Pay attention Quote by Shirley Jackson
““... I never turned; it was enough to feel them all there without looking into their flat grey faces with hating eyes. I wish you were all dead, I thought, and longed to say it out loud. Constance said, "Never let them see that you care," and "If you pay attention they'll only get worse," and probably it was true, but I wished they were dead. I would have liked to come into the grocery some morning and see them all, even the Elberts and the children, lying there crying with the pain of dying. I would help myself to groceries, I thought, stepping over their bodies, taking whatever I fancied from the shelves, and go home, with perhaps a kick for Mrs. Donell while she lay there. I was never sorry when I had thoughts like this; I only wished they would come true.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, 1959
A narrator harbors dark, violent fantasies about indifferent people, revealing deep alienation and suppressed rage.
In simple terms: The speaker wishes harm on others and feels no remorse.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront harmful thoughts before they fester.
Themes
alienation
violence
psychology
empathy
guilt
Mood
disturbing
dark
introspective
Type
literary
psychological
fiction
When to use this quote
- hospital ward
- grocery store
- war zone
- family dinner
- public transport
Key Concepts
nihilism
psychological horror
social detachment
Questions to Reflect On
- What triggers such extreme thoughts?
- How can one channel alienation into compassion?
A Different Perspective
These thoughts may be symbolic, not literal intent, and could indicate mental illness.
![“I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with [my wife] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and I just had such a strong reaction to the prayer. And I was really emotionally - I felt really grounded at that time. And so to be in this prayer and the imam is doing the prayer in…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d31/mahershala-ali-6687_attention_i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with_3083.jpg)
