This quote highlights that unspoken truths or suppressed narratives can be more terrifying than overt events. It suggests that silence, particularly under oppressive regimes, fosters a deeper, more insidious fear by denying reality and preventing confrontation, thus perpetuating injustice.
Quote by Luisa Valenzuela: “El verdadero horror no está en lo que pasa, sino en lo que no se dice.”
El verdadero horror no está en lo que pasa, sino en lo que no se dice.
Insight
Historical Context
Valenzuela's work, like 'Cola de lagartija', deeply explores the psychological impact of censorship and state terrorism during Argentina's military dictatorship. This quote captures the pervasive fear and self-censorship that marked life during that brutal period, where silence was a tool of control.
About the Author
Argentine novelist and journalist whose experimental fiction confronted the violence and repression of Argentina's military dictatorship. Her novel Cola de lagartija, published in 1983, directly engaged with the psychological terror of the Dirty War era.
View all quotes by Luisa Valenzuela