We can never establish with certainty what part of our relations with others is the result of our emotions - love, antipathy, charity, or malice - and what part is predetermined by the constant power play among individuals.

Tomas did not realize at the time that metaphors are dangerous. Metaphors are not to be trifled with. A single metaphor can give birth to love.

Only animals were not expelled from Paradise.

She regarded books as the emblems of secret brotherhood. A man with this sort of library couldn't possibly hurt her.

The novel is a meditation on existence as seen through the medium of imaginary characters.

Until that time, her betrayals had filled her with excitement and joy, because they opened up new paths to new adventures of betrayal. But what if the paths came to an end? One could betray one's parents, husband, country, love, but when parents, husband, country, and love were gone - what was left to betray?

The longing for order is at the same time a longing for death, because life is an incessant disruption of order.