If you believe, as the Greeks did, that man is at the mercy of the gods, then you write tragedy. The end is inevitable from the beginning. But if you believe that man can solve his own problems and is at nobody's mercy, then you will probably write melodrama.

Decision by democratic majority vote is a fine form of government, but it's a stinking way to create.

Fear comes with middle age.

I wanted to see what was there for me once, what is there for me now.

A theme is always necessary, a plain, simple, unadorned theme to confuse the ignorant.

some people are democrats by choice, and some by necessity.

My mother was dead for five years before I knew that I had loved her very much.