Breakfast at Tiffany's Holly Golightly Quotes

"And if you lived off my particular talents, Cookie, you'd understand the kind of bankruptcy I'm describing" (17.24).

Holly has painted herself into a corner, so to speak. She can't stay in New York because she has no way to make any money after she gets arrested. The places she used to visit and the people she used to depend on just won't welcome her anymore, so her future has been decided for her. She has no real freedom when it comes down to it.

"Can't you see that Rusty feels safer in diapers than he would in a skirt? Which is really the choice, only he's awfully touchy about it. He tried to stab me with a butter knife because I told him to grow up and face the issue, settle down and play house with a nice fatherly truck driver" (4.72).

Holly believes in everyone's absolute freedom to live their lives in ways that make them happy, and this includes the freedom to be honest about one's sexual preference. But Rusty clearly doesn't feel free enough to admit that he's gay.

"She believes all this crap she believes. You can't talk her out of it" (4.16).

Holly feels absolutely secure in the freedom to believe in whatever she wants. She simply won't be confined by other people's expectations of what's right or normal or good.