“Why, Jon, why?" his mother asked. "Why is it so hard to be like the rest of the flock, Jon? Why can't you leave low flying to the pelicans, the alhatross? Why don't you eat? Son, you're bone and feathers!" "I don't mind being bone and feathers mom. I just want to know what I can do in the air and what I can't, that's all. I just want to know.”

“Lermontov: Why do you want to dance?Vicky: Why do you want to live?Lermontov: Well, I don't know exactly why, but... I must.Vicky: That's my answer too.”

“Ellis: "What's so funny?"Skyla: You're funny," I say. "You look real scary. I bet your mom's proud, though." I don't know why I add that last bit, I just do.”

“It's just that you don't respect me enough to respect what I want. I have to want what you want or it doesn't count or its's no good. Well, I don't want what you want. And I don't see why I have to. I mean, as long as I respect what you want and let you live your life, why do you care?”

“Do you know what I don't understand about that ball game? I don't understand why I wanted to kill you.”

“Why? Why don't you want to go with me?"She huffed. "It's not that I don't want to go with you, it's that I'm not going at all.""So you do want to go with me."Cinder locked her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. Because I can't.""But I need you.”