Dark and Light Pg. 35

Within the last paragraph on page 35 explores the conflict of light vs. dark. "Tonight there's no moon, and yet it's very bright," this quote that starts the paragraph gives the basic idea and tone of the way that the rest of the passage is going to flow. Without reading the rest of this passage it leaves the reader very confused about how this can happen. Which means that there is much more to find out. As the passage goes along we begin to find out what Harry Mulisch means by it being bright when it's dark. Although he couldn't see anything he could see everything in his mind because he knows the neighborhood by heart. He decides to go out at midnight so that no one else in the neighborhood could see him. This sets one of the main conflicts for the rest of the book because it establishes how many of the conflicts that will be brought up on any of the characters really can be solved if you "set your mind to it." Although the natural thought of the reader when presented with a conflict inside the text is that the character is going to be put into a state of distress or fear, Anton completely changes the meaning of conflict. He takes whatever is presented to him and used his vision to make things "bright" when needed. Brightness is a key motif for the base of the rest of the novel and it is all started from this passage.