--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was an unnatural time to be awake…" description: "\"“It was an unnatural time to be awake, ... It meant nothing good. He associated it with emergency, bereavement, conspiracy, flight; the sad skulk away ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg" --- # It was an unnatural time to be awake, ... It meant nothing… ![“It was an unnatural time to be awake, ... It meant nothing good. He associated it with emergency, bereavement, conspiracy, flight; the sad skulk away at the end of a one-night affair.” quote by Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg) > ““It was an unnatural time to be awake, ... It meant nothing good. He associated it with emergency, bereavement, conspiracy, flight; the sad skulk away at the end of a one-night affair.”” [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A period of crisis and loss feels oppressive, linking wakefulness with fear and grief. **In simple terms:** Crisis makes waking feel heavy and fearful. Key Takeaway Recognize and address underlying anxieties. Themes crisis grief fear awakening Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal loss - political turmoil - nighttime anxiety - emergency response Key Concepts existential dread psychological stress Questions to Reflect On - How do you cope with sudden crises? - What can transform fear into action? A Different Perspective Only focusing on negativity can ignore resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) [Awake Meant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake-meant-5746691/) [Bereavement Conspiracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bereavement-conspiracy-5746693/) [Flight Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flight-sad-5746692/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Robert-harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robert-harris/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-awake-698217/) ## Related quotes > [you can live a whole life time never being awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/you-can-live-a-whole-life-time-never-being-awake/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Violence is Inevitable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/violence-is-inevitable/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“The most important thing in any endeavour is to get involved in the fight, and in that way learn what to do next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-most-important-thing-in-any-endeavour-is-to-get-involved-in-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“His scars and his tattoos were the medals of his lifetime. He was proud to wear them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/his-scars-and-his-tattoos-were-the-medals-of-his-lifetime-he-was/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“more enemies, more honour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/more-enemies-more-honour/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Death solves all problems - no man, no problem. - J. V. Stalin, 1918 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/death-solves-all-problems-no-man-no-problem-j-v-stalin-1918/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“A comrade who deserts a comrade is a cowardly dog, and all such dogs should die a dog's death, comrade -”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/a-comrade-who-deserts-a-comrade-is-a-cowardly-dog-and-all-such-dogs/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“History wasn't made without taking risks, that much he knew. So maybe sometimes you had to take risks to write it, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/history-wasn-t-made-without-taking-risks-that-much-he-knew-so-maybe/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Have you ever seen fishermen when a storm is brewing on a great river? I have seen them many a time. In the face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/have-you-ever-seen-fishermen-when-a-storm-is-brewing-on-a-great-river/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He wondered what O'Brian would have been like in a real war, one in which he actually had to fight rather than just take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-wondered-what-o-brian-would-have-been-like-in-a-real-war-one-in/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He glanced around the reading room and closed his eyes, trying to keep hold of the past for a minute longer, a fattening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-glanced-around-the-reading-room-and-closed-his-eyes-trying-to-keep/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“... unfortunately, freedom alone is not enough, by far. If there is a shortage of bread, a shortage of butter and fats, a shortage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/unfortunately-freedom-alone-is-not-enough-by-far-if-there-is-a/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“To choose one's victims, to prepare one's plans minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed ... there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/to-choose-one-s-victims-to-prepare-one-s-plans-minutely-to-slake-an/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“The foundations of Empire are often occasions of woe; their dismemberment, always.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-foundations-of-empire-are-often-occasions-of-woe-their/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## More by Robert Harris > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [If one first gives himself to the Lord, all other giving is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/if-one-first-gives-himself-to-the-lord-all-other-giving-is-easy/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Cicero most reminds me of Harold Wilson. Both men knew how to keep the show on the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/cicero-most-reminds-me-of-harold-wilson-both-men-knew-how-to-keep-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The financial world is at the cutting edge of high technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-financial-world-is-at-the-cutting-edge-of-high-technology/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“To choose one's victims, to prepare one's plans minutely, to slake an implacable vengeance, and then to go to bed ... there is nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/to-choose-one-s-victims-to-prepare-one-s-plans-minutely-to-slake-an/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“Nature has granted man no better gift than the shortness of life. The senses grow dull, the limbs are numb, sight, bearing, gait, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/nature-has-granted-man-no-better-gift-than-the-shortness-of-life-the/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“A crock of shit,” Rick had called it. But actually this was worse. Shit, to quote Gore Vidal, has its own integrity. This