Prater Violet Quotes

“I had failed him; I knew it. But I could do no more. It was beyond my strength.
That night, I think, he explored the uttermost depths of his loneliness.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“Beneath outer consciousness, two other beings, anonymous, impersonal, without labels, had met and recognized each other and clasped hands.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“The pain of hunger beneath everything. At the end of all love-making, the dreamless sleep after the orgasm, which is like death.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“It will interest you, as a phenomenon. You see, the fihn studio of today
is really the palace of the sixteenth century. There one sees what Shakespeare saw: the absolute power of the tyrant, the courtiers, the flatterers, the jesters, the cunningly atnbitious intriguers. 111ere are fantastically beautiful wo1ne11, there are incompetent favorites. There are great 1nen "vho are suddenly disgr aced. There is the nlost insane extravagance, and unexpected parsimony over a few pence. There is enormous splendor, "vhich is a sham; and also horrible squalor hidden behind the scenery. There are vast schemes, abandoned because of so1ne caprice. There are secrets which everybody knows and no one speaks of. There are even t\;vo or three honest advisers. 111ese are the court fools, ,;vho speak the deepest wisdotn in puns, lest they should be taken seriously. They gritnace, and tear their hair privately, and weep.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“You see, this umbrella of his I find extremely symbolic. It is the British respectability which thinks: "I have my traditions, and they will protect me. Nothing unpleasant, nothing ungentlemanly can possibly happen within my private park." This respectable umbrella is the Englishman's magic wand, with which he will try to wave Hitler out of existence. When Hitler declines rudely to disappear, the Englishman will open his umbrella and say, "After all, what do I care for a little rain?" But the rain will be a rain of bombs and blood. The umbrella is not bomb-proof.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“What is the use of caring at all, if you aren't prepared to dedicate your life, to die? Well, perhaps it was some use. Very, very little.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“He is accustomed to comfort, a nice home, the care of a devoted slave who is his mother and also his jailer.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“I couldn't help smiling as we shook hands, because our introduction seemed so superfluous. There are meetings which are like recognitions - this was one of them.”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“What makes you go on living? Why don't you kill yourself? Why is all this bearable? What makes you bear it?”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet

“The incentive is to fight anarchy. That’s all Man lives for. Reclaiming life from its natural muddle. Making patterns.”
“Patterns for what?”
“For the sake of patterns. To create meaning. What else is there?”
― Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet