Over the past month or so, I’ve started collecting quotes that I think about frequently or ones that come across my desk that seem to strike a chord with me. The more I add to the list, the more I wonder, “What is it that makes me love these quotes?”
“My mercy prevails over my wrath.”
Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead
I initially watched The Walking Dead quite a few years ago, and I’ve rewatched it several times since. On my mental list of my top 10 TV shows of all time, The Walking Dead ranks pretty high. It would be even higher if it ended after season 9… but let’s not get into that. To set the stage, the main character, Rick Grimes, chooses mercy for his greatest enemy in the show, displaying the humanity and morals that we still hold on to, even in the literal apocalypse. The gravity of Rick choosing to show mercy to a man who caused him and his loved ones immense pain and suffering raises the question, “What kind of person would you be if nothing mattered anymore?” Sure, it is easy to say we would all choose mercy over wrath, but what if there were no one left to judge you and no consequences should you choose the “wrong” option? Would you still pick mercy? These questions alone are why this quote has stuck in my mind, even months after my last rewatch.
“If you will not allow me love, I will indulge in rage.”
The Creature – Frankenstein
Frankenstein is one of my favorite classics, and Del Toro’s film adaptation is now one of my favorite movies. I could write an entire manuscript about this film, but I will reduce it to these quotes for now. This quote speaks to the father-son relationship of Victor Frankenstein and the creature, or more so, the power that Dr. Frankenstein holds over the creature. At the rejection of creating another monster so that the creature will not be alone, the creature lashes out at Victor, finally paying back the cruelty dealt to him since he was created. To me, this quote is a testament to the barest human necessity: love. The creature found it in Victor, the old man in the cottage, and in Elizabeth, only for this love to be ripped away from him. His one request was to have a companion who was like him, and he was refused. Victor, who played God, would not breathe love into his creation, only life. And what is life without love? Or at least companionship?
“I am obscene to you, but to myself I simply am.”
The Creature – Frankenstein
Also, from the film adaptation of Frankenstein, this particular line evokes a greater discussion about feeling disdain for things that are out of one’s control. Victor Frankenstein constantly rejects the creature, even though he is his creator and physically handpicked every part of him. The obscenity of the creature’s existence is attributed to his violence, which was also created by Victor’s own abuse and frustration towards him. Victor resents the creature for his own guilt for blurring the lines of mortality, with no regard for the fact that he created someone, not something.
“You met me at a very strange time in my life.”
Tyler Durden – Fight Club
I hopped on the Fight Club train a little later than the rest of the world, but the last line in the movie still stays in my head 24/7. As a very anxious person, I constantly obsess over how people perceive me. This quote, to me, is a representation that the time in which you know someone might not be accurate to who they truly are. This is profound to me, as being misrepresented or misunderstood is a fear of mine. The sentiment that two individuals may cross paths and never truly understand each other is so jarring because it brings into perspective the notion that, sometimes, you only see what people show you. It also suggests that people may be going through things that you can’t even imagine, and your role could be smaller than it seems. For example, Marla only knows the Narrator, and she has no idea that he has befriended his own alter ego, who plans anti-consumerist heists, murders, and bombings with his cult every night.
“What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?”
V.E. Schwab – The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
In this context, this quote does not mean that everyone is nothing if they don’t change the world in some way; instead, it refers to the literal sense that we have to prove that we ever existed by way of pictures, signatures, old scraps of paper that we doodle on, vases that we break, possessions, etc. Think about all the papers you have ever written, every photo that you are in, and every mark that you’ve left. While reading this book, I constantly went back to this quote and the thought about how often we unknowingly leave marks behind. I also kept thinking about the possibility of never being captured in a photo, not being able to retain any possessions, or breaking something for it to simply reform. The thought of moving through life as a ghost has stuck with me, when I do all of the things that Addie LaRue could not and continue to leave marks behind.
“It is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn’t touch.”
Donna Tartt – The Goldfinch
Being able to examine and appreciate art in its many forms is often a luxury that goes unnoticed. This quote is an example of this, as even centuries from now, scholars, students, and bookworms alike will still be able to read and analyze it. The art of music, sculpture, literature, and painting transcends both time and death, allowing us to continue to enjoy it for years to come. Since one of the main themes in The Goldfinch is grief, this quote explains that the beauty of art is that death cannot reach it.
“Wherever you go, there you are.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Wherever you go, there you are! What a beautiful statement. This quote came to me by way of influencer Colin Yeager, when discussing how he puts too much emphasis on where he lives at the moment. This quote speaks volumes to me because I have trouble staying present, especially since I am from a small, not very glamorous, town. Putting the weight of your mental state into your location’s hands is giving up a lot of your life. Even if you have to go back to your podunk town for winter break, how lucky you are to have somewhere to go back to! At the end of the day, if your feet are planted somewhere, the least you can do is be there.
“Why burden its existence with the requirement of purpose?”
TikTok user @connative_connor
Also found in the comment section on a TikTok video by @georgia81110 about a ceramic piece she made, asking what she should do with it. The comment was left by @conative_connor, and has been on my mind (and probably the minds of the 76k people who liked the comment) since I saw it. Though the TikTok was quite low stakes, the comment speaks to the greater topic of the nature of people constantly pushing and searching for a use for things. And since the ceramic depicted a humanoid or animal-like creature, the comment also points out that maybe we should just let things exist. Why must we give a job to the ceramic?
As a professional thought daughter, I imagine that I will keep adding to my list of quotes. I also encourage you to start compiling a list of your favorite quotes, and to think about why they matter to you, as there are few things more beautiful than reflection.