was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/a-crock-of-shit-rick-had-called-it-but-actually-this-was-worse-shit/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“... unfortunately, freedom alone is not enough, by far. If there is a shortage of bread, a shortage of butter and fats, a shortage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/unfortunately-freedom-alone-is-not-enough-by-far-if-there-is-a/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [It is perseverance, and not genius that takes a man to the top. Rome is full of unrecognized geniuses. Only perseverance enables you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-is-perseverance-and-not-genius-that-takes-a-man-to-the-top-rome-is/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“No one can really claim to know politics properly until he has stayed up all night writing a speech for delivery the following day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/no-one-can-really-claim-to-know-politics-properly-until-he-has-stayed/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [People perish. Books are immortal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/people-perish-books-are-immortal/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Does a name stick because it suits a man or does the man, unconsciously, evolve into his name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/does-a-name-stick-because-it-suits-a-man-or-does-the-man/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“He glanced around the reading room and closed his eyes, trying to keep hold of the past for a minute longer, a fattening and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-glanced-around-the-reading-room-and-closed-his-eyes-trying-to-keep/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [The natural impulse of men is to follow and whoever has the strongest sense of purpose will always dominate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/the-natural-impulse-of-men-is-to-follow-and-whoever-has-the-strongest/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) [Explore all 184 Robert Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) ## More Awake quotes > [“I am awake. I know what you took. I am coming for you. Vengeance is mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-burks/i-am-awake-i-know-what-you-took-i-am-coming-for-you-vengeance-is-mine/) [Robin Burks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-burks/) > [Reagan was sitting up at Cath's desk when Cath woke up. "Are you awake?" "Have you been watching me sleep?" "Yes, Bella. Are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/reagan-was-sitting-up-at-cath-s-desk-when-cath-woke-up-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Are you awake?” “Have you been watching me sleep?” “Yes, Bella. Are you awake?” “No.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/are-you-awake-have-you-been-watching-me-sleep-yes-bella-are-you-awake/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have finished your daily task, go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/have-courage-for-the-great-sorrows-of-life-and-patience-for-the-small/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [One of his students asked Buddha, "Are you the Messiah?" "No," answered Buddha. "Then are you a healer?" "No," Buddha replied. "Then are you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-of-his-students-asked-buddha-are-you-the-messiah-no-answered/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [Hopes are dreams of those who are awake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hopes-are-dreams-of-those-who-are-awake/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your heart isn't yet illumined Be awake always, be a seeker of the heart, Be at war continually with your carnal soul. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/if-your-heart-isn-t-yet-illumined-be-awake-always-be-a-seeker-of-the/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Wherever I went I felt like the last person awake in a room full of sleepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/wherever-i-went-i-felt-like-the-last-person-awake-in-a-room-full-of/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [I'd just like to see athletes awake. And aware. There's so much going on and so much to know... We stay in our little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-teter/i-d-just-like-to-see-athletes-awake-and-aware-there-s-so-much-going/) [Hannah Teter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-teter/) > [As your awareness of the riches available to you in your everyday life grows, you are on the way to becoming the laughing Buddha.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/as-your-awareness-of-the-riches-available-to-you-in-your-everyday/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [“Think of it this way, Mara. We don’t have the power to make the sun rise, but we can choose to be awake when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-garlough-brown/think-of-it-this-way-mara-we-don-t-have-the-power-to-make-the-sun/) [Sharon Garlough Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-garlough-brown/) > [“The owl,” he was saying, “is one of the most curious creatures. A bird that stays awake when the rest of the world sleeps.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-rose/the-owl-he-was-saying-is-one-of-the-most-curious-creatures-a-bird/) [M.J. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-rose/) > [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Shall we keep men in a fool's paradise? Shall we lull them into soft slumbers from which they will awake in hell? Are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/shall-we-keep-men-in-a-fool-s-paradise-shall-we-lull-them-into-soft/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 1,663 Awake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awake/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was an unnatural time to be awake, ... It meant nothing good. He associated it with emergency, bereavement, conspiracy, flight; the sad skulk away at the end of a one-night affair.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Harris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it-meant-nothing-good-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it-meant-nothing-good-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/robert-harris-2039_awake_it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it_3166748.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was an unnatural time to be awake, ... It meant nothing good. He associated it with emergency…” — Robert Harris", "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": "Robert Harris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was an unnatural time to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it-meant-nothing-good-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/it-was-an-unnatural-time-to-be-awake-it-meant-nothing-good-he/#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 } } ] } ```