--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it…" description: "\"Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn? Yet if you look east, at sunset, you can see night rising, no..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/margaret-atwood-40_behinds_night-falls-or-has-fallen-why-is-it-that_769358.jpg" --- # Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls… ![“Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn? Yet if you look east, at sunset, you can see night rising, not falling; darkness lifting into the sky, up from the horizon, like a black sun behind cloud cover. Like smoke from an unseen fire, a line of fire…” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/margaret-atwood-40_behinds_night-falls-or-has-fallen-why-is-it-that_769358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/margaret-atwood-40_behinds_night-falls-or-has-fallen-why-is-it-that_769358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d4/margaret-atwood-40_behinds_night-falls-or-has-fallen-why-is-it-that_769358.jpg) > “Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn? Yet if you look east, at sunset, you can see night rising, not falling; darkness lifting into the sky, up from the horizon, like a black sun behind cloud cover. Like smoke from an unseen fire, a line of fire just below the horizon, brushfire or a burning city. Maybe night falls because it’s heavy, a thick curtain pulled up over the eyes. Wool blanket.” [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem muses on night’s descent, using paradoxical imagery to convey its weight and mystery. **In simple terms:** Night feels heavy and mysterious. Key Takeaway Embrace the mystery of night. Themes night perception paradox imagery nature Mood contemplative poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - contemplation - nighttime rituals - artistic inspiration Key Concepts light darkness time visual metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What does night symbolize for you? - How do you find comfort in darkness? A Different Perspective It may romanticize darkness without addressing fear it can provoke. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon/) [Lifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifting/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Sunset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunset/) [Sunsets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunsets/) ## Related quotes > [“Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn? 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