was-no-point-in-hurting-damon-she-loved-damon-too-i-ll/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“Wasnt it Startre who said hell was eternity spent in a room with your friends?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/wasnt-it-startre-who-said-hell-was-eternity-spent-in-a-room-with-your/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“A bright haze seemed to lie over everything, and she had a feeling of unreality, but the scene itself looked almost unbelievably wholesome, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/a-bright-haze-seemed-to-lie-over-everything-and-she-had-a-feeling-of/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“No, I'll dream another dream," he said. "I've made up so many things, now I'll just go into one. I'll be part of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/no-i-ll-dream-another-dream-he-said-i-ve-made-up-so-many-things-now-i/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“She started walking again. "Are you saying you didn't even want to be with her? Not even just a little?" He stopped. "How could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/she-started-walking-again-are-you-saying-you-didn-t-even-want-to-be/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“Wings of PURIFICATION”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/wings-of-purification/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“This Kitten Has Claws”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/this-kitten-has-claws/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“Now get out of my way, or finish life as a pile of cinders.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/now-get-out-of-my-way-or-finish-life-as-a-pile-of-cinders/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) [Explore all 310 L.J. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) ## 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? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. 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 [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All her violence had drained away, replaced by a fear older and deeper than anything she'd ever experienced. An old, old recognition. Something inside her knew him from a time when girls took skin bags to the river to get water, a time when panthers walked in the darkness outside mud huts. From a time before electric lights, before candles, when darkness was fended off with stone lamps. When darkness was the greatest danger of all.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "L.J. 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