Broken wings Quote by M. John Harrison
““He ran toward the light. When he passed the corpse of his dead friend, he began to weep again. He picked up his sword. He tried to smash a crystal window with its hilt. The corridor oppressed him. Beyond the windows, the dead brains drifted. He ran on. 'You should have done it,'whispered Birkin Grif in the soft spaces of his skull; and, 'OUROBUNDOS!'giggled the insane door, as he fell through it and in to the desert wind. His cloak cracking and whipping about him, so that he resembled a crow with broken wings, he stumbled toward the black air-boat. His mind mocked him. His face was wet. He threw himself into the command-bridge. Green light swam about him, and the dead Northmen stared blindly at him as he turned on the power. He did not choose a direction, it chose him. Under full acceleration, he fled out into the empty sky.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Skyward Sword, 1994
A desperate escape through surreal, hostile environments, driven by grief and forced choices, leading to a surrender of agency to circumstance.
In simple terms: Escaping chaos while grieving, losing control to fate.
Key Takeaway
Accept that some paths are forced; act despite fear.
Themes
grief
survival
destiny
chaos
agency
Mood
despair
intense
hopeful
Type
literary
philosophical
dramatic
When to use this quote
- warzone escape
- psychological breakdown
- fleeing oppression
- confronting destiny
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychological horror
heroic sacrifice
Questions to Reflect On
- What does surrendering direction reveal about power?
- How can grief be transformed into purposeful action?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may romanticize self‑destruction, overlooking healthier coping.
