There are numerous lines quoted all thorough history, like the famous, "You too, Brutus" by Ceaser. I have my list of favorites, lines that are imprinted in the mind and keep coming back. I though I'd list down the top few here today:
1. Still young, still beautiful, still attractive
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant.
Story of a girl who dreams through life, craving for all good things which she cannot afford to have. She imprisons herself in her desires, envying a rich school friend. When the chance came to be part of a grand party, she borrows a diamond necklace from this friend, and lives her dream. But it lasts just one evening, and then nightmare follows. The necklace is lost, and in a bid to replace this, her husband gets too much into debt, and she bravely succumbs to real poverty. At the end of ten years when the debts have been paid, the once beautiful girl, with so many dreams has aged prematurely by toil and hardship. Then she sees her old friend, who is still young, still beautiful, still attractive. The story ends in a still pathetic note when the friend says it was just an imitation and all the years of her despair and shame had been in vain.
2. Am I beautiful?
A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield.
Famous short story of a rich, young woman, petted greatly by her husband without a care in the world. She spends her time shopping and living easy. One day she gets tempted the play the kind rich lady when a girl on the street asks for money for a cup of tea. She takes the into her home, and day dreams of being spoken about as very benevolent, and kind. All change the minute her husband walks in and casually says that the girl is pretty. The next we see the big hearted lady, is on her husband's lap, asking, "Am I beautiful?", with the girl sent back to the streets.
3. After all... tomorrow is another day
Gone with the wind by Margaret Mitchell.
The heroine is a much sought after girl of sixteen at the beginning of the story, her only focus being on stealing beau, and upsetting the other girls. She is strong willed, attractive, and the only man she truly loves marries another. The rest of the book is on how she wastes her life, and is blind to anyone's love thinking of him. Her whole world shakes with the revolution, and she shows a side which the reader would not have expected so far - strong, with everyone depending on her and through the book the reader knows how this girl of sixteen is transformed, taking on the burden of family, her family plantation, hunger and humiliation. She keeps saying "Tomorrow is another day" to survive each day. After many years, and on seeing how broken her love is at the death of his wife, she realizes that she had ruined her marriage and her happiness for him, she returns home to lead a new life. But surprise, her husband is packed to leave her, and when she says she has changed says, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." It ends with the same thoughts of, "I won't think about it now.After all... tomorrow is another day."
There are many more, but these are the top three on my chart at the moment. Cheers!