You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down Dissatisfaction Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Story.Section.Paragraph) or (Story.Paragraph)

Quote #4

She had seen her work accepted around the world, welcomed even, which was more than she'd ever dreamed possible for it. And yet—there remained an emptiness, no, an ache, which told her she had not achieved what she had set out to achieve. (Fame.11)

Andrea Clement White may be accepting her 111th major award, but she still feels like a fraud. On the outside, she's successful, but there are some personal goals she hasn't achieved. We never learn specifically what these are, but they still nag her. She also has to suffer fools in her role as a famous author, including fawning interviewers and hypocritical former colleagues who never wanted her to succeed but are willing to bask in her glow now that she's da bomb.

Quote #5

But now there was a cooling off of our affection for each other. Luna was becoming mildly interested in drugs, because everyone we knew was. I was envious of the open-endedness of her life. The financial backing to it. (Luna.44)

Walker doesn't know what to do with Luna after her friend tells her that she was raped by a Black civil rights worker. She wants to sympathize and support her friend by acknowledging what happened. But she also wants to acknowledge that many innocent Black men have been accused of and punished for raping white women. In her perplexity, Walker sees herself moving away from Luna and Luna seeking solace in some unattractive habits.

Quote #6

Sarah could not comprehend such wealth, and was always annoyed because Pam didn't look more like a billionaire's daughter. A billionaire's daughter, Sarah thought, should really be less horsey and brush her teeth more often. (Trip.22)

Sarah Davis has some interesting ideas about wealthy people—and what they shouldn't be. Unfortunately, suitemate Pam checks all the undesirable boxes: she isn't pretty, refined, or particularly talented. This bothers Sarah more than it probably should, considering how much she hates people seeing her through a list of assumptions.