Short Fiction · Chapter
XVII explained
The narrator describes a chaotic and terrifying procession of people carrying statues of saints, uncertain whether to exalt or destroy them.
What happens
The narrator describes a chaotic and terrifying procession of people carrying statues of saints, uncertain whether to exalt or destroy them. The crowd, united by horror and death, moves frantically, with some cursing, others praying, and many behaving like lunatics. The scene is marked by destruction, religious confusion, and a sense of purposeless flight.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the narrator reaches a psychological peak of false euphoria, claim…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Madness and Rationality
The crowd's behavior—howling like lunatics, laughing, weeping, and running from no one—illustrates a breakdown of rationality and collective madness.
- Faith and Doubt
The bearers of saint statues are torn between raising them high or trampling them, reflecting a crisis of faith and religious uncertainty.
- Death and Mortality
The procession is described as children of Horror and Death, with references to 'Dies irae' (Day of Wrath) and abysses, emphasizing mortality and doom.
Key passages
“They were bearing the statues of their saints, but did not know whether to raise them still higher over their heads or to cast them upon the ground, trampling the fragments underfoot.”
The people carried their religious icons but were conflicted, unsure whether to honor them or destroy them.
Highlights the theme of faith and doubt.
“Some were still cursing, while others were already saying their prayers, but they walked on together, the children of the same father and the same mother, or Horror and of Death.”
Despite their different reactions—cursing or praying—they moved as one, united by horror and death.
Emphasizes the shared human condition in the face of chaos.
“Some howled like lunatics. And they were waving their hands, and all were in a hurry. The fat-bellied monks were running. From whom were they running away? Not a soul was seen behind them.”
People screamed wildly and rushed frantically, even the monks, but there was no visible pursuer.
Illustrates irrational panic and madness.
