Nella Larsen

Nella Larsen

5 quotes

Biography

Nella Larsen was an American novelist, nurse, and librarian. She published two novels–Quicksand (1928) and Passing (1929)–and a few short stories.

"Everything can't be explained by some general biological phrase."

Nella Larsen

"…in talking it over with Negroes, I find that the tale is so old and so well known that it is almost folklore. It has many variations: sometimes it is the woman’s brother, husband, son, lover, preacher, beloved master, or even her father, mother, sister, or daughter who is killed. A Negro sociologist tells me that there are literally hundred of these stories. Anyone could have written it up at any time."

Nella Larsen

"Manners were something that people who don’t have, but admire, resent not having."

Nella Larsen

"a ‘modern’ woman who smokes, wears her dresses short, does not believe in religions, churches and the like, and feels that people of the artistic type have a definite chance to help solve the race problem."

Nella Larsen

"It was only that she wanted him to be happy, resenting, however, his inability to be so with things as they were, and never acknowledging that though she did want him to be happy, it was only in her own way and by some plan of hers for him that she truly desired him to be so."

Nella Larsen