I'm up to my ears in unwritten words.

Each of his phrases was rather like a little ancient island, inundated by a miniature sea of whiskey.

I'm not afraid to compete. It's just the opposite. Don't you see that? I'm afraid I will compete — that's what scares me. That's why I quit the Theatre Department. Just because I'm so horribly conditioned to accept everybody else's values, and just because I like applause and people to rave about me, doesn't make it right. I'm ashamed of it. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody. I'm sick of myself and everybody else that wants to make some kind of a splash.

People always clap for the wrong reasons.

I thought what I'd do was I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes.

Hell is the suffering of being unable to love.

Oh, it's lovely to see you!' Franny said as the cab moved off. 'I've missed you.' The words were no sooner out than she realized that she didn't mean them at all.