---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yet each flower, each twig, each pebble…"
description: "\"“Yet each flower, each twig, each pebble, shines as though illuminated from within, as once before, on her first day in the Garden. It’s the stress, it..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/margaret-atwood-40_adrenalin_yet-each-flower-each-twig-each-pebble-sh_388189.jpg"
---

#  Yet each flower, each twig, each pebble, shines as though…

![“Yet each flower, each twig, each pebble, shines as though illuminated from within, as once before, on her first day in the Garden. It’s the stress, it’s the adrenalin, it’s a chemical effect: she knows this well enough. But why is it built in? she thinks. Why are we designed to see the world as…” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/margaret-atwood-40_adrenalin_yet-each-flower-each-twig-each-pebble-sh_388189.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/margaret-atwood-40_adrenalin_yet-each-flower-each-twig-each-pebble-sh_388189.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e5/margaret-atwood-40_adrenalin_yet-each-flower-each-twig-each-pebble-sh_388189.jpg)

> ““Yet each flower, each twig, each pebble, shines as though illuminated from within, as once before, on her first day in the Garden. It’s the stress, it’s the adrenalin, it’s a chemical effect: she knows this well enough. But why is it built in? she thinks. Why are we designed to see the world as supremely beautiful just as we’re about to be snuffed? Do rabbits feel the same as the fox teeth bite down on their necks? Is it mercy?””

[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 passage questions why humans are wired to perceive beauty even amidst danger, suggesting an innate, possibly evolutionary, response to stress and mortality.

**In simple terms:** Humans see beauty even in threatening moments.

Key Takeaway

Explore how stress shapes perception of beauty.

Themes

beauty stress evolution perception mortality

Mood

intriguing philosophical poetic

Type

literary existential

When to use this quote

- art criticism
- mental health coping
- environmental design

Key Concepts

biology philosophy literary analysis

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we seek beauty in crisis?
- How does this affect empathy toward other species?

A Different Perspective

Does this perception hinder realistic risk assessment?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adrenalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adrenalin/) [First Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-day/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fox/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/)

## Related quotes

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> [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/)

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> [“Real terror is a crippling experience. You sweat so much that your skin goes all wrinkly like when you've been in the bath all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/real-terror-is-a-crippling-experience-you-sweat-so-much-that-your/)

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> [Hope is the adrenalin of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/hope-is-the-adrenalin-of-the-soul/)

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> [As a young lad you go on adrenalin. You run out, look at the crowd, run around at 100mph and you can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/as-a-young-lad-you-go-on-adrenalin-you-run-out-look-at-the-crowd-run/)

[Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/)

> [A lot of times when you play... you get this adrenalin that blocks pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/a-lot-of-times-when-you-play-you-get-this-adrenalin-that-blocks-pain/)

[Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/)

> [You've got to be picky in this business - if you're not, then I don't think you have the option of longevity. You've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/you-ve-got-to-be-picky-in-this-business-if-you-re-not-then-i-don-t/)

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> [I'm really into beaches, but I also enjoy a bit of culture. An ideal holiday would have a nice balance of the two, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-raison/i-m-really-into-beaches-but-i-also-enjoy-a-bit-of-culture-an-ideal/)

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> [I do like a healthy dose of adrenalin, but my character is more rounded. I am not timid; I like excitement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caudwell/i-do-like-a-healthy-dose-of-adrenalin-but-my-character-is-more/)

[John Caudwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caudwell/)

> [“No! I'm not ready, this is still my first cup of coffee!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/no-i-m-not-ready-this-is-still-my-first-cup-of-coffee/)

[Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/)

> [When you are younger, you are running on that pure naive adrenalin, you don't have any real responsibility aside from making sure you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-taylor/when-you-are-younger-you-are-running-on-that-pure-naive-adrenalin-you/)

[Andy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-taylor/)

> [There are three things I look for in a story - it has to be a thriller; I cannot see myself writing literary fiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/there-are-three-things-i-look-for-in-a-story-it-has-to-be-a-thriller/)

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## More by Margaret Atwood

> [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. I want all my hurts to be intentional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-yet-it-disturbs-me-to-learn-i-have-hurt-someone-unintentionally-i/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/)

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> [“The birds were singing around me, but I reflected that the very birds were strangers to me, for I did not even know their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-birds-were-singing-around-me-but-i-reflected-that-the-very-birds/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [“Strange how we decorate pain. These ribbons, for instance, and the small hard teardrops of blood. Who are they for? Do we think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/strange-how-we-decorate-pain-these-ribbons-for-instance-and-the-small/)

[margaret atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [I wanted to forget the past, but it refused to forget me; it waited for sleep, then cornered me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-wanted-to-forget-the-past-but-it-refused-to-forget-me-it-waited-for/)

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[Explore all 2,072 Margaret Atwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

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> [I'm running on adrenalin when we're shooting. It's non-stop. As soon as I have time to sit down, then I fall asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/i-m-running-on-adrenalin-when-we-re-shooting-it-s-non-stop-as-soon-as/)

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> [A lot of times when you play... you get this adrenalin that blocks pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/a-lot-of-times-when-you-play-you-get-this-adrenalin-that-blocks-pain/)

[Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/)

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[Stephanie Labbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-labbe/)

> [Under adrenalin, at the end of the race, we can say things that we really don't think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-grosjean/under-adrenalin-at-the-end-of-the-race-we-can-say-things-that-we/)

[Romain Grosjean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-grosjean/)

> [Hope is the adrenalin of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/hope-is-the-adrenalin-of-the-soul/)

[Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/)

> [I miss walking out of the tunnel, the 90 minutes and the adrenalin rush that I'll never, ever replace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shearer/i-miss-walking-out-of-the-tunnel-the-90-minutes-and-the-adrenalin/)

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[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Everyone needs a bit of adrenalin in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-boorman/everyone-needs-a-bit-of-adrenalin-in-their-lives/)

[Charley Boorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-boorman/)

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