--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was as though committing murders had…" description: "\"“It was as though committing murders had purged him of lesser rudeness. Or perhaps, Starling thought, it excited him to see her marked in this particul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/thomas-harris-1874_cave_it-was-as-though-committing-murders-had_3180382.jpg" --- # It was as though committing murders had purged him of… ![“It was as though committing murders had purged him of lesser rudeness. Or perhaps, Starling thought, it excited him to see her marked in this particular way. She couldn't tell. The sparks in his eyes flew into his darkness like fireflies down a cave.” quote by Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/thomas-harris-1874_cave_it-was-as-though-committing-murders-had_3180382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/thomas-harris-1874_cave_it-was-as-though-committing-murders-had_3180382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6dc/thomas-harris-1874_cave_it-was-as-though-committing-murders-had_3180382.jpg) > ““It was as though committing murders had purged him of lesser rudeness. Or perhaps, Starling thought, it excited him to see her marked in this particular way. She couldn't tell. The sparks in his eyes flew into his darkness like fireflies down a cave.”” [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-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 murderer feels cleansed by his crimes, and is fascinated by a victim marked in a specific way, reflecting a twisted sense of redemption and obsession. **In simple terms:** Murderer feels cleansed and obsessed by his crimes. Key Takeaway Recognize how violence can distort self‑perception. Themes violence obsession redemption Mood dark intense Type literary psychological When to use this quote - crime investigation - psychological analysis - character study Key Concepts psychology morality identity Questions to Reflect On - What does the killer’s perception reveal about his humanity? - How does obsession alter moral judgment? A Different Perspective The narrative may romanticize brutality, obscuring its horror. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cave/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-like-237084/) [Eyes Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-flew-2167054/) [Fireflies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fireflies/) [Marked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marked/) [Murders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murders/) [Purged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purged/) [Rudeness Starling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rudeness-starling-5824823/) [Starling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starling-445152/) [Starling Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starling-thought-5824824/) ## Related quotes > [“She found Starling in the warm laundry room, dozing against the slow rump-rump of a washing machine in the smell of bleach and soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/she-found-starling-in-the-warm-laundry-room-dozing-against-the-slow/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [He sees very clearly - he damn sure sees through me. 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