pianoacrossamerica:

—Oscar Wilde

This quote has always made me think. I always ask, Why is it a punishment to see the dawn. I think I finally understand.

What does this mean to you?

Some might find it rewarding to “see the dawn before the rest of the world”, but I think that Wilde sees it as a punishment because the dream world differs harshly from reality. In the dark, there are truths that are unseen.  A dreamer’s mind is clouded with his unwillingness to relinquish his fantasies. He is oblivious to reality. In regard to this quote, moonlight is the shroud that protects the dreamer from what the world really is. Once dawn arrives, his perception of reality has ultimately been altered and he can’t relate to others what he believes to be the truth. It’s sad. They will label him as a dreamer, and as someone who is out of touch with the rest of the world.