There was already a deep black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin. — Flannery O'Connor Black Copy Share Image
“Anyone who survived childhood has enough material to write for the rest of his life.” — Flannery O'Connor Childhood Copy Share Image
“This shiffer-robe belongs to Hazel Motes. Do not steal it or you will be hunted down and killed.” — Flannery O'Connor Robe Copy Share Image
Total non-retention has kept my education from being a burden to me. — Flannery O'Connor Burden Copy Share Image
the writer is initially set going by literature more than by life. — Flannery O'Connor Books Copy Share Image
Writing is like giving birth to a piano sideways. Anyone who perseveres is either talented or nuts. — Flannery O'Connor Birth Copy Share Image
“How would he know if time was going backwards or forwards or if he was going with it?” — Flannery O'Connor Backwards Copy Share Image
The writer should never be ashamed of staring. There is nothing that does not require his attention. — Flannery O'Connor Ashamed Copy Share Image
Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I'm always irritated by… — Flannery O'Connor Books Copy Share Image
I don't have my novel outlined, and I have to write to discover what I am doing. Like the old lady, I… — Flannery O'Connor Again Copy Share Image
The operation of the Church is entirely set up for the sinner; which creates much misunderstanding among the smug.” (August 9, 1955) — Flannery O'Connor August Copy Share Image
“Did you see the picture of Roy Rogers's horse attending a church service in Pasadena? I forgot whether his name was Tex… — Flannery O'Connor Church service Copy Share Image
“Parker sat for a long time on the ground in the alley behind the pool hall, examining his soul. He saw it… — Flannery O'Connor Long time Copy Share Image
The mind serves best when it's anchored in the Word of God. There is no danger then of becoming an intellectual without… — Flannery O'Connor Becoming Copy Share Image
In the first place you can be so absolutely honest and so absolutely wrong at the same time that I think it… — Flannery O'Connor Cautious Copy Share Image
I am very much afraid that to the fiction writer the fact that we shall always have the poor with us is… — Flannery O'Connor Able Copy Share Image
“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw… — Flannery O'Connor Cried Copy Share Image
He knew something was going to happen and his entire system was waiting on it. He thought it was going to be… — Flannery O'Connor Better person Copy Share Image
I don't think you should write something as long as a novel around anything that is not of the gravest concern to… — Flannery O'Connor Air Copy Share Image
Far be it for me to have worked it out in any abstract way. I don't know why the bull and Mrs.… — Flannery O'Connor Abstract Copy Share Image
Manners are of such great consequence to the novelist that any kind will do. Bad manners are better than no manners at… — Flannery O'Connor Bad man Copy Share Image
“Man's desire for God is bedded in his unconscious & seeks to satisfy itself in physical possession of another human. This necessarily… — Flannery O'Connor Desire Copy Share Image
“He was pleased that she should see death in his face at once. His mother, at the age of sixty, was going… — Flannery O'Connor Death Copy Share Image
I believe the teacher's work is largely negative, that it is largely a matter of saying, "This doesn't work because ..." or… — Flannery O'Connor Believe Copy Share Image
There is something in us, as storytellers and as listeners to stories, that demands the redemptive act, that demands that what falls… — Flannery O'Connor Books Copy Share Image
“Wise Blood was written by an author congenitally innocent of theory, but one with certain preoccupations. That belief in Christ is to… — Flannery O'Connor Books Copy Share Image
“Nothing outside you can give you anyplace. You needn't to look at the sky because it's not going to open up and… — Flannery O'Connor Redemption Copy Share Image
“Mr. Head stood very still and felt the action of mercy touch him again but this time he knew that there were… — Flannery O'Connor Compassion Copy Share Image
“Francis Marion Tarwater’s uncle had been dead for only half a day when the boy got too drunk to finish digging his… — Flannery O'Connor Francis Marion Copy Share Image
“ Wise Blood has reached the age of ten and is still alive. My critical powers are just sufficient to determine this,… — Flannery O'Connor Flannery-o-connor Copy Share Image
“I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know… — Flannery O'Connor Faith Copy Share Image
“Week before last I went to Wesleyan and read “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” After it I went to one… — Flannery O'Connor Books Copy Share Image
