Reality Quote by Clarice Lispector
““Reality doesn't surprise me. But that's not true: I suddenly feel such a hunger for the "thing to really happen" that I cry out and bite into reality with my lacerating teeth. And afterwards give a sigh over the captive whose flesh I ate. And again, for a long while, I do without real reality and find comfort in living from my imagination.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector, 1978
The speaker craves an intense, visceral experience of reality, feeling both hunger for it and guilt after consuming it, then retreats into imagination for comfort.
In simple terms: A yearning for raw reality leads to guilt, so imagination offers refuge.
Key Takeaway
Balance desire for reality with reflective imagination.
Themes
desire
guilt
imagination
reality
escape
Mood
intense
conflicted
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- artistic creation
- personal crisis
- mental health coping
- creative writing
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
sensory immersion
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish healthy immersion from destructive obsession?
- What role does imagination play after reality feels overwhelming?
A Different Perspective
The intense craving may be unsustainable and harmful.
![“When I was in third grade--the age of many of the boys here--my parents had debated whether or not to buy me a pair of [special soccer shoes]...Here in Bolivia most of the kids played in bare feet, and they had as much fun as we ever had. Alone, human beings can feel hunger. Alone, we can feel…” quote by Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/87d/eric-greitens-3611_bare-feet_when-i-was-in-third-grade-the-age-of-man_625772.jpg)
