“Madeline began hearing people saying "Derrida". She heard them saying "Lyotard" and "Foucault" and "Deleuze" and "Baudrillard". That most of these people were those she instinctually disapproved of- upper-middle-class kids who wore Doc Martens and anarchist symbols- made Madeline dubious about the value of their enthusiasm.”

“You need other people, Madeline. There's a great freedom in knowing that. And accepting that. And letting people in. Letting them help you.”

“I once heard Jerry Yang, the cofounder of Yahoo!, quote a senior Chinese government official as saying, "Where people have hope, you have a middle class." I think this is a very useful insight. The existence of large, stable middle classes around the world is crucial to geopolitical stability, but middle class is a state of mind, not a state of income. That's why a majority of Americans always describe themselves as "middle class," even though by income statistics some of them wouldn't be considered as such. "Middle class" is another way of describing people who believe that they have a pathway out of poverty or lower-income status toward a higher standard of living and a better future for their kids.”

“Madeline decides Jonathan is an immature, selfish asshole and that she is never talking to him again.”

“She was tired of people saying things they thought she wanted to hear almost as much as she dreaded them saying the things she didn't want to listen to.”

“I won’t say it’s going to be easy for me, Madeline. I’ve lived too long in darkness and shadows, but if you’re willing to stick by me, to give me a chance, I’ll give you whatever you wish.”“My wish has already come true,” she said, smiling into his upturned face. “It wasyou, after all.”-Blaine and Madeline”