Closed Off Quotes

“I needed nothing and was needed nowhere. I almost doubted I was alive.”
― Catherine Lacey, The Answers

“Every insecure soul has a government of their own and a paid judge in their court room.”
― Shannon L. Alder

“Tell me everything!" she'd cry, salivating. Poor Reva. She might actually have thought I was capable of sharing things. "Friends forever?" She'd want us to make some sacred pact. She always wanted to make pacts. "Let's make a pact to have brunch at least twice a month. Let's promise to go for a walk through Central Park every Saturday. Let's have a daily call-time. Will you swear to take a ski trip this year? It burns so many calories.”
― Ottessa Moshfegh, My Year of Rest and Relaxation

“I started to build a home with all the walls I was putting up for myself, but when I was finished, I realized I had built a cage and didn’t make a key.”
― Lidia Longorio, Hey Humanity

“Bereavement is my occupation and it absorbs me completely. You want me to touch you, to look at you with sympathy. I cannot.”
― Iris Murdoch, The Sacred and Profane Love Machine

“I'm not comparing him to Most Wanted sketches anymore, if that's what you're asking."
"The start of every beautiful friendship."
"Shut up," I said. "You know I have a black, mistrustful pit where my heart is supposed to be."
"I know that's what you want people to think," Conner said.”
― Alicia Thompson, Love in the Time of Serial Killers

“»Der Igel ist ein fürchterliches Geschöpf«, rief Faline. »Voll großer Stacheln am ganzen Körper . . . und dazu noch sehr böse!«
»Glaubst du wirklich, daß er böse ist?« fragte Gobo. »Er tut doch niemandem etwas zuleide.«
»So?« erwiderte Faline schnell, »hat er dich vielleicht nicht gestochen?«
»Ach, das war nur, weil ich mit ihm reden wollte«, wendete Gobo ein, »und nur ein kleines bißchen. Es hat nicht sehr weh getan.«
Bambi wandte sich an Gobo: »Warum wollte er denn nicht, daß du mit ihm redest?«
»Er will mit niemandem reden«, mengte sich Faline ein. »Sowie man nur in seine Nähe kommt, rollt er sich zusammen, und dann siehst du von allen Seiten nur seine Stacheln. Unsere Mutter sagt, er ist so einer, der mit der Welt nichts zu tun haben will.«
Gobo meinte: »Vielleicht fürchtet er sich nur.«
Aber Faline verstand das besser: »Die Mutter sagt, mit so jemandem soll man sich gar nicht einlassen.«”
― Felix Salten, Bambi: Eine Lebensgeschichte aus dem Walde

“[…] she remains enigmatic, unbreachable; she unlocks herself only for certain people.”
― Isabel Banta, Honey

“There's a hedge maze here?" Rose asked.
Hart moved his shoulders in a way that didn't exactly answer her question.
"Can I see it?"
"The sun's already down,"he said. "It's not a good idea to go in there in the dark."
Rose wasn't sure why, but he'd gone from an open, blooming flower to suddenly closed off, all thorns. Here was the crack in Hart's perfect facade that Rose had been hunting for.”
― Goldy Moldavsky, Of Earthly Delights