crawl in a hole and pull it in after me

Question

This phrase occurs surprisingly frequently. I assume, based on contexts, that it means roughly 'I am so embarrassed'. What I wonder is what it is that 'it' refers to. What is to be pulled in? Any ideas?

There are hundreds of examples that can be found by googling:

hole "pull it in after"

E.g.:

It made us miserable, urgently wanting to find a hole in the universe, crawl into it, and pull it in after us.

It is also a line in the movie Sunset Blvd (1950)

GMB · Answer

The it refers to the hole itself. This is a bit of hyperbole, since it posits an action that is not literally possible. Crawling into a hole, so as to hide oneself, is possible, but to pull the hole in after oneself, in essence disappearing into the hole and then making the hole itself disappear, is not possible. This expression is fairly common as a way to indicate, as the OP suggests, a feeling of embarrassment.

Answered by GMB on December 25, 2020

Tony Conrad · Answer

This phrase references feelings more profound than just embarrassment can elicit. The want to pull yourself from your reality, absolve yourself from any responsibility or consequences thereof. It can convey helplessness or hopelessness in a context that the audience is not expected to fathom.

Answered by Tony Conrad on December 25, 2020

Dennis · Answer

It also refers to just hiding, perhaps if you are taking flight, try to escape. Maybe old fashioned - you can find it in crime novels from the 40ies and 50ies.

crawl in a hole and pull it in after me

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