Past and present Quote by Lawrence Durrell
““and all at once it seemed that past and present had joined again without any divisions in it, and that all my memories and impressions had ordered themselves into one complete pattern whose metaphor was always the shining city of the disinherited — a city now trying softly to spread the sticky prismatic wings of a new-born dragonfly on the night.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Alexandria Quartet, 1962
The narrator experiences a moment where past and present merge, forming a unified memory pattern likened to a luminous, evolving city and a newborn dragonfly spreading its wings.
In simple terms: Memories blend into a vivid, evolving whole.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the fluidity of memory.
Themes
memory
identity
transformation
creativity
Mood
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- psychological insight
Key Concepts
Narrative consciousness
symbolic imagery
Questions to Reflect On
- How does merging past and present affect your self‑understanding?
- What does the dragonfly symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may be overly ornate, obscuring practical meaning.
