The Price of Salt, or Carol Chapter 5 Quotes

The Price of Salt, or Carol Chapter 5 Quotes

How we cite the quotes:
(Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote 1

She remembered the first night she had let [Richard] stay, and she writhed again inwardly. It had been anything but pleasant. (5.62)

At this point, Therese isn't sure if she is sexually different—the word homosexual is never used—or if it's just Richard who is icky. As she becomes more attracted to Carol, she realizes that it isn't personal with Richard; it's men in general who don't interest her.

Quote 2

It would be almost like love, what she felt for Carol, except that Carol was a woman. It was not quite insanity, but it was certainly blissful. (5.14)

Therese recognizes that her feelings for Carol are atypical, or at least unlike the male-female relationships she's read about in books. But she doesn't let this scare her away or gross her out. She not only accepts her feelings, she pursues them.

Quote 3

Yet the simple fact that she wasn't in love with [Richard] made Therese feel guilty, guilty about accepting anything from him. (5.54)

Therese feels guilty, but she isn't leading Richard on. She lets him know flat out that she doesn't love him, but he says he loves her, so he sticks with her.