I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge-even wisdom. Like art.
Toni Morrison
Pain, Knowledge, Chaos, Wisdom, Art, Struggle
Toni Morrison’s Quotes On Topics
Triumph | Letting Go | Tears | Creative Freedom | Racial Expectations | Simple Joy | Indifference Symbolism | Biology | Emotional Resilience | Expectations | Decision | Social Violence | Racial Reflection | Lasting Impact | Exile | Time | Existential Thoughts | Fragmented Love | Displacement | Radical Change | More
More Toni Morrison Quotes
“You have to be willing to think the unthinkable.” Toni Morrison
Bold Thinking, Mental Freedom, Unconventional Ideas, Thinking, Freedom, Ideas
Toni Morrison Bold Thinking, Mental Freedom, Unconventional Ideas, Thinking, Freedom, Ideas“Because each had discovered years before that they were neither white nor male, and that all freedom and triumph was forbidden to them, they had set about creating something else to be.” Toni Morrison
Identity, Freedom, Gender, Race, Self-discovery, Struggle
Toni Morrison Identity, Freedom, Gender, Race, Self-discovery, Struggle“They encouraged you to put some of your weight in their hands and soon as you felt how light and lovely it was, they studied your scars and tribulations.” Toni Morrison
Shared Burden, Emotional Scars, Trust Dynamics, Trust, Scars, Support
Toni Morrison Shared Burden, Emotional Scars, Trust Dynamics, Trust, Scars, Support“Lay my head on the railroad line. Train come along; pacify my mind.” Toni Morrison
Peace, Journey, Escape, Railroad, Solitude, Mindfulness
Toni Morrison Peace, Journey, Escape, Railroad, Solitude, Mindfulness“Daily life took as much as she had. The future was sunset; the past something to leave behind. And if it didn’t stay behind, well, you might have to stomp it out.” Toni Morrison
Life Challenges, Moving Forward, Personal Resolve, Challenges, Forward, Resolve
Toni Morrison Life Challenges, Moving Forward, Personal Resolve, Challenges, Forward, Resolve“Everywhere, everywhere, children are the scorned people of the earth.” Toni Morrison
Childhood Struggles, Social Neglect, Global Injustice, Children, Struggle, Neglect
Toni Morrison Childhood Struggles, Social Neglect, Global Injustice, Children, Struggle, Neglect“All paradises, all utopias are designed by who is not there, by the people who are not allowed in.” Toni Morrison
Utopia, Society, Exclusion, Freedom, Design, Justice
Toni Morrison Utopia, Society, Exclusion, Freedom, Design, Justice“Love is never any better than the lover. Wicked people love wickedly, violent people love violently, weak people love weakly, stupid people love stupidly, but the love a free man is never safe.” Toni Morrison
Love, Relationships, Freedom, Passion, Intensity, Danger
Toni Morrison Love, Relationships, Freedom, Passion, Intensity, Danger“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“Her color is a cross she will always carry.” Toni Morrison
Racial Burden, Personal Identity, Social Struggles, Race, Identity, Struggles
Toni Morrison Racial Burden, Personal Identity, Social Struggles, Race, Identity, Struggles“Misery colored by the greens and blues in my mother’s voice took away all the grief out of the words and left me with a conviction that pain was not only endurable, it was sweet.” Toni Morrison
Maternal Comfort, Pain Endurance, Emotional Resilience, Comfort, Endurance, Resilience
Toni Morrison Maternal Comfort, Pain Endurance, Emotional Resilience, Comfort, Endurance, Resilience“You are worthy to be seen. You are worthy to be heard. You are worthy to be sat with, to be walked beside. Even in your quietest moments, you are worthy of witness.” Toni Morrison
Self Worth, Empowerment, Respect, Validation, Personal Growth, Identity
Toni Morrison Self Worth, Empowerment, Respect, Validation, Personal Growth, Identity“A little black girl yearns for the blue eyes of a little white girl, and the horror at the heart of her yearning is exceeded only by the evil of fulfillment.” Toni Morrison
Racial Identity, Unrealistic Beauty, Social Injustice, Identity, Beauty, Injustice
Toni Morrison Racial Identity, Unrealistic Beauty, Social Injustice, Identity, Beauty, Injustice“The Thing to fear was the Thing that made her beautiful, and not us.” Toni Morrison
Fear, Beauty, Jealousy, Insecurity, Relationships, Envy
Toni Morrison Fear, Beauty, Jealousy, Insecurity, Relationships, Envy“Wait, wait, wait, wait. Don’t try to write through it, to force it. Many do, but that won’t work. Just wait, it will come.” Toni Morrison
Patience Writing, Creative Block, Process Trust, Writing, Patience, Inspiration
Toni Morrison Patience Writing, Creative Block, Process Trust, Writing, Patience, Inspiration“Laughter is more serious than tears.” Toni Morrison
Laughter Power, Emotional Expression, Humor, Power, Expression, Humor
Toni Morrison Laughter Power, Emotional Expression, Humor, Power, Expression, Humor“Clever, but schoolteacher beat him anyway to show him that definitions belonged to the definers – not the defined.” Toni Morrison
Power, Authority, Definition, Identity, Control, Education
Toni Morrison Power, Authority, Definition, Identity, Control, Education“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“The pieces I am, she gather them and gave them back to me in all the right order.” Toni Morrison
Emotional Repair, Love’s Healing, Personal Growth, Healing, Love, Growth
Toni Morrison Emotional Repair, Love’s Healing, Personal Growth, Healing, Love, Growth“When I’m not creating or focusing on something I can imagine or invent, I think I go back over my life – I don’t recommend this by the way – and you pick up, oh, what’d you do that for? Why didn’t you understand this?” Toni Morrison
Regret Reflection, Creative Escape, Life Review, Reflection, Escape, Review
Toni Morrison Regret Reflection, Creative Escape, Life Review, Reflection, Escape, Review