Quotes by Marsha Norman

“Knowing is the most profound kind of love, giving someone the gift of knowledge about yourself”

“Success is always something that you have to recover from.”

“People do think that if they avoid the truth, it might change to something better before they have to hear it.”

“Im just so thankful shes safe. I dont know how anxious she (Mary) is to go back, but I want her to stay for several months.”

“I tried and tried and tried to call her. It was very emotional for me.”

“When she called me and I heard her voice, I just went to pieces. The rest of the day, I lost all my strength.”

“This story begins where all great stories start, with loss. Hansel and Gretel begins with the parents are gone, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, the mom is dead.”

The theater is a communal event, like church. The playwright constructs a mass to be performed for a lot of people. She writes a prayer, which is really just the longings of one heart.

Dreams are illustrations...from the book your soul is writing about you.

Family is just accident, Jessie. Its nothing personal, hon. They dont mean to get on your nerves. They dont even mean to be your family, they just are.

I see it on his face. I hear it when he talks. We look out at the world and we see the same thing: Not Fair. And the only difference between us is Rickys out there trying to get even. And he knows not trust anybody and he got it straight from me. And he knows not to try and get work, and guess where he got that. He walks around like theres loose boards in the floor, and you know who laid that floor, I did.

Jesus was a suicide, if you ask me.

Im just not having a very good time and I dont have any reason to think itll get anything but worse. Im tired. Im hurt. Im sad. I feel used.

Mama, I know you used to ride the bus. Riding the bus and it’s hot and bumpy and crowded and too noisy and more than anything in the world you want to get off and the only reason in the world you don’t get off is it’s still fifty blocks from where you’re going? Well, I can get off right now if I want to, because even if I ride fifty more years and get off then, it’s the same place when I step down to it. Whenever I feel like it, I can get off. As soon as I’ve had enough, it’s my stop. I’ve had enough.

No. You cant. And I cant do anything either, about my life, to change it, make it better, make me feel better about it. Like it better, make it work. But I can stop it. Shut it down, turn it off like the radio when theres nothing on I want to listen to. Its all I really have that belongs to me and Im going to say what happens to it. And its going to stop. And Im going to stop it. So. Lets just have a good time.

...I only told you about it because I thought I might get a laugh out of you for once even if it wasnt the truth, Jessie. Things dont have to be true to talk about em, you know.

Peole do think that if they avoid the truth it might change to something better before they have to hear it.

Family is just accident. . . . They dont mean to get on your nerves. They dont even mean to be your family they just are.

Mama: But something might happen. Something that might change everything. Who knows what it might be, but it might be worth waiting for! (Jessie doesnt respond.) Try if for two more weeks.Jessie: No, MamaMama: ill pay more attention to you. Tell the truth when you ask me. Let you have your say.Jessie: No, Mama. This is how I have my say. This is how I say what I thought about it ALL and I say No. To Dawson and Loretta and the Red Chinese and epilepsy and Ricky and Cicel and you. And me. And hope. I say No.,

Mama:...you can keep trying. You can get brave and try some more. You dont have to give up.Jessie: Im NOT giving up. This IS the other thing Im trying. And Im sure there are some other things that might work, but MIGHT work isnt good enough any more. I need something that WILL work. THIS will work. Thats why I picked it.