Quotes from Silvina Ocampo

It is so overwhelming to be loved exclusively.

Children are like that, Irene often thought, for every small dose of happiness they give us, we have to swallow all the bitterness in the world. Men are like that too. That's how the world is.

The couple had only lived a short while in that village, and they were poor as rats. Leonarda's husband bought damaged cigarettes, personally extracted his own teeth, ate meat and polenta twice a week, drank mate from an earthenware mug, never took his wife to the movies, and when she was ill he took her to a veterinarian.

I write in order to forget scorn, in order not to forget, in order not to hate, from hate, from love, from memory, and so as not to die.

I feel such sorrow when I think how horror imitates beauty.

Talking to yourself is the last subterfuge.

Creo que esa falta esencial de recuerdos, en mi caso, no provenía de una falta de memoria: creo que mi pensamiento, ocupado en adivinar el futuro, tan lleno de imágenes, no podía demorarse en el pasado.

recuerdo de los seres normales, son brevísimos y casi inexistentes para quien los prevé y solamente los vive.

Yo sentía el transcurso, la esencia del tiempo en sus repeticiones. Recordar el presente es alargar más el tiempo.

En mi corazón ¿predominaba la ira o el remordimiento? La ira convertida en resentimiento se volvía más incómoda; el remordimiento convertido en asombro, más llevadero.

Acaso el infierno que le estaba destinado sería peor que el mundo infernal en que estaba viviendo?

It was a fruit relationship, perhaps symbolizing sex.

Like Gabriela, she liked animals because they behaved in a natural way; if they were hungry they ate nonstop, if they were thirsty they drank until they were full, if they were in heat they made love desperately, if they were tired they slept at any hour of the day, if they were furious they bit or scratched or killed their enemy. It is true is that they also died and that dying is ridiculous, but they were so meticulous, so precise.

Have you ever eaten flies?" Mendiondo asked. "Yes, when I was a kid, on a dare. Of course, I tore off the wings and tiny legs before I ate it.

Mr. Arevalo was very tall and stooped when he walked, He had a woman's voice and a dog's face.

Gabriela has been dreaming about her and about a pair of shoes for quite some time.

Nadie le decía: Toñito, no juegues con la soga.