Famous Elena Ferrante Quotes

  • Although she was fragile in appearance, every prohibition lost substance in her presence. – Elena Ferrante

    Although she was fragile in appearance, every prohibition lost substance in her presence.– Elena Ferrante

  • I’m lying, yes, but why do you force me to give a linear explanation; linear explanations are almost always lies. – Elena Ferrante

    I’m lying, yes, but why do you force me to give a linear explanation; linear explanations are almost always lies.– Elena Ferrante

  • Is it possible that even happy moments of pleasure never stand up to a rigorous examination? Possible. – Elena Ferrante

    Is it possible that even happy moments of pleasure never stand up to a rigorous examination? Possible.– Elena Ferrante

  • I soon had to admit that what I did by myself couldn’t excite me, only what Lila touched became important. – Elena Ferrante

    I soon had to admit that what I did by myself couldn’t excite me, only what Lila touched became important.– Elena Ferrante

  • Languages for me have a secret venom that every so often foams up and for which there is no antidote. – Elena Ferrante

    Languages for me have a secret venom that every so often foams up and for which there is no antidote.– Elena Ferrante

  • The hardest things to talk about are the ones we ourselves can’t understand. – Elena Ferrante

    The hardest things to talk about are the ones we ourselves can’t understand.– Elena Ferrante

  • Without reserve, I can say that my entire identity is in the books I write. – Elena Ferrante

    Without reserve, I can say that my entire identity is in the books I write.– Elena Ferrante

  • Maybe we really are made of the same clay, maybe we really are condemned, blameless, to the same, identical mediocrity. – Elena Ferrante

    Maybe we really are made of the same clay, maybe we really are condemned, blameless, to the same, identical mediocrity.– Elena Ferrante

  • I doubt that work ennobles man and I am absolutely certain that it does not ennoble woman. – Elena Ferrante

    I doubt that work ennobles man and I am absolutely certain that it does not ennoble woman.– Elena Ferrante

  • Her quickness of mind was like a hiss, a dart, a lethal bite. – Elena Ferrante

    Her quickness of mind was like a hiss, a dart, a lethal bite.– Elena Ferrante