10 PTS! What is another word for belittle? (Or, what is the best word to use in its place) ie. "They tried to belittle her reputation by claiming her work was unoriginal"

"night. no one was praying for the night to pass quickly. the stars were but sparks of the immense conflagration that was consuming us. were this conflagration to be extinguished one day, nothing would be left in the sky but extinct stars and unseeing eyes." explain the images included in the passage. how is the use of the image of night contradictory to how we might expect it to be used