A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.
Neil GaimanRead
Everything that is,casts a shadow
Interpretation
What this quote means
Every existence has both light and dark aspects, highlighting the complexity of reality.
Neil Gaiman's quote suggests that in every aspect of existence, whether it be good or bad, there is always a duality present. The concept of casting a shadow indicates that every time something is illuminated, either by light or knowledge, it also creates a space of darkness, which represents the unseen or hidden truths. This duality reflects the broader understanding that all things in life come with their advantages and disadvantages, urging us to acknowledge and embrace both sides.
Themes
ExistenceShadowDualityLightTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical discussion about the nature of reality, this quote could highlight the complexity of human experience.
More from Neil Gaiman
All quotes →Jesus. Low-Key Lyesmith," said Shadow. and then he heard what he was saying and he understood. "Loki," he said. "Loki Lie-smith." "You're slow," said Loki, "but you get there in the end." And his lips twisted into a scarred smile and the embers danced in the shadows of his eyes.
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As a teenager I wrote to R.A. Lafferty. And he responded, too, with letters that were like R.A. Lafferty short stories, filled with elliptical answers to straight questions and simple answers to complicated ones.
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The important thing to understand about American history, wrote Mr. Ibis, in his leather-bound journal, is that it is fictional, a charcoal-sketched simplicity for the children, or the easily bored.
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Nothing’s changed. You’ll go home. You’ll be bored. You’ll be ignored. No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand. They don’t even get your name right.
Neil GaimanRead
I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend.
Neil GaimanRead
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