Darkness Quote by László Krasznahorkai
““In the tense silence the continual buzzing of the horseflies was the only audible sound, that and the constant rain beating down in the distance, and, uniting the two, the ever more frequent scritch-scratch of the bent acacia trees outside, and the strange nightshift work of the bugs in the table legs and in various parts of the counter whose irregular pulse measured out the small parcels of time, apportioning the narrow space into which a word, a sentence or a movement might perfectly fit. The entire end-of-October night was beating with a single pulse, its own strange rhythm sounding through trees and rain and mud in a manner beyond words or vision: a vision present in the low light, in the slow passage of darkness, in the blurred shadows, in the working of tired muscles; in the silence, in its human subjects, in the undulating surface of the metaled road; in the hair moving to a different beat than do the dissolving fibers of the body; growth and decay on their divergent paths; all these thousands of echoing rhythms, this confusing clatter of night noises, all parts of an apparently common stream, that is the attempt to forget despair; though behind things other things appear as if by mischief, and once beyond the power of the eye they don't hang together. So with the door left open as if forever, with the lock that will never open. There is a chasm, a crevice.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Book of Disquiet, 1995
The passage portrays a night where every tiny sound becomes a measure of time, reflecting how humans seek order amid chaos and the relentless flow of existence.
In simple terms: Night sounds become a clock for human thoughts and feelings.
Notice how small details can anchor you in turbulent moments.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- nighttime contemplation
- writing process
- mindfulness practice
- coping with anxiety
- observing nature
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What tiny detail grounds you when life feels overwhelming?
- How does rhythm shape your perception of time?
The focus on minute sounds may overlook broader social or emotional contexts.