“ And both men listened as if hearing it for the first time, as we so frequently listen, in such circumstances, to tales whose outcomes we already know, or have already been told us by our friends. Joyce Carol Oates
“ [...] misinterpreting her silence for a broken heart, her cynicism about men for depression, ir despondency [...] Joyce Carol Oates
“ This determination to manage—to cope—to do as much unassisted as possible—is the Widow’s prerogative. You might argue that it’s a sign of her wish to appear to be—which is not the same as being—self-s… Joyce Carol Oates
“ There are people, primarily women!--who are what I call 'conduits of emotion.' In their company, the half dead can come alive. They need not be beautiful women or girls. It's a matter of blood warmth.… Joyce Carol Oates
“ The minutiae of our lives! Telephone calls, errands, appointments. None of these is of the slightest significance to others and but fleetingly to us yet they constitute such a portion of our lives, it… Joyce Carol Oates
“ The fact was that the woman lived the life she chose, she was happy in that life and it was no one's business after all but her own, my uncle's face darkening with blood as he spoke, my mother's fair… Joyce Carol Oates
“ The challenge is, to live in a house from which meaning has departed, like air leaking from a balloon. A slow leak, yet lethal. And one day, the balloon is flat: it is not a balloon any longer. By Joyce Carol Oates
“ She had no existence, in herself. From earliest childhood she had believed this. Rather she was a reflecting surface, reflecting others' perception of her, and love of her. Joyce Carol Oates
“ Our lives are Mobius strips, misery and wonder simultaneously. Our destinies are infinite, and infinitely recurring. Joyce Carol Oates
“ No one would be able to name what had happened or would wish to name it. Rape was a word that came not be spoken at High Point Farm. Joyce Carol Oates
“ My governing principle as a critic is to call attention solely to books and writers that merit such attention, and to avoid whenever possible reviewing books negatively except in those instances in wh… Joyce Carol Oates
“ Maybe he’d been mistaken, trying so hard to make his wife and young children happy. Maybe it’s always a mistake, trying to assure the happiness of others. Joyce Carol Oates
“ Love is what can’t be helped. When it waxes, and when it wanes. Love is what happens when you’ve been looking another way. Love is that sensation of something on the back of your neck, tell yourself i… Joyce Carol Oates
“ Las masas se venden por un salario, los capitalistas son unos hijos de puta que te seccionan la yugular, recogen tu sangre en frascos y la venden al mejor postor, la religión es el opio de las masas y… Joyce Carol Oates
“ It was a very American story, somehow. 'Lost.' Each community had such stories. Possibly, each family. Joyce Carol Oates
