“It is one of the blessings of this world that few people see visions and dream dreams. ”

“She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie’s first dream was dead, so she became a woman.”

“Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly.”

“She often spoke to falling seeds and said, "Ah hope you fall on soft ground," because she had heard seeds saying that to each other as they passed. The familiar people and things had failed her so she hung over the gate and looked up the road towards way off. She knew now that marriage did not make love. Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman.”

“Some people could look at a mud puddle and see an ocean with ships.”

“She knew things that nobody had ever told her... She knew the world was a stallion rolling in the blue pastor of ether. She knew that God tore down the old world every evening and built a new one every sun-up. It was wonderful to see it take form with the sun and emerge from the gray dust of its making.”

“...she starched and ironed her face, forming it into just what people wanted to see...”