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Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Gilman Quotes

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Famous Charlotte Perkins Gilman Quotes

“No matter what the belief, if it had modestly said, 'This is our best thought, go on, think farther!' then we could have smoothly outgrown our early errors and long since have developed a religion such as would have kept pace with an advancing world. But we were made to believe and not allowed to think. We were told to obey, rather than to experiment and investigate.”

IfsThinkingWorldBelieveLongMadeSaidMatterBeliefGoes OnNo Matter WhatErrorsExperimentsPaceAdvancing
Book:His Religion and Hers: A Study of the Faith of Our Fathers and the Work of Our Mothers
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“What we do modifies us more than what is done to us.”

Done
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“Not woman, but the condition of woman, has always been a doorway of evil.”

EvilConditionsDoorways
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“In our steady insistence on proclaiming sex-distinction we have grown to consider most human attributes as masculine attributes, for the simple reason that they were allowed to men and forbidden to women.”

MenHumansReasonSexSimpleDistinctionAttributesSteadyForbiddenMasculineInsistenceProclaiming
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“To speak broadly, the troubles of life as we find them are mainly traceable to the heart or the purse.”

HeartSpeakTroublePurses
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“There should be an end to the bitterness of feeling which has arisen between the sexes in this century.”

ShouldEndsFeelingsSexCenturyBitterness
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“To work is not only a right, it is a duty. To work to the full capacity of one's powers is necessary for human development - the full use of one's best faculties - this is the health and happiness for both man and woman.”

MenHumansUseWorkDutyDevelopmentMen And WomenCapacityFacultyHuman Development
Book:Collected Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Essays: The Yellow Wallpaper, What Diantha Did, Women and Economics, The Crux, Moving the Mountain, Herland and other works from the prominent American feminist, sociologist and novelist
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“Architecture might be more sportive and varied if every man built his own house, but it would not be the art and science that we have made it; and while every woman prepares food for her own family, cooking can never rise beyond the level of the amateur's work.”

IfsMenArtMadeMightHouseLevelsBuiltCookingArchitectureEvery ManMade ItArt And ScienceCookerySportive
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“The mother- poor invaded soul- finds even the bathroom door no bar to hammering little hands.”

LittlesSoulHandsMotherPoorDoorsBarsBathroomLittle Hands
Book:Collected Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Essays: The Yellow Wallpaper, What Diantha Did, Women and Economics, The Crux, Moving the Mountain, Herland and other works from the prominent American feminist, sociologist and novelist
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“We all need one another; much and often. Just as every human creature needs a place to be alone in, a sacred, private "home" of his own, so all human creatures need a place to be together in, from the two who can show each other their souls uninterruptedly, to the largest throng that can throb and stir in unison.”

NeedsHumansTwoSoulShowsHomeTogetherCreaturesSacredUnison
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“Through it [literature] we know the past, govern the present, and influence the future.”

KnowsPastLiteratureInfluence
Book:Collected Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Essays: The Yellow Wallpaper, What Diantha Did, Women and Economics, The Crux, Moving the Mountain, Herland and other works from the prominent American feminist, sociologist and novelist
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“Woman" in the abstract is young, and, we assume, charming. As they get older they pass off the stage, somehow, into private ownership mostly, or out of it altogether.”

YoungStageAssumingAbstractOwnershipCharming
Book:Collected Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Essays: The Yellow Wallpaper, What Diantha Did, Women and Economics, The Crux, Moving the Mountain, Herland and other works from the prominent American feminist, sociologist and novelist
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“It is the same woman, I know, for she is always creeping, and most women do not creep by daylight.”

KnowsCreepsDaylight
Book:Collected Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Essays: The Yellow Wallpaper, What Diantha Did, Women and Economics, The Crux, Moving the Mountain, Herland and other works from the prominent American feminist, sociologist and novelist
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“It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide—plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions.”

LittlesEnoughEyeStudySuicideDistanceFollowingBrilliantCommitDullContradictionUncertainProvokingAngleCurvesOutrageousPlungeLameUnheard
Book:The Charlotte Perkins Gilman Reader
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“Patriotism, red hot, is compatible with the existence of a neglect of national interests, a dishonesty, a cold indifference to the suffering of millions. Patriotism is largely pride, and very largely combativeness. Patriotism generally has a chip on its shoulder.”

SufferingInterestExistenceMillionsPrideColdRedHotShouldersIndifferenceNeglectChipsDishonestyCompatibleNational InterestsRed Hot
Book:Collected Works of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Short Stories, Novels, Poems and Essays: The Yellow Wallpaper, What Diantha Did, Women and Economics, The Crux, Moving the Mountain, Herland and other works from the prominent American feminist, sociologist and novelist
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“Its time we woke up,” pursued Gerald, still inwardly urged to unfamiliar speech. “Women are pretty much people, seems to me. I know they dress like fools - but who’s to blame for that? We invent all those idiotic hats of theirs, and design their crazy fashions, and what’s more, if a woman is courageous enough to wear common-sense clothes - and shoes - which of us wants to dance with her?”

PeopleIfsKnowsWantStillsEnoughSeemsCommonCrazyFashionDesignFoolSpeechClothesDressesBlameShoesCommon SenseHatsCourageousPursuedUnfamiliarIdioticClothes And Shoes
Book:The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Writings
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“When the mother of the race is free, we shall have a better world, by the easy right of birth and by the calm, slow, friendly forces of evolution.”

WorldMotherForceEasyRaceEvolutionBirthQuietCalmFriendly
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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“While we flatter ourselves that things remain the same, they are changing under our very eyes from year to year, from day to day.”

YearsEyeGrowthChangeDay To DayStarting Anew
Book:Women and Economics - A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution: From the famous American writer, feminist, social reformer and a respected sociologist who holds an important place in feminist fiction, well-known for her stories The Yellow Wallpaper and Herland
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