When it came night, the white waves paced to and fro in the moonlight, and the wind brought the sound of the great sea's voice to the men on shore, and they felt that they could then be interpreters.
Stephen CraneRead
XXVIII "Truth," said a traveller, "Is a rock, a mighty fortress; "Often have I been to it, "Even to its highest tower, "From whence the world looks black." "Truth," said a traveller, "Is a breath, a wind, "A shadow, a phantom; "Long have I pursued it, "But never have I touched "The hem of its garment." And I believed the second traveller; For truth was to me A breath, a wind, A shadow, a phantom, And never had I touched The hem of its garment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the elusive nature of truth, comparing it to both a strong fortress and a fleeting phantom.
In this quote by Stephen Crane, the travellers' contrasting perceptions of truth reveal its complexity and duality. The first traveller views truth as a solid, unyielding fortress that provides a clear perspective, while the second perceives it as an intangible and transient force that can never be fully grasped. Through their experiences, Crane suggests that truth is multifaceted and often slips away from our understanding, evoking both its strength and its mystery in our lives.
Themes
TruthPerceptionElusivenessPhilosophyUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the nature of reality in a philosophy class.
More from Stephen Crane
All quotes →I saw a man pursuing the horizon
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Two or three angels Came near to the earth. They saw a fat church. Little black streams of people Came and went in continually. And the angels were puzzled To know why the people went thus, And why they stayed so long within.
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Sometimes, the most profound of awakenings come wrapped in the quietest of moments.
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Tell her this And more,— That the king of the seas Weeps too, old, helpless man. The bustling fates Heap his hands with corpses Until he stands like a child With surplus of toys.
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Over the river a golden ray of sun came through the hosts of leaden rain clouds.
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