Carolina Maria De Jesus Quotes

“The book is man's best invention so far.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“I went to the shoemaker to collect his wastepaper. One of them asked me if my book was communistic. I replied that it was realistic. He cautioned me that it was not wise to write of reality.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“Why is it that the saints of June are honored with fire?”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“I classify Sao Paolo this way: The Governor's Palace is the living room. The mayor's office is the dining room and the city is the garden. And the favela is the back yard where they throw the garbage.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“I adore my black skin and my kinky hair. The Negro hair is more educated than the white man's hair. Because with Negro hair, where you put it, it stays. It's obedient. The hair of the white, just give one quick movement, and it's out of place. It won't obey. If reincarnation exists I want to come back black.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“When I am in the city I have the impression that I am in a living room with crystal chandeliers, rugs of velvet, and satin cushions. And when I'm in the favela I have the impression that I'm a useless object, destined to be forever in a garbage dump.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“[On Brazil:] In our country everything is weakening. The money is weak. Democracy is weak and the politicians are very weak. Everything that is weak dies one day.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

Who has gone hungry learns to think of the future and of the children.

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“We are slaves to the cost of living.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“A child is the root of the heart.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“Will there ever be a drama more beautiful than that of eating?”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“A poet will even face death when he sees his people oppressed.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“We have only one way to be born and many ways to die.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus

“Life is just like a book. Only after you've read it do you know how it ends. It is when we are at the end of life that we know how our life ran. Mine, until now, has been black. As black as my skin. Black as the garbage dump where I live.”

— Carolina Maria De Jesus