Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[imchongjun]

Hello, teachers.
I have a simple question about the meaning of "searching" in the following passage.
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"And now�come over to me here, in the light of this window. I want to look at you."

Dominey obeyed with a little shrug of the shoulders. There was no sunshine, but the white north light was in its way searching. It showed the sprinkling of grey in his ruddy-brown hair, the suspicion of it in his closely trimmed moustache...
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I understand expressions like "searching eyes", but when you say "the light is searching", what exactly do you mean? Thank you in advance for your answers. (I always appreciate your help!!)

[Yinglish]

The excerpt is from "The Great Impersonation" which takes stage in Scotland (near the Arctic Circle) where Northern Lights appear.

"the white north light was in its way searching" is referring to how the Northern Lights look (moving and shifting or searching).

[Eric Thompson]

Dear Imchongju, Let me just add that 'search' implies a living being that uses its eyes or brain to find things. 'Light' is not such a thing. In your passage, the author is taking poetic license, or stretching the use of words to stretch the reader's mind beyond interpreting normal everyday language. -- Eric