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August Quote by William Faulkner

“. . .in August in Mississippi there’s a few days somewhere about the middle of the month when suddenly there’s a foretaste of fall, it’s cool, there’s a lambence, a soft, a luminous quality to the light, as though it came not from just today but from back in the old classic times. It might have…” quote by William Faulkner
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“. . .in August in Mississippi there’s a few days somewhere about the middle of the month when suddenly there’s a foretaste of fall, it’s cool, there’s a lambence, a soft, a luminous quality to the light, as though it came not from just today but from back in the old classic times. It might have fauns and satyrs and the gods and---from Greece, from Olympus in it somewhere. It lasts just for a day or two, then it’s gone. . .the title reminded me of that time, of a luminosity older than our Christian civilization.”

William Faulkner

About This Quote

The passage evokes a fleeting, nostalgic summer atmosphere in Mississippi, likening it to an ancient, mythic light that feels timeless and transcendent.

In simple terms: It describes a brief, luminous summer feeling reminiscent of old myths.

Key Takeaway

Savor fleeting moments of timeless beauty.

Themes

nature nostalgia myth seasonal change

Mood

nostalgic poetic

Type

literary descriptive

When to use this quote

  • Summer evenings
  • artistic inspiration
  • photography

Key Concepts

Ephemeral beauty mythic resonance temporal perception

Questions to Reflect On

  • What sensations does this memory evoke?
  • How does myth shape our perception of place?
A Different Perspective

Subjective description may be poetic rather than literal.

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