Ashtrays Quote by P. J. O'Rourke
“The sky was so clear that the starlight cast shadows, and so many sparkles and glitters and glints appeared above us that it looked like something really expensive had been dropped and shattered in heaven - God's Steuben ashtray, maybe.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Best of P.J. O'Rourke” (1995)
A vivid, humorous description of a night sky sparkling like shattered luxury.
In simple terms: The sky glittered like broken expensive glass.
Key Takeaway
Appreciate beauty in ordinary moments.
Themes
humor
observation
beauty
Mood
playful
witty
Type
satirical
descriptive
When to use this quote
- nighttime stargazing
- poetic writing
- creative inspiration
Key Concepts
visual metaphor
satire
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “expensive” metaphor suggest?
- How does humor change perception of awe?
A Different Perspective
Humor may mask deeper melancholy.
![“Writing a play is like smashing that [glass] ashtray, filming it in slow motion, and then running the film in reverse, so that the fragments of rubble appear to fly together. You start - or at least I start - with the rubble.” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/271/tom-stoppard-437_ashtrays_writing-a-play-is-like-smashing-that-gla_733373.jpg)
