The Woman in Black Man and the Natural World Quotes
How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I like to look about me at the sky above my head, whether there are moon and stars or utter darkness, and into the darkness ahead of me; I like to listen for the cries of nocturnal creatures and the moaning rise and fall of the wind… (1.2)
It's hard not to be affected by the sounds of nature, but you don't have to go on forever, Arthur. Geez. We get it; you're an outdoors man.
Quote #2
To one side of it, a stream ran between the banks toward the meadow beyond, whence it made its meandering way down to the river. (1.11)
The pleasant, beautiful aspects of Monk's Piece attract Arthur—maybe because it's about the exact opposite of Eel Marsh house.
Quote #3
It was a yellow fog, a filthy, evil-smelling fog, a fog that choked and blinded, smeared and stained. Groping their way blindly across roads, men and women took their lives in their hands… (2.3)
The fog that surrounds London sounds pretty gross. Is that even a natural phenomenon? (Nope—not if you don't consider humans a part of nature, that is.)
Quote #4
My head reeled at the sheer and startling beauty, the wide, bare openness of it. The sense of space, the vastness of the sky above and on either side made my heart race. (5.4)
Arthur's obviously a city boy if he's this affected by being outside in the wide open spaces. But to give him a little more credit, he's experiencing a pretty profound encounter with the Sublime.
Quote #5
this must be the Nine Lives Causeway—this and nothing more—and saw how, when the tide came in, it would quickly be quite submerged and untraceable. (5.5)
Nature isn't just beautiful. It can be a little frightening as well, when it's fixing to cover up your only road out to town.
Quote #6
Suddenly conscious of the cold and the extreme bleakness and eeriness of the spot and of the gathering dusk of the November afternoon… (5.23)
The landscape surrounding Eel Marsh House is particularly good at making people feel depressed. There's just something about November, isn't there?
Quote #7
And yet, there was a strange fascination in looking out over the wild wide marshes, for they had an uncanny beauty, even now, in the gray twilight. There was nothing whatsoever to see for mile after mile and yet I could not take my eyes away. (5.38)
Arthur is drawn to the beauty of the marshland around Eel Marsh House. Sadly, that soon gives way to sheer terror. We're guessing he doesn't visit too many marshes these days.
Quote #8
The first thing I noticed on the following morning was a change in the weather. As soon as I awoke, a little before seven, I felt that the air had a dampness in it and that it was rather cold… I could hardly see the division between land and water, water and sky… (9.30)
Can you picture this? It's like Arthur is trapped in some snow globe, with the land, water, and sky surrounding him in his creepy castle and no way to contact any other humans. Ugh. Gives us chills.
Quote #9
But when I awoke abruptly in the early hours it had increased greatly in force. The house felt like a ship at sea, battered by the gale that came roaring across the open marsh. (10.1)
The wind is declaring war on all man-made things, including the house and, natch, Arthur Kipps. Better hide. There's no winning out against Mother Nature.
Quote #10
Then I, too, began to feel the stickiness and the unsteadiness of the ground as it became boggier. (10.28)
The landscape starts to literally suck Arthur in, like it did to poor Nathaniel in the pony and trap. Better be careful, or he's going to get stuck—not like Nathaniel, but like Jennet, living the same horrible experience over and over.