The Sundial Quotes

“When shall we live if not now?”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“The sight of one's own heart is degrading; people are not meant to look inward--that's why they've been give bodies, to hide their souls.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“It is a longing so intense that it creates what it desires, it cannot endure any touch of correction; it is, as I say, unspeakable.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“The question of belief is a curious one, partaking of the wonders of childhood and the blind hopefulness of the very old; in all the world there is not someone who does not believe something. It might be suggested, and not easily disproven that anything, no matter how exotic, can be believed by someone. On the other hand, abstract belief is largely impossible; it is the concrete, the actuality of the cup, the candle, the sacrificial stone, which hardens belief; the statue is nothing until it cries, the philosophy is nothing until the philosopher is martyred.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Where did he go, your father?'

'Africa.'

'What for?'

'To shoot lions, of course.'

'What on Earth for?' said Mrs. Willow blankly.

'Some people shoot lions,' the girl said pleasantly, 'and some people do not shoot lions. My father is one of the people who do.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“It is unholy because it is heretic. It is foul. It is abominable to need something so badly that you cannot picture living without it. It is a contradiction to the condition of mankind.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“I assume then, that you have no real faith in the fondness any of the rest of us may feel for you?'
'None,' said Mrs. Halloran.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“I know this much—the world out there, Fancy, that world which is all around on the other side of the wall, it isn’t real. It’s real inside here, we’re real, but what is outside is like it’s made of cardboard, or plastic, or something. Nothing out there is real. Everything is made out of something else, and everything is made to look like something else, and it all comes apart in your hands. The people aren’t real, they’re nothing but endless copies of each other, all looking just alike, like paper dolls, and they live in houses full of artificial things and eat imitation food—” “My doll house,” Fancy said, amused. “Your dolls have little cakes and roasts made of wood and painted. Well, the people out there have cakes and bread and cookies made out of pretend flour, with all kinds of things taken out of it to make it prettier for them to eat, and all kinds of things put in to make it easier for them to eat, and they eat meat which has been cooked for them already so they won’t have to bother to do anything except heat it up and they read newspapers full of nonsense and lies and one day they hear that some truth is being kept from them for their own good and the next day they hear that the truth is being kept from them because it was really a lie”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Something must be done, however. I will not have space ships landing on my lawn.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“The sight of one's own heart is degrading; people are not meant to look inward -- that's why they've been given bodies, to hide their souls.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Now, she thought; I may go mad, but at least I look like a lady.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Did you marry me for my father's money?'
'Well, that, and the house.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Only human beings and rabid animals turn on their own kind,”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“I have no way of knowing what we may be called upon to do for ourselves.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“[...] A man in Texas won a divorce from his wife because she tore out the last chapter of every mystery story he borrowed from the library. [...]”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“[...] 'You, sir,' the man said, addressing Essex. 'Do you atone?'
'Daily,' said Essex.
'Sin?'
'When I can,' said Essex manfully.
'Metal?'
'I beg your pardon?'
'How do you stand on metal? Allow yourselves metal fastenings? Meat? Ills of the flesh?'
'I am heir to all of them,' said Essex, inspired. [...]”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“The experiment with humanity is at an end," Aunt Fanny said.
"Splendid," Mrs. Halloran said, "I was getting very tired of all of them.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“A television set in Florida refused to let itself be turned off; until its owners took an axe to it, it continued, on or off, presenting inferior music and stale movies and endless, maddening advertising, and even under the axe, with its last sigh, it died with the praises of a hair tonic on its lips.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“The more haste, the less speed,”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“She forced herself to sit up primly on the edge of the marble bench, repressing firmly the nausea she felt at its warm pressure, and she smoothed the black linen of her dress across her lap, and tucked in her hair, which had somehow come loose, and crossed her ankles decently, and took her black-edged handkerchief from her bosom and dried her eyes and wiped away the dampness and grime from her face. Now, she thought; I may go mad, but at least I look like a lady.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“She is hysterical,” said Mrs. Halloran. “Slap her quite firmly in the face.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Well I am here, I am at the heart, I have come through the maze--where is the secret I am to learn from my many agonies? Here I am, here I am, where is my reward? What have I earned, learned, spurned?”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Mrs. Halloran believed she had gone mad, but Aunt Fanny mad was so much more palatable than Aunt Fanny sane that Mrs. Halloran bit her tongue, averted her eyes, and winced only occasionally.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Mrs. Halloran believed she had gone mad, but Aunt Fanny mad was so much more palatable than Aunt Fanny sand that Mrs. Halloran bit her tongue, averted her eyes, and winced only occasionally.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Essex made a face. 'Ambrosia is not my drink.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“[...] 'He is the captain,' Miss Ogilvie explained eagerly. 'He is coming home with us, Aunt Fanny invited him.'
'Captain?' said Julia, who was not at all that bright, 'captain of what?'
'I wish I knew,' said the captain.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Reality,' Essex said. 'Reality. What is real, Aunt Fanny?'
'The Truth,' said Aunt Fanny at once.
'Mrs. Willow, what is real?'
'Comfort, ' said Mrs. Willow.
'Miss Ogilvie, what is real?'
'Oh, dear.' Miss Ogilvie looked for help to Mrs. Willow, to Julia. 'I couldn't really say, not having had that much experience. Well... food, I guess.'
'Maryjane,' said Essex, 'what is reality?'
'What?' Maryjane stared with her mouth open. 'You mean, something real, like something not in the movies?'
'A dream world,' Arabella supplied.
Julia laughed. 'Essex,' she said, 'what is real?'
Essex bowed to her gravely. 'I am real,' he said. 'I am not at all sure about the rest of you.'
[...]
'Well, reality,' Mrs. Willow said finally, 'all it means is money. A roof over your head, of course, and a little something three times a day and maybe a drop to drink. But mostly money. Clothes. Looking nice, and feeling a little chipper, and of course,' she added, giving Essex a wink -- and provoking Arabella into saying 'Mother, dear!' -- 'a man in your bed. Reality!' and now it sounded as though Mrs. Willow might be saying 'May wine,' or even possibly 'tropical moonlight,' and she gave a happy little sigh.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Lei, signore" disse l'uomo, rivolgendosi a Essex. "Lei fa penitenza?".

"Tutti i giorni" rispose Essex.

"Pecca?"

"Quando posso" disse virilmente Essex.

"Metallo?"

"Come, scusi?"

"Qual è la sua posizione sul metallo? Si concede allacciature di metallo per i vestiti? Carne? Afflizioni fisiche?".

"Ho ereditato tutto questo" disse Essex, ispirato.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“There's no denying, for instance, that my clever Julia is a fool and my lovely Arabella is a—"
   "Flirt," Mrs. Halloran said.
   "Well, I was going to say tart, but it's your house, after all.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial

“Fancy was a liar. She had been with Aunt Fanny and dared not admit to running away. She had not been frightened, but she enjoyed teasing people weaker than herself. Not a servant, or an animal, or any child in the village near the house, would willingly go near her.”
― Shirley Jackson, The Sundial