“Why didn't you kill me like you did that guy back there? Billy? Or does it even make any sense to ask? Are you beyond why?'Oh shit, we're all beyond why, you know that.”

“Yeah, but what if you went back and killed your own grandfather?"He stared at me, baffled. "Why the fuck would you do that?”

“But somebody said there was billions bet on this. You'd think they'd be lined up three deep the whole way. And that there'd be TV coverage""It's discouraged.""Why?""Why ask me?""Because you know," Garraty said, exasperated."How do you know?""Jesus, you remind me of the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, sometimes," Garraty said. "Don't you ever just talk?”

“Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and does it with a smile. The man who does the job you couldn't bring yourself to do.”

“They're animals, all right. But why are you so goddam sure that makes us human beings?”

“As with all other aspects of the narrative art, you will improve with practice, but practice will never make you perfect. Why should it? What fun would that be?”

“Paul Edgecomb: What do you want me to do John? I'll do it. You want me to let you walk out of here and see how far you get? John Coffey: Now why would you want to do a foolish thing like that? Paul Edgecomb: When I die and I stand before God awaiting judgment and he asks me why I let one of HIS miracles die, what am I gonna say, that it was my job?”