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The moth settled onto the curtain and sat still. It was an astonishing creature, with black and white wings patterned in geometric shapes, scarlet underwings, and a fat white body with black spots running down it like a snowman's coal buttons. No human eye had looked at this moth before; no one would see its friends. So much detail goes unnoticed in the world.
Barbara Kingsolver
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the beauty and intricacy of the natural world that often goes unnoticed by humans.

Barbara Kingsolver captures the profound beauty of nature through the description of a moth, highlighting the detail and uniqueness of its appearance that remains unseen by human eyes. The quote serves as a reminder of the many wonders in the natural world that we often overlook, suggesting that there is so much in life that deserves our attention and appreciation, even if it exists beyond our everyday awareness.

Themes

NatureBeautyDetailUnnoticedCreature

In practice

Example use cases

A nature enthusiast might use this quote during a talk on biodiversity to emphasize how many species remain undiscovered.

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