--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The stars were going out now, one by one…" description: "\"“The stars were going out now, one by one, dropping like pennies behind the television aerials and the skylights and the washing strung between the chi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png" --- # The stars were going out now, one by one, dropping like… ![“The stars were going out now, one by one, dropping like pennies behind the television aerials and the skylights and the washing strung between the chimneys. The sky was still dark - a sated, navy-blue woman - but the grass was jittery with the expectation of dawn.” quote by Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png) > ““The stars were going out now, one by one, dropping like pennies behind the television aerials and the skylights and the washing strung between the chimneys. The sky was still dark - a sated, navy-blue woman - but the grass was jittery with the expectation of dawn.”” [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The night sky darkens, yet the world anticipates dawn, symbolizing hope amid decay. **In simple terms:** Even as stars fade, hope persists. Key Takeaway Hold onto hope despite darkness. Themes hope decay anticipation night Mood poetic reflective Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative writing - mental health Key Concepts symbolism existential reflection renewal Questions to Reflect On - What does the fading sky represent for you? - How do you find renewal? A Different Perspective Hope can feel fragile when surrounded by loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Daybreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daybreak/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Skylights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skylights/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) ## Related quotes > [“Logan followed my gaze. "I wonder if there'll be stars where I'm going." "If there aren't now, there will be once you show up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-smith-ready/logan-followed-my-gaze-i-wonder-if-there-ll-be-stars-where-i-m-going/) [Jeri Smith-Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-smith-ready/) > [Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/overhead-without-any-fuss-the-stars-were-going-out/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Don't go chattering to the stars if you're going to do it with your eyes closed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/don-t-go-chattering-to-the-stars-if-you-re-going-to-do-it-with-your/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) > [“She saw it happening like stars going out, one by one. Her online friends dropping off and never returning. Everything was shutting down, going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-calhoun/she-saw-it-happening-like-stars-going-out-one-by-one-her-online/) [Kenneth Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-calhoun/) > [In fiction, when you paint yourself into a corner, you can write a pair of suction cups onto the bottoms of your shoes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/in-fiction-when-you-paint-yourself-into-a-corner-you-can-write-a-pair/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [He's a great writer. If I didn't think so I wouldn't have tried to kill him... I was the champ and when I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/he-s-a-great-writer-if-i-didn-t-think-so-i-wouldn-t-have-tried-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I did not want windows, only skylights. I chose my painting wall as it has the best morning light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellsworth-kelly/i-did-not-want-windows-only-skylights-i-chose-my-painting-wall-as-it/) [Ellsworth Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellsworth-kelly/) > [“When the square suddenly seemed to begin to glow in an enchanted way and look wonderful in spite of its sooty trees and railings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-the-square-suddenly-seemed-to-begin-to-glow-in-an-enchanted-way/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [The rain is playing its soft pleasant tune fitfully on the skylight, and the shade of the fast-flying clouds across my book passed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-parker-willis/the-rain-is-playing-its-soft-pleasant-tune-fitfully-on-the-skylight/) [Nathaniel Parker Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-parker-willis/) > [All I know is, he found out you left and he locked himself in the shed and barricaded the door. No one's seen him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-brian/all-i-know-is-he-found-out-you-left-and-he-locked-himself-in-the-shed/) [Kate Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-brian/) > [Goodbye, Room." I wave up at Skylight. "Say goodbye," I tell Ma. "Goodbye, Room." Ma says it but on mute. I look back one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/goodbye-room-i-wave-up-at-skylight-say-goodbye-i-tell-ma-goodbye-room/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [And behind their frail partitions Business women lie and soak, Seeing through the draughty skylight Flying clouds and railway smoke. Rest you there, poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-betjeman/and-behind-their-frail-partitions-business-women-lie-and-soak-seeing/) [John Betjeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-betjeman/) > [White and scrubbed, antique brass fixtures and a skylight letting in a flood of sunshine. Wow. You could get a tan standing around in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilith-saintcrow/white-and-scrubbed-antique-brass-fixtures-and-a-skylight-letting-in-a/) [Lilith Saintcrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilith-saintcrow/) > [It's more than usually possible that I won't do a play again. But Skylight is one of the great plays in the English language.