“I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are--or, at all events, that I must try and become one.”

“I believe that before anything else I'm a human being -- just as much as you are... or at any rate I shall try to become one. I know quite well that most people would agree with you, Torvald, and that you have warrant for it in books; but I can't be satisfied any longer with what most people say, and with what's in books. I must think things out for myself and try to understand them.”

“Not a perfect soul, I am perfecting. Not a human being, I am a human becoming.”

“I exist, I am, I am here, I am becoming, I make my own life and no one else makes it for me. I must face my own shortcomings, mistakes, transgressions. No one can suffer my non-being as I do, but tomorrow is another day, and I must decide to leave my bed and live again. And if I fail, I don't have the comfort of blaming you or life or God. ”

“When all else failed, she tried being reasonable.”

“I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color”