“I despise this weakness in myself--this endless one-sided conversation that takes the place of action...”

“A raintree bent towards a window in one side of the bungalow, eavesdropping on the conversations that had taken place inside over years.”

“Contempt is the weapon of the weak and a defense against one's own despised and unwanted feelings.”

“Yesterday he told me he thought I would have to pretend to be weak, but he was wrong. I am weak already. I brace myself against the wall and press my forehead to my hands. It’s difficult to take deep breaths, so I take short, shallow ones. I can’t let this happen. They attacked me to make me feel weak. I can pretend they succeeded to protect myself, but I can’t let it become true.”

“Power is the ability to take one's place in whatever discourse is essential to action and the right to have one's part matter.”

“I no longer feel any allegiance to these monsters called human beings, despise being one myself.”