I had only one desire: to dismember it. To see of what it was made, to discover the dearness, to find the beauty, the desirability that had escaped me, but apparently only me.
Toni Morrison
Desire, Personal Exploration, Emotional Discovery, Desire, Exploration, Discovery
Toni Morrison’s Quotes On Topics
Commitment | Racism | Symbolic Distance | Emotional Resilience | Fire | Nature Conflict | Money | Personal Integrity | Individualism | Invisible Identity | Biology | Paradise | Literary Creation | Beauty | Editing | Illness Neglect | Writing Discipline | Life Meaning | Difficulty | Ideas | More
More Toni Morrison Quotes
“Intimacy is extremely important to me and I want it to be extremely important to the readers.” Toni Morrison
Intimacy, Relationships, Importance, Love, Connection, Vulnerability
Toni Morrison Intimacy, Relationships, Importance, Love, Connection, Vulnerability“More than fear of loving bears or birds bigger than cows, I fear pathless nights. How, I wonder, can I find you in the dark?” Toni Morrison
Fear, Love, Night, Loneliness, Guidance, Searching
Toni Morrison Fear, Love, Night, Loneliness, Guidance, Searching“When I went into the publishing industry, many women talked about the difficulty they had in persuading their families to let them go to college. They educated the boys, and the girls had to struggle.” Toni Morrison
Gender Struggles, Educational Barriers, Women’s Stories, Publishing, Struggles, Family
Toni Morrison Gender Struggles, Educational Barriers, Women’s Stories, Publishing, Struggles, Family“How soon country people forget. When they fall in love with a city it is forever, and it is like forever. As though there never was a time when they didn’t love it. The minute they arrive at the train station or get off the ferry and glimpse the wide streets and the wasteful lamps lighting them, they know they are born for it. There, in a city, they are not so much new as themselves: their stronger, riskier selves.” Toni Morrison
City Life, Love, Transformation, Identity, Change, Self Discovery
Toni Morrison City Life, Love, Transformation, Identity, Change, Self Discovery“Whitefolks said he was a witch doctor, but they said that so they wouldn’t have to say he was smart. A hunter’s hunter that’s what he was. Smart as they come. Taught me two lessons I lived by all my life. One was the secret of kindness from white people –they had to pity a thing before they could like it. The other – oh well, I forgot it.” Joe Trace.” Toni Morrison
Racial Perception, Wisdom, Kindness Lessons, Perception, Wisdom, Kindness
Toni Morrison Racial Perception, Wisdom, Kindness Lessons, Perception, Wisdom, Kindness“It was a silly age, twenty-five; too old for teenaged dreaming, too young for settling down. Every corner was a possibility and a dead end.” Toni Morrison
Life Stage, Youth Struggles, Personal Growth, Stage, Struggles, Growth
Toni Morrison Life Stage, Youth Struggles, Personal Growth, Stage, Struggles, Growth“Now I know why Baby Suggs pondered color her last years. She never had time to see, let alone enjoy it before.” Toni Morrison
Time, Regret, Life Reflection, Lost Opportunities, Reflection, Experience
Toni Morrison Time, Regret, Life Reflection, Lost Opportunities, Reflection, Experience“All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.” Toni Morrison
Natural Memory, Water Reflection, Cyclical Journey, Water, Memory, Reflection
Toni Morrison Natural Memory, Water Reflection, Cyclical Journey, Water, Memory, Reflection“At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough.” Toni Morrison
Life Beauty, Present Acceptance, Artistic Simplicity, Beauty, Life, Acceptance
Toni Morrison Life Beauty, Present Acceptance, Artistic Simplicity, Beauty, Life, Acceptance“The seeds of destruction lie in the definition of “chosen-ness” and can easily blossom into bigotry. It’s not inevitable but it needs constant care to avoid.” Toni Morrison
Bigotry, Identity, Destruction, Society, Care, Choice
Toni Morrison Bigotry, Identity, Destruction, Society, Care, Choice“My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen – not vagrants – hanging from trees as a child was traumatic for him.” Toni Morrison
Racism, Trauma, History, Childhood, Legacy, Violence
Toni Morrison Racism, Trauma, History, Childhood, Legacy, Violence“They shoot the white girl first.” Toni Morrison
Racial Tension, Violence, Social Commentary, Tension, Violence, Commentary
Toni Morrison Racial Tension, Violence, Social Commentary, Tension, Violence, Commentary“Love is divine only and difficult always. If you think it is easy you are a fool. If you think it is natural you are blind. It is a learned application without reason or motive except that it is God.” Toni Morrison
Love Philosophy, Divine Love, Emotional Struggle, Philosophy, Love, Struggle
Toni Morrison Love Philosophy, Divine Love, Emotional Struggle, Philosophy, Love, Struggle“Nelson Mandela is, for me, the single statesman in the world. The single statesman, in that literal sense, who is not solving all his problems with guns. It's truly unbelievable.” Toni Morrison
Global Leadership, Peace Advocacy, Mandela Reflection, Leadership, Peace, Mandela
Toni Morrison Global Leadership, Peace Advocacy, Mandela Reflection, Leadership, Peace, Mandela“What you want to be when you grow up?” Thomas turned the knob with his left hand and opened the door. “A man,” he said and left.” Toni Morrison
Identity, Growth, Manhood, Childhood, Independence, Self Discovery
Toni Morrison Identity, Growth, Manhood, Childhood, Independence, Self Discovery“Beginning Beloved with numerals rather than spelled out numbers, it was my intention to give the house an identity separate from the street or even the city.” Toni Morrison
Narrative Structure, Symbolism, Identity Creation, Structure, Symbolism, Creation
Toni Morrison Narrative Structure, Symbolism, Identity Creation, Structure, Symbolism, Creation“What a man leaves behind is what a man is.” Toni Morrison
Legacy Meaning, Human Impact, Life Reflection, Legacy, Impact, Life
Toni Morrison Legacy Meaning, Human Impact, Life Reflection, Legacy, Impact, Life“From my point of view, which is that of a storyteller, I see your life as something artful, waiting, just waiting and ready for you to make it art.” Toni Morrison
Life, Art, Storytelling, Expression, Creativity, Perspective
Toni Morrison Life, Art, Storytelling, Expression, Creativity, Perspective