“I went to the shoemaker to collect his wastepaper. One of them asked me if my book was communistic. I replied that it was realistic. He cautioned me that it was not wise to write of reality.”
Carolina has a communistic bend in her approach to government. Based upon her experience with extreme poverty, she is convinced that everyone needs to prevent the least of the citizens from living in such conditions. The man in the shop cautions her to avoid writing about the present political system because she may get into to trouble if she openly criticizes the government. Instead he urges her to use veiled language or to avoid the topic entirely in her writing.
"I can take the ups and downs of life. If I can’t store up the courage to live, I’ve resolved to store up the patience."
Faced with a daily fight against death, Carolina is forced to be realistic with her self talk. She decides to cultivate patience because it could help her avoid trouble. In her situation she cannot afford to try and be courageous, not with her children depending upon her. She chooses the practical approach, instead, and seeks patience to endure whatever life throws at her.
"When I write I think I live in a golden castle that shines in the sunlight."
Carolina's writing is her one luxury amidst such turmoil. Writing offers an escape, where she can be and do anything. In this quotation, she uses imagery to explain how real her imaginary world feels while writing.
"The cat is a wise one. She doesn’t have any deep loves and doesn’t let anyone make a slave of her."
In her own life, Carolina refuses to allow herself to fall in love because she fears a loss of independence. Watching the couples around her, she knows that inevitably she would end up in a stressful, compromising situation with a husband who beats her. She prefers to remain like the cat, unattached. She is protecting herself and her children by remaining aloof and untamable.
