“Do you ever think it's the dead that have the happy ending? Just they don't have to worry about surviving.""But they're dead," he says"Yeah. That means they don't have to remember anything."Elias shakes his head. "That means they can't ever love."I snort. "So they don't know loss.”

“-Can we have one day when we don't have to talk about the meaning of life?-I don't think we ever talk about anything else.”

“Solitary people, these book lovers. I think it's swell that there are people you don't have to worry about when you don't see them for a long time, you don't have to wonder what they do, how they're getting along with themselves. You just know that they're all right, and probably doing something they like.”

“Son, are you happy? I don't mean to pry,but do you dream of Heaven?Have you ever wanted to die?”

“They call it love," said Vernon. "I don't know what they mean by it. What do you mean [by love]?""I don't exactly know," said Temple slowly. "I suppose it's wanting to be with a person, and thinking about nothing else. And thinking they're the most beautiful and all that. And going over everything that they've ever said to you, and wanting— Well, I suppose if it's really love you want to marry them.”

“I don't have much to say to that. I mean, I have a lot to say, so I don't say anything.”