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/it-s-more-than-usually-possible-that-i-won-t-do-a-play-again-but/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [The light is really the most important thing, so if you don't have skylights and if you don't have north light, this is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-coupey/the-light-is-really-the-most-important-thing-so-if-you-don-t-have/) Pierre Coupey ## More by Peter S. Beagle > [Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/your-name-is-a-golden-bell-hung-in-my-heart-i-would-break-my-body-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [He is a great enough magician to tap our most common nightmares, daydreams and twilight fancies, but he never invented them either: he found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/he-is-a-great-enough-magician-to-tap-our-most-common-nightmares/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [...no place is more enchanted than where a unicorn has been born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/no-place-is-more-enchanted-than-where-a-unicorn-has-been-born/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“...and it's not my place to chase around after you, fixing stuff. What I know's what I know, and it don't include putting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/and-it-s-not-my-place-to-chase-around-after-you-fixing-stuff-what-i/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The most professional curse ever snarled or croaked or thundered can have no effect on a pure heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-most-professional-curse-ever-snarled-or-croaked-or-thundered-can/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“The baloney weighed the raven down, and the shopkeeper almost caught him as he whisked out the delicatessen door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-baloney-weighed-the-raven-down-and-the-shopkeeper-almost-caught/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Men have to have heroes, but no man can ever be as big as the need, and so a legend grows around a grain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/men-have-to-have-heroes-but-no-man-can-ever-be-as-big-as-the-need-and/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [A Clock is not time; it's numbers and springs. Pay it no mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/a-clock-is-not-time-it-s-numbers-and-springs-pay-it-no-mind/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Heroes know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen. A quest may not simply be abandoned; unicorns may go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/heroes-know-that-things-must-happen-when-it-is-time-for-them-to/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The Lady Amalthea beckoned, and the cat wriggled all over, like a dog, but he would not come near... She was offering her open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-lady-amalthea-beckoned-and-the-cat-wriggled-all-over-like-a-dog/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [“Where have you been?" she cried. "Damn you, where have you been?" She took a few steps toward Schmendrick, but she was looking beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/where-have-you-been-she-cried-damn-you-where-have-you-been-she-took-a/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Unicorns are not to be forgiven." The magician felt himself growing giddy with jealousy, not only of the touch but of something like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/unicorns-are-not-to-be-forgiven-the-magician-felt-himself-growing/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [The magician stood erect, menacing the attackers with demons, metamorphoses, paralyzing ailments, and secret judo holds. Molly picked up a rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-magician-stood-erect-menacing-the-attackers-with-demons/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [You pile of stones, you waste, you desolation, I'll stuff you with misery till it comes out of your eyes. I'll change your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/you-pile-of-stones-you-waste-you-desolation-i-ll-stuff-you-with/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) [Explore all 218 Peter S. Beagle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) ## More Astronomy quotes > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/) Butterfly\_Kisses > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/) [Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/) > [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/) Sylviek > [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The stars were going out now, one by one, dropping like pennies behind the television aerials and the skylights and the washing strung between the chimneys. The sky was still dark - a sated, navy-blue woman - but the grass was jittery with the expectation of dawn.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter S. Beagle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one-dropping-like-pennies-behind/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Astronomy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one-dropping-like-pennies-behind/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ce/peter-s-beagle-1665_astronomy_the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one_1079537.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The stars were going out now, one by one, dropping like pennies behind the television aerials and the…” — Peter S. Beagle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Peter S. Beagle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The stars were going out now,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one-dropping-like-pennies-behind/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/the-stars-were-going-out-now-one-by-one-dropping-like-pennies-behind/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```