Finally, I am also publishing some quotations she has said:
Intelligence and Intellectuals
Doris Lessing, “To Room Nineteen”:
"Intelligence barred . . . quarrelling, sulking, anger, silences of withdrawal, accusations and tears. Above all, intelligence forbids tears."
Knowledge and Learning
Doris Lessing, The Four-Gated City :
"That is what learning is. You suddenly understand something you've understood all your life, but in a new way."
Other quotes :
" The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven't changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don't change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion. "
" This world is run by people who know how to do things. They know how things work. They are equipped. Up there, there's a layer of people who run everything. But we --we're just peasants. We don't understand what's going on, and we can't do anything. "
" Some people obtain fame, others deserve it. "
" Trust no friend without faults, and love a woman, but no angel. "
" What is a hero without love for mankind. "
" Man who is he? Too bad, to be the work of God: Too good for the work of chance! "" What's terrible is to pretend that the second-rate is first-rate, that you don't need love when you do or that you like your work when you know quite well you're capable of better. "
" Literature is analysis after the event. "
" That's what learning is. You suddenly understand something you understood all your life, but in a new way. "
" Laughter is by definition healthy. "
" Man who is he? Too bad, to be the work of God: Too good for the work of chance! "
" What is a hero without love for mankind. "
" Trust no friend without faults, and love a woman, but no angel. "
" Some people obtain fame, others deserve it. "
" This world is run by people who know how to do things. They know how things work. They are equipped. Up there, there's a layer of people who run everything. But we --we're just peasants. We don't understand what's going on, and we can't do anything. "
" The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven't changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don't change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion. "
" Political correctness is the natural continuum from the party line. What we are seeing once again is a self-appointed group of vigilantes imposing their views on others. It is a heritage of communism, but they don't seem to see this. "
" A simple grateful thought turned heavenwards is the most perfect prayer. "
" It is the mark of great people to treat trifles as trifles and important matters as important. "
" Space or science fiction has become a dialect for our time. "
" It is terrible to destroy a person's picture of himself in the interests of truth or some other abstraction. "
" Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing. "
" If a fish is the movement of water embodied, given shape, then cat is a diagram and pattern of subtle air. "
" The worst superstition is to consider our own tolerable. "
" Pearls mean tears. "
" In university they don't tell you that the greater part of the law is learning to tolerate fools. "
" Better Counsel comes overnight. "
Information taken 25th of November of 2008
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/doris_lessing.htm
http://thinkexist.com/quotes/doris_lessing
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/doris_lessing.html
Academic year 2008/2009
© a.r.e.a. / Dr.Vicente Forés López
© Laura Pons Fernández