Children will always be afraid of the dark, and men with minds sensitive to hereditary impulse will always tremble at the thought of the hidden and fathomless worlds of strange life which may pulsate in the gulfs beyond the stars, or press hideously upon our own globe in unholy dimensions which only the dead and the moonstruck can glimpse.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Children fear the dark, and sensitive men fear the unknown cosmic entities beyond our understanding.
- In plain terms
- Fear of the dark is natural, but some people also fear hidden cosmic horrors.
- What can you take from it?
- The unknown beyond our perception can terrify sensitive minds.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What lies beyond the stars?
- Why does the unknown frighten us?
Another view
This view assumes all sensitive men share this specific fear.
More from H. P. Lovecraft
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.
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