--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world, like a great iris of an even…" description: "\"The world, like a great iris of an even more gigantic eye, which has also just opened and stretched out to encompass everything, stared back at him.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg" --- # The world, like a great iris of an even more gigantic eye… ![“The world, like a great iris of an even more gigantic eye, which has also just opened and stretched out to encompass everything, stared back at him.” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg) > “The world, like a great iris of an even more gigantic eye, which has also just opened and stretched out to encompass everything, stared back at him.” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The universe is vast and all‑encompassing, and when we become aware of it, it feels as if it is observing us in return. **In simple terms:** The cosmos feels like a giant eye watching us. Key Takeaway Recognize our place in the larger whole. Themes wonder existence perspective cosmos awareness Mood awe thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - stargazing - philosophical contemplation - creative writing - spiritual reflection Key Concepts philosophy astronomy literature Questions to Reflect On - What does feeling observed by the universe mean to you? - How does this perspective change your daily actions? A Different Perspective It may inspire existential dread rather than comfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Irises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irises/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I did such a gigantic eye roll I almost fell over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-did-such-a-gigantic-eye-roll-i-almost-fell-over/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Tod's eyes widened and his irises swirled in tight twists of blue. "Well, I don't see that I have much of a choice, considering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/tod-s-eyes-widened-and-his-irises-swirled-in-tight-twists-of-blue/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [You have the older generation like Iris Murdoch and Angus Wilson who are not as old as Graham Greene, but still are coming on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/you-have-the-older-generation-like-iris-murdoch-and-angus-wilson-who/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish'd dove; In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/in-the-spring-a-livelier-iris-changes-on-the-burnish-d-dove-in-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [“Then we had the irises, rising beautiful and cool on their tall stalks, like blown glass, like pastel water momentarily frozen in a splash,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/then-we-had-the-irises-rising-beautiful-and-cool-on-their-tall-stalks/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Iris Murdoch did influence my early novels very much, and influence is never entirely good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-n-wilson/iris-murdoch-did-influence-my-early-novels-very-much-and-influence-is/) [A. N. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-n-wilson/) > [To consider what other people might say is hardly a good reason to take action or to defer it. You have your own life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/to-consider-what-other-people-might-say-is-hardly-a-good-reason-to/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [Ana Iris once asked me if I loved him and I told her about the lights in my old home in the capital, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/ana-iris-once-asked-me-if-i-loved-him-and-i-told-her-about-the-lights/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [You can see the weakness of a man right through his iris.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/you-can-see-the-weakness-of-a-man-right-through-his-iris/) [RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [ \[While shooting close-ups\] you study real eyes, you study how the light reflects in them, you study the back of the eye, you study… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/while-shooting-close-ups-you-study-real-eyes-you-study-how-the-light/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [...that swimming, sloping, elusive something about the dark-bluish tint of the iris which seemed still to retain the shadows it had absorbed of ancient,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/that-swimming-sloping-elusive-something-about-the-dark-bluish-tint-of/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [The grass he walked through was new and a sweet smell clung to his clothes. There was blue dye on his hands from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-grass-he-walked-through-was-new-and-a-sweet-smell-clung-to-his/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant? ...We are all shape-shifters and magical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/who-would-deduce-the-dragonfly-from-the-larva-the-iris-from-the-bud/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [I played Iris Murdoch, who had not long died, and I felt the responsibility very heavy on my shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-played-iris-murdoch-who-had-not-long-died-and-i-felt-the/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [“Our irises are galaxies; our pupils are black holes if we allow ourselves to bottle up everything inside us instead of allowing ourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaclyn-johnston/our-irises-are-galaxies-our-pupils-are-black-holes-if-we-allow/) Jaclyn Johnston ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [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/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Eye quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/clearly-when-we-baptize-our-eyes-should-gaze-beyond-the-baptismal/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. 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They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) Browse all 16,237 Eye quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world, like a great iris of an even more gigantic eye, which has also just opened and stretched out to encompass everything, stared back at him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Bradbury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-more-gigantic-eye-which-has/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eye" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-more-gigantic-eye-which-has/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ray-bradbury-75_eye_the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-m_3165749.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world, like a great iris of an even more gigantic eye, which has also just opened and stretched out to…” — Ray Bradbury", "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": "Ray Bradbury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world, like a great iris...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-more-gigantic-eye-which-has/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-world-like-a-great-iris-of-an-even-more-gigantic-eye-which-has/#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 } } ] } ```