Chandeliers Quote by 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.”
About This Quote
Source Diary: "Child of the Dark", 1960
Urban environments can make one feel dehumanized, contrasting sharply with imagined luxury.
In simple terms: City life can feel demeaning.
Key Takeaway
Seek dignity in all surroundings.
Themes
urban alienation
class disparity
identity
environment
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
social commentary
personal narrative
When to use this quote
- housing advocacy
- mental health support
- community art projects
Key Concepts
sociology
psychology
urban studies
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your environment affect your self‑esteem?
- What can you do to reclaim agency in oppressive spaces?
A Different Perspective
Not all city experiences are negative; context matters.
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![“Favelas [slums] are not always a problem. Favelas can sometimes really be a solution.” quote by Eduardo Paes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/42c/eduardo-paes-21065_favelas_favelas-slums-are-not-always-a-problem-f_1986964.jpg)
![“My name, the McGregor name, my family's motto ... means royal is in my blood. That goes way back. So for [Aldo] to say he is the king and I am the joker, if this was a different time, I would invade his favela on horseback and kill anyone that was not fit to work. But we are in a new time. So I'll…” quote by Conor McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d7/conor-mcgregor-1489_ass_my-name-the-mcgregor-name-my-family-s-mo_1437848.jpg)
![“He spent more time on the road to Damascus than a Syrian camel driver. And we thought nobody could fill John Kerry's flip-flops! ... [Romney's record was] "anything but conservative until he changed all the light bulbs in his chandelier in time to run for President."” quote by Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b57/mike-huckabee-1433_bulbs_he-spent-more-time-on-the-road-to-damasc_181039.jpg)
![“[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.” quote by Carolina Maria de Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/268/carolina-maria-de-jesus-34061_brazil_on-brazil-in-our-country-everything-is-w_2574564.jpg)
![“There’s a writer for you,” he said. “Knows everything and at the same time he knows nothing.” [narrator]It was my first inkling that he was a writer. And while I like writers—because if you ask a writer anything you usually get an answer—still it belittled him in my eyes. Writers aren’t people…” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/38d/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_actors_there-s-a-writer-for-you-he-said-knows-e_438126.jpg)
