Ideals shine brightly in stark contrast to the cruel, ugly reality.
In turn, against the backdrop of such transcendent beauty of ideals, the weight of reality is thrown into even sharper relief.
Especially when ideals are battered by the onslaught of reality, the resulting disparity can become so intense, intense enough to overturn a person's long-held values and cause them to collapse mentally.
The pen scribbled aimlessly on the white paper, its chaotic lines faithfully reflecting the turmoil in the writer's mind.
("It doesn't matter anymore"—that's what it means, isn't it?)
Self-derisive words echoed in his mind, but Roland couldn't even force a bitter smile, knowing full well that giving up is a despicable act of evasion, yet incapable of rousing himself out of his despondency.
