You are nothing but wilderness. No constraint. No mind. You shout the word—mind, mind, mind—over and over and then you laugh, saying as I live and breathe, a slave by choice.

— Toni Morrison

You can't own a human being. You can't lose what you don't own. Suppose you did own him. Could you really love somebody who was absolutely nobody without you? You really want somebody like that? Somebody who falls apart when you walk out the door? You don't, do you? And neither does he. You're turning over your whole life to him. Your whole life, girl. And if it means so little to you that you can just give it away, hand it to him, then why should it mean anymore to him? He can't value you more than you value yourself.

— Toni Morrison

You got a life? Live it! Live the motherfuckin' life!

— Toni Morrison

You have pissed your last in this house. . . And I don't make velvet roses anymore.

— Toni Morrison

You know, the kind who know Jesus by His first name, but out of politeness never use it even to His face.

— Toni Morrison

You need a whole community to raise a child. I have raised two children, alone.

— Toni Morrison

You think because he doesn't love you that you are worthless. You think because he doesn't want you anymore that he is right-that his judgement and opinion of you are correct. If he throws you out, then you are garbage. You think he belongs to you because you want to belong to him. Hagar, don't. It's a bad word, 'belong.' Especially when you put it with somebody you love. Love shouldn't be like that.

— Toni Morrison

You think because he doesn't love you that you are worthless. You think that because he doesn't want you anymore that he is right -- that his judgement and opinion of you are correct. If he throws you out, then you are garbage. You think he belongs to you because you want to belong to him. Don't. It's a bad word, 'belong.' Especially when you put it with somebody you love. Love shouldn't be like that. Did you ever see the way the clouds love a mountain? They circle all around it; sometimes you can't even see the mountain for the clouds. But you know what? You go up top, and what do you see? His head. The clouds never cover the head. His head pokes through, because the clouds let him; they don't wrap him up. They let him keep his head up high, free, with nothing to hide him or bind him. You can't own a human being. You can't lose what you don't own. Suppose you did own him. Could you really love somebody who was absolutely nobody without you? You really want somebody like that? Somebody who falls apart when you walk out the door? You don't, do you? And neither does he. You're turning over your whole life to him. Your whole life, girl. And if it means so little to you that you can just give it away, hand it to him, then why should it mean anymore to him? He can't value you more than you value yourself.

— Toni Morrison

You want to fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.

— Toni Morrison

You your own best thing, Seth. You are.

— Toni Morrison