“Before I knew that I was Jewish or a girl I knew that I was a member of the working class. At a time when I had not yet grasped the significance of the fact that in my house English was a second language, or that I wore dresses while my brother wore pants, I knew--and I knew it was important to know--that Papa worked hard all day long.” KnowsLongImportantHardFactsGirlHouseLanguageWorkClassBrotherMembersDressesMy BrotherSignificancePantsWorking ClassPapa Book:The romance of American Communism Source: The romance of American Communism
“Feminism gave me a way to see myself in culture, in society, in history, and that was very important.” WayImportantCultureFeminism Author:Vivian Gornick
“Of course love is a force in life. People will go on falling in love forever. And more important, sexual infatuation will enrapture everyone. Otherwise, no babies!” PeopleImportantFallCoursesForceLove IsForeverBabyGoes OnFalling In LoveInfatuationForever Love Author:Vivian Gornick
“We all grew up so utterly vulnerable, enthralled by romantic love as we knew it. First of all, it was pounded into you every which way that you've got to get married and you've got to have babies. That you're not a natural woman if you don't. So that led to a lot of sitting by the telephone and waiting for a call. And that led you into a culture in which you were always in a subordinate position without realizing it; hamstrung, not able to take action. That was the most important thing: you were always waiting to be desired.” IfsWayFirstsImportantAbleActionCultureWaitingRealizingNaturalPositionBabyGrewMarriedGrew UpSittingImportant ThingsVulnerableRomantic LoveTelephonesSubordinatesAlways Waiting Author:Vivian Gornick
