Goodbye to Berlin

by

Christopher Isherwood

Christopher’s relationship with Sally Bowles is one of the central relationships in Goodbye to Berlin. Sally is based on the real-life cabaret singer Jean Ross, whom the real-life Isherwood befriended during his time living in Berlin. When Christopher meets Sally, she is a 19-year-old aspiring actress. She, like Christopher, is from England. During her time in Berlin, Sally performs at clubs and seeks out wealthy and interesting lovers. She and Christopher often talk about their dreams about being rich and famous artists. Sally falls in love with a pianist, Klaus Linke, who eventually leaves her to take a job in England. However, Sally realizes that she is pregnant with his child, and she has an abortion, which was considered taboo in 1930s German society. Christopher pretends to be the father of the baby in order to take some of the heat off of her. Though Sally and Christopher lose touch, Christopher’s stories about her are a tribute to the power and influence of their friendship.

Sally Bowles Quotes in Goodbye to Berlin

The Goodbye to Berlin quotes below are all either spoken by Sally Bowles or refer to Sally Bowles. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Friendship Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2: Sally Bowles Quotes

Sally’s German was not merely incorrect; it was all her own. She pronounced every word in a mincing, specifically “foreign” manner. You could tell that she was speaking a foreign language from her expression alone.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles
Page Number: 28
Explanation and Analysis:

“Somehow, when people have cash, you feel differently about them—I don’t know why.”

Related Characters: Sally Bowles (speaker), Christopher Isherwood , Fritz Wendel
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:

“I’m awfully glad. I’ve wanted you to like me ever since we first met. But I’m glad you’re not in love with me, because, somehow, I couldn’t possibly be in love with you—so, if you had been, everything would have been spoilt.”

Related Characters: Sally Bowles (speaker), Christopher Isherwood
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:

We went to the little cinema in Bülowstrasse, where they were showing a film about a girl who sacrificed her stage career for the sake of a Great Love, Home, and Children. We laughed so much that we had to leave before the end.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Klaus Linke
Page Number: 44
Explanation and Analysis:

[Clive] had about him that sad, American air of vagueness which is always attractive; doubly attractive in one who possessed so much money. He was vague, wistful, a bit lost: dimly anxious to have a good time and uncertain how to set about getting it. He seemed never to be quite sure whether he was really enjoying himself, whether what we were doing was really fun.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Clive
Page Number: 47
Explanation and Analysis:

We had nothing to do with those Germans down there, marching, or with the dead man in the coffin, or with the words on the banners. In a few days, I thought, we shall have forfeited all kinship with ninety-nine per cent of the population of the world, with the men and women who earn their living, who insure their lives, who are anxious about the future of their children. Perhaps in the Middle Ages people felt like this, when they believed themselves to have sold their soul to the Devil. It was a curious, exhilarating, not unpleasant sensation: but, at the same time, I felt slightly scared. Yes, I said to myself, I’ve done it, now. I am lost.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Clive
Page Number: 47
Explanation and Analysis:

“I don’t know what it is… You seem to have changed, somehow…”

“How have I changed?”

“It’s difficult to explain… You don’t seem to have any energy or want to get anywhere. You’re so dilletante. It annoys me.”

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles (speaker)
Page Number: 64
Explanation and Analysis:

Indeed, I was so absurdly upset that I began to wonder whether I hadn’t all this time, in my own particular way, been in love with Sally myself.

But no, it wasn’t love ether—it was worse. It was the cheapest, most childish kind of wounded vanity…. The awful sexual flair women have for taking the stuffing out of a man!

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles
Page Number: 65
Explanation and Analysis:

When you read this, Sally—if you ever do—please accept it as a tribute, the sincerest I can pay, to yourself and to our friendship.

And send me another postcard.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles
Related Symbols: Postcards
Page Number: 76
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: The Landauers Quotes

“I’m getting rather tired of what you call your experiments. Tonight wasn’t the first of them by any means. The experiments fail, and then you’re angry with me. I must say, I think that’s very unjust… But what I can’t stand is that you show your resentment by adopting this mock-humble attitude… Actually, you’re the least humble person I’ve ever met.”

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Bernhard Landauer
Page Number: 171
Explanation and Analysis:
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Sally Bowles Quotes in Goodbye to Berlin

The Goodbye to Berlin quotes below are all either spoken by Sally Bowles or refer to Sally Bowles. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Friendship Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2: Sally Bowles Quotes

Sally’s German was not merely incorrect; it was all her own. She pronounced every word in a mincing, specifically “foreign” manner. You could tell that she was speaking a foreign language from her expression alone.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles
Page Number: 28
Explanation and Analysis:

“Somehow, when people have cash, you feel differently about them—I don’t know why.”

Related Characters: Sally Bowles (speaker), Christopher Isherwood , Fritz Wendel
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:

“I’m awfully glad. I’ve wanted you to like me ever since we first met. But I’m glad you’re not in love with me, because, somehow, I couldn’t possibly be in love with you—so, if you had been, everything would have been spoilt.”

Related Characters: Sally Bowles (speaker), Christopher Isherwood
Page Number: 36
Explanation and Analysis:

We went to the little cinema in Bülowstrasse, where they were showing a film about a girl who sacrificed her stage career for the sake of a Great Love, Home, and Children. We laughed so much that we had to leave before the end.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Klaus Linke
Page Number: 44
Explanation and Analysis:

[Clive] had about him that sad, American air of vagueness which is always attractive; doubly attractive in one who possessed so much money. He was vague, wistful, a bit lost: dimly anxious to have a good time and uncertain how to set about getting it. He seemed never to be quite sure whether he was really enjoying himself, whether what we were doing was really fun.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Clive
Page Number: 47
Explanation and Analysis:

We had nothing to do with those Germans down there, marching, or with the dead man in the coffin, or with the words on the banners. In a few days, I thought, we shall have forfeited all kinship with ninety-nine per cent of the population of the world, with the men and women who earn their living, who insure their lives, who are anxious about the future of their children. Perhaps in the Middle Ages people felt like this, when they believed themselves to have sold their soul to the Devil. It was a curious, exhilarating, not unpleasant sensation: but, at the same time, I felt slightly scared. Yes, I said to myself, I’ve done it, now. I am lost.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Clive
Page Number: 47
Explanation and Analysis:

“I don’t know what it is… You seem to have changed, somehow…”

“How have I changed?”

“It’s difficult to explain… You don’t seem to have any energy or want to get anywhere. You’re so dilletante. It annoys me.”

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles (speaker)
Page Number: 64
Explanation and Analysis:

Indeed, I was so absurdly upset that I began to wonder whether I hadn’t all this time, in my own particular way, been in love with Sally myself.

But no, it wasn’t love ether—it was worse. It was the cheapest, most childish kind of wounded vanity…. The awful sexual flair women have for taking the stuffing out of a man!

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles
Page Number: 65
Explanation and Analysis:

When you read this, Sally—if you ever do—please accept it as a tribute, the sincerest I can pay, to yourself and to our friendship.

And send me another postcard.

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles
Related Symbols: Postcards
Page Number: 76
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: The Landauers Quotes

“I’m getting rather tired of what you call your experiments. Tonight wasn’t the first of them by any means. The experiments fail, and then you’re angry with me. I must say, I think that’s very unjust… But what I can’t stand is that you show your resentment by adopting this mock-humble attitude… Actually, you’re the least humble person I’ve ever met.”

Related Characters: Christopher Isherwood (speaker), Sally Bowles, Bernhard Landauer
Page Number: 171
Explanation and Analysis: