“He understood well enough how a man with a choice between pride and responsibility will almost always choose pride--if responsibility robs him of his manhood.”

“Roland had taught him that self-deception was nothing but pride in disguise, an indulgence to be denied.”

“They must accept responsibility, recognizing that responsibility is not the same as culpability.”

“Never before in his life had he understood how subjective, how plastic, time really is.”

“Optimism is a perfectly legitimate response to failure.”

“Pride was the belt you used to hold your pants up when you had no pants.”

“Deep inside her (ih her harrowed soul) she felt a glowing ember of fury at the man responsible for this. Tha man who had put her in this position. She looked at the pistol lying beside the basin, and knew that if he were here, she would use it on him without a moment's hesitation. Knowing that made her feel confused about herself. It also made her feel a little stronger.”