25 Shirley Jackson Quotes to Quench Your Thirst for Motivation

By Norbert Juma

Master quote curator and editor on a mission to inspire

Published September 25, 2023

The popularity of Shirley Jackson’s quotes is an acknowledgment of her work as an author and writer.

People around the globe share quotes from Shirley Jackson via their social media accounts.

If you are also looking for her quotes, this is the article for you.

Here, we have curated a list of the top Shirley Jackson quotes.

Besides, this article also throws some light on the early life and achievements of Shirley Jackson.

So, without any further ado, let’s dive in!

Who was Shirley Jackson?

Shirley Jackson was a renowned American writer known as the “Queen of Horror.”

She was popular for her ability to create literature on suspense and horror.

Jackson was capable of evoking suspense and fear in the readers.

Besides, her work has also influenced countless filmmakers and writers.

Early Life

Shirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1916, in San Francisco, California.

She grew up in a family with an exceptional interest in reading and writing.

Jackson’s parents encouraged her to pursue the dream of becoming a writer.

Besides, her experiences in California and rural Vermont had a significant influence on her writing.

Notable Works and Literary Career

“My Life with R.H. Macy” was the first story published by Jackson.

However, some of her later works allowed her to enjoy literary stardom.

Here are some of her most notable ones:

“The Lottery” (1948)
“The Haunting of Hill House” (1959)
“We Have Always Lived in the Castle” (1962)

Writing Style and Themes

Shirley Jackson’s writing style is characterized by her focus on presenting horror in a unique way.

Her works usually take readers into the darkness.

Some of the most commonly used themes in Jackson’s work include:

Isolation
Persecution
Macabre

In addition, her prose is popular for its precision and subtlety.

Readers feel immersed in a world that is unsettling and familiar to them.

Jackson’s Legacy

Shirley Jackson’s contribution to the genre of suspense and horror had a profound impact.

Her impressive storytelling techniques allowed the readers to sink into the psychological depths of the characters.

This style of writing has inspired generations of upcoming writers.

Some of the most popular authors who followed Jackson’s writing style include:

Stephen King
Neil Gaiman
Joyce Carol Oates

Top 5 Shirley Jackson Quotes

These are some of the most beautiful quotes from Shirley Jackson that you will love to read.

1. “Oh Constance, we are so happy.” — Shirley Jackson

2. “Wear your boots if you wander today.” — Shirley Jackson

3. “Bridge is a game for the undivided intellect.” — Shirley Jackson

4. “In the country of the story, the writer is king.” — Shirley Jackson

5. “So long as you write it away regularly, nothing can really hurt you.” — Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson’s Quotes About Herself

In these quotes, Shirley Jackson describes herself and asks some questions about herself. Read these quotes to know more about her.

6. “God! Whose hand was I holding?” — Shirley Jackson

7. “I’m going to put death in all their food and watch them die.” — Shirley Jackson

8. “Am I walking toward something I should be running away from?” — Shirley Jackson

9. “I shall weave a suit of leaves. At once. With acorns for buttons.” — Shirley Jackson

10. “I came to believe that being a private detective was the work I was meant to do.” — Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson Quotes About Fear

Fear is a big emotion that helps us to be cautious. These quotes show important aspects related to fear.

11. “I delight in what I fear.” — Shirley Jackson

12. “Poor strangers, they have so much to be afraid of.” — Shirley Jackson

13. “I can’t help it when people are frightened,” says Merricat. “I always want to frighten them more.” — Shirley Jackson

14. “I have always loved to use fear, to take it and comprehend it and make it work and consolidate a situation where I was afraid and take it whole and work from there.” — Shirley Jackson

15. “Fear, “the doctor said, ”is the relinquishment of logic, the willing relinquishing of reasonable patterns. We yield to it, or we fight it, but we cannot meet it halfway.” — Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson Quotes About House

A house is a place where one feels protected and relaxed. The following quotes are related to the house.

16. “It watches,“ he added suddenly. ”The house. It watches every move you make.” — Shirley Jackson

17. “We moved together very slowly toward the house, trying to understand its ugliness and ruin and shame.” — Shirley Jackson

18. “There had not been this many words sounded in our house for a long time, and it was going to take a while to clean them out.” — Shirley Jackson

19. “Gossip says she hanged herself from the turret on the tower, but when you have a house like Hill House with a tower and a turret, gossip would hardly allow you to hang yourself anywhere else.” — Shirley Jackson

20. “It was a house without kindness, never meant to be lived in, not a fit place for people or for love or for hope. Exorcism cannot alter the countenance of a house; Hill House would stay as it was until it was destroyed.” — Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson Quotes About the Moon & Stars

Without the moon and stars, the sky looks incomplete, as they are its major components. Here are quotes related to the moon and stars from Shirley Jackson.

21. “On the moon, we wore feathers in our hair and rubies on our hands. On the moon, we had gold spoons.” — Shirley Jackson

22. “Today my winged horse is coming, and I am carrying you off to the moon, and on the moon, we will eat rose petals.” — Shirley Jackson

23. “I was pretending that I did not speak their language; on the moon we spoke a soft, liquid tongue, and sang in the starlight, looking down on the dead dried world.” — Shirley Jackson

24. “On the moon, we have everything. Lettuce, pumpkin pie, and Amanita phalloides. We have cat-furred plants and horses dancing with their wings. All the locks are solid and tight, and there are no ghosts.” — Shirley Jackson

25. “Don’t do it, Eleanor told the little girl. Insist on your cup of stars; once they have trapped you into being like everyone else, you will never see your cup of stars again; don’t do it. The little girl glanced at her and smiled a little subtle, dimpling, wholly comprehending smile and shook her head stubbornly at the glass. Brave girl, Eleanor thought; wise, brave girl.” — Shirley Jackson