“Painting, it is true, was undergoing a series of -isms reminiscent of the whims of a pregnant woman.”

“There are teachers and students with square minds who are by nature meant to undergo the fascination of catagories. For them, 'schools' and 'movements' are everything; by painting a group symbol on the brow of mediocrity, they condone their own incomprehension of true genius.”

“The living language is like a cow-path: it is the creation of the cows themselves, who, having created it, follow it or depart from it according to their whims or their needs. From daily use, the path undergoes change. A cow is under no obligation to stay.”

“Good thing about hanging out with a pregnant woman: designated driver by default.”

“Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Penny, why don't you write a play about Ism-Mania?Penny Sycamore: Ism-Mania?Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Yeah, sure, you know, Communism, Faschism, Voodoo-ism, everybody's got an -ism these days.Penny Sycamore: Oh[laughs]Penny Sycamore: I thought it was some kind of itch or something.Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff: Well, it's just as catching. When things go a little bad nowadays, you go out, get yourself an -ism and you're in business. ”

“Ordering a man to write a poem is like commanding a pregnant woman to give birth to a red-haired child.”