Flannery O'Connor Quotes

All violence consists in some people forcing others, under threat of suffering or death, to do what they do not want to do.

Serial killing is not about sex at all, but about power and control and revenge on society.

Dr. Flint had sworn that he would make me suffer, to my last day, for this new crime against him, as he called it; and as long as he had me in his power he kept his word.

Boys, I've just reminded Hubert that I've got his balls in my pocket.

Ambition fortifies the will of man to become ruler over other men: it operates with deception, cajolery, and violence, it is the action of impurity upon impurity.

People always use power, that's the unsurprising thing. They use it to try to sleep with who they want to sleep with - women as well as men do that - but I don't understand violence.

If you want to please me very much, you will fall down when I shoot you," -Oates The White Darkness

Grab whom you must. Do what you want.

All violence flows from the same source ... the need for power. Power is the only true morality ... the only deathless god, and the appetite for violence is its only commandment.

Real fulfillment, for the man who allows absolutely free rein to his desires, and who much dominate everything, lies in hatred.

What are you doing in Nicky's room, Rachel? Oooh! He summoned you to the west coast, didn't he? Did you kill him? Good for you taking care of that little problem? I should give you a bunny!" - Algaliarept

You think my first instinct is to protect you. Because you're small, or a girl, or a Stiff. But you're wrong." He leans his face close to mine and wraps his fingers around my chin. His hand smells like metal. When was the last time he held a gun, or a knife? My skin tingles at the point of contact, like he's transmitting electricity through his skin. "My first instinct is to push you until you break, just to see how hard I have to press." he says, his fingers squeezing at the word break. My body tenses at the edge in his voice, so I am coiled as tight as a spring, and I forget to breathe.

An attempt to achieve the good by force is like an attempt to provide a man with a picture gallery at the price of cutting out his eyes.

I do like to hit people-I like the explosion of power and energy, and the feeling that I am untouchable because I can hurt people. But I hate that part of myself, because it is the part of me that is the most broken

Let us make war on the phrase 'violence doesn't solve anything.' It is a lie, and anyone who utters it cannot be taken morally seriously.

I had it then. Soda fought for fun, Steve for hatred, Darry for pride, and Two-Bit for conformity. Why do I fight? I thought, and couldn't think of any real good reason. There isn't any real good reason for fighting except self-defense.

It is easy to rule over the good.

Structures can be manipulated for ill as well, especially when people are dealing with issues of power, or control, or violence.

If you try putting a woman on a horse when she does not want to go, she may put a knife in your ribs.

Beware the People weeping When they bare the iron hand.

I hate puppets so much. I dream about puppets all night. I see strings on people. The nice thing is we can just take a puppet and put it in front of a wall and blow the shit out of it.

A bully fights people littler and weaker than he is because he thinks it's fun.

Why must you always try to be omnipotent, and shove things about? Tragic things happen sometimes that we just have to submit to.

Can I cut off your head?" "Are you asking for my permission?

Audacity is the currency for authoritarians.