“ Her attachment to language was earthy, physical, and immediate. Pretty words you could eat. ”
For years I wondered what was her curious power, her ability to attract all kinds of people to her and to use them for her own ends, often with their knowledge. i think it was that people liked watching and being with someone who enjoyed life as much as Sylvia seemed to enjoy it. She squeezed all the juice from the orange, or, to change the figure, drained the cup to the leaves, the very dregs.
~ Elizabeth Winder
Sylvia possessed a deeply conditioned respect for authority. She wanted desperately to live up to the expectations of a society that viewed her as a bright, charming, enormously talented disciple of bourgeois conformity. On the other hand, she ached to experience life in all its grim and beautiful complexity. The poetic eye was always at work examining the nuance and measuring obscure detail, turning conversation into ultimatum (Steiner)
Sylvia quotes Dick as telling her: I am afraid the demands of wifehood and motherhood would preoccupy you too much to allow you to do the painting and writing you want. Dick was sharp enough to understand that the bright flame that drew him to Sylvia disqualified her from his future. He would not allow Sylvia- or any woman- to outshine him.
When I was doing the Mademoiselle application my husband would peer over my shoulder and say, What are you doing competing with the best brains in the country? Why don't you just wash the dishes? When the telegram came from Mademoiselle, I ran outside and shouted, Guess who has the best brains in the country?
