Quotes tagged ‘Life’

“Life’s the sum total of all our small mistakes, little tragedies, bad choices. Addition on top of addition. They pile up and pile up until the cost of keeping up appearances is too high and the weight is just too much. Then: collapse.”

— Lauren Oliver, amazon.com

“That's what life is, pretty much: full of holes and tangles and ways to get stuck. Uncomfortable and itchy. A present you never asked for, never wanted, never chose. A present you're supposed to be excited to wear, day after day, even when you'd rather stay in bed and do nothing.”

— Lauren Oliver, amazon.com

“We're killers, all of us: We kill our lives, our past selves, the things that mattered. We bury them under slogans and excuses.”

— Lauren Oliver, amazon.com

“I know that the whole point—the only point—is to find the things that matter, and hold on to them, and fight for them, and refuse to let them go.”

— Lauren Oliver, amazon.com

“It wasn't so much that he minded telling Leslie that he was afraid to go; it was that he minded being afraid. It was as though he had been made with a great piece missing - one of May Belle's puzzles with this huge gap where somebody's eye should have been. Lord, it would be better to be born withou…”

— Katherine Paterson, amazon.com

“McAllister: 'You take a big risk by encouraging them to be artists, John. When they realize they're not Rembrandts, Shakespeares or Mozarts, they'll hate you for it.' Keating: 'We're not talking artists George, we're talking free thinkers.' McAllister: 'Free thinkers at seventeen?' Keating: 'Funny,…”

— Robin Williams, Leon Pownall, John Keating, George McAllister, amazon.com

“Keating: 'Mr. Anderson, I see you sitting there in agony. Come on, Todd, step up. Let's put you out of your misery.' Todd: 'I, I didn't do it. I didn't write a poem.' Keating: 'Mr. Anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing. Isn't that right, Todd? Isn't that your wo…”

— Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, John Keating, Todd Anderson, amazon.com

“You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are going to find it at all.”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“John Keating: '"Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may." Why does the writer use these lines?' Charlie Dalton: 'Because he's in a hurry?' John Keating: 'No. Ding! Thank you for playing anyway. Because we are food for worms, lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this r…”

— Robin Williams, Gale Hansen, John Keating, Charlie Dalton, amazon.com

“I was good. I was really good.”

— Robert Sean Leonard, Neil Perry, amazon.com

“John Keating: 'I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.' Nolan: 'At these boys' age? Not on your life!'”

— Robin Williams, Normal Lloyd, John Keating, Nolan, amazon.com

“For the first time in my whole life, I know what I wanna do! And for the first time, I'm gonna do it! Whether my father wants me to or not! Carpe diem!”

— Robert Sean Leonard, Neil Perry, amazon.com

“Neil Perry: 'I just talked to my father. He's making me quit the play at Henley Hall. Acting's everything to me. I- But he doesn't know! He- I can see his point; we're not a rich family, like Charlie's. We- But he's planning the rest of my life for me, and I- He's never asked me what I want!' John K…”

— Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, John Keating, Neil Perry, amazon.com

“John Keating: 'Why do I stand up here? Anybody?' Dalton: 'To feel taller!' John Keating: 'No! Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.'”

— Robin Williams, Gale Hansen, John Keating, Dalton, amazon.com

“Sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone.”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too…”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these a…”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“But remember what you told me once? Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.”

— David Aames, amazon.com

“I'd rather die my way than live yours.”

— Lauren Oliver, amazon.com

“You'll have bad times, but it'll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren't paying attention to.”

— Robin Williams, amazon.com