“How many times did someone have to run in front of a machine gun before it became an act of cowardice?”

“How many times have I failed before? How many times have I stood here like this, in front of my own image, in front of my own person, trying to convince him not to be scared, to go on, to get out of this rut? How many times before I finally convince myself, how many private, erasable deaths will I need to die, how may self-murders is it going to take, how many times will I have to destroy myself before I learn, before I understand?”

“Like a fellow running from or toward a gun ain't got time to worry whether the word for what he is doing is courage or cowardice.”

“With how many things are we on the brink of becoming acquainted, if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries.”

“How many things are we upon the brink of discovering if cowardice or carelessness did not restrain our inquiries”

“How many times before I finally convince myself, how many private, erasable deaths will I need to die, how many self-murders is it going to take, how many times will I have to destroy myself before I learn, before I understand?”