Insight: We Left a Light On (Spoilers!) · 6:48am Sep 30th, 2015
Warning! Before venturing any further, this is a blog that highlights details into the story called We Left a Light On. If you have not read it, do not continue! Instead, you can read it here:
This blog post is here to shed a little light on some of the things you might miss on the first read-through of the story. Here we go:
1) First of all, it is recommended that you read through the story a second time once you've come to the end and realize what is going on. There are clues peppered throughout the entire story that are much better understood once you realize what's happening. Kind of like Fight Club, there are things you might miss the first time reading. Clues you may have missed: 1 - Applejack as a filly is short enough to have to leap up and put her forelegs on the window sill to look out. As an adult, she can just glance out the window without doing this. 2 - The photo album has pictures of AJ and Big Mac, but only a few of Apple Bloom, suggesting that she hasn't been around very long. 3 - The short length of rope that has been left outside for lasso practice suggests AJ hasn't been at it very long. As an adult, she is a pro with a lasso and certainly doesn't need much practice. 4 - The hammer and nails outside by the fence are left behind when Big Mac was helping to mend the gate. As an adult, he wouldn't be helping to do it... he'd be finishing the whole job himself. 5 - The fact that AJ 'certainly doesn't want to wake Apple Bloom up' is a small hint that Apple Bloom is just a foal. There are a lot more, see if you can find them!
2) It will be obvious for most readers, but for anyone who doesn't understand what happened, the story takes place the night Applejack's parents die. This is why Applejack is so worried about how late it is, as they should have come home by now.
3) I don't believe anyone will piece this together without it being pointed out specifically, but the light has been left on as a reassurance to the Apple siblings that their parents would be safe. It's not there to protect the children, but the parents themselves. Imagine AJ and Big Mac being upset that their parents need to step out for a few hours that night, and they have Big Mac leave a light on so that they'll be safe coming home. Knowing this makes Applejack's realization that a 'light is just a light' just a little more heartbreaking.
This story was a lot of fun to write, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it.
Let me know what you think!
- Slorgy
Huh. I only got what happened around the end. Nice clues into it, though!
Ouhhhh.... so THAT'S what happened. .