Close Read, Page 35, The Assault

In this passage, the author juxtaposes light and dark, while threading in motifs of sight as well. When the woman says, “there is no moon, and yet it’s very bright”, the reader is forced to think of the ways in which it be bright without the light of the moon, and he/she also realizes that this passage is going to have multiple meanings. The speaker goes on to talk about how dark it was, yet she knew where she was and could still see. The meaning could be that she knew her exact location because she had lived in the town for so long, but she couldn't see, as in she was blind to what was going on in those moments. It also means that it was so dark that she literally couldn't see.

Because the speaker knows her location so well from living there for so long, she gives of a feeling that she knows exactly where she is, but there is a sense of confusion coming from her because it was a situation unlike the rest. The way that she speaks makes the reader think that she is an all knowing character, and it is comforting to Anton because he is so confused and scared. In reality, she doesn't really know what exactly when down though. “I might as well have had no eyes.” One can argue that she had some confusion because of her saying this.