I do want to make it very convincing. And the best way to do that is to put most of it in dialogue.

Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. I just like to know what your interest is.

Only God sees the sparrow fall, but even God doesn't do anything about it.

I need a dog pretty badly. I dreamed of dogs last night. They sat in a circle and looked at me and I wanted all of them.

Are cats strange animals or do they so resemble us that we find them curious as we do monkeys?

I don't think there is a single sentence in this whole book [East of Eden] that does not either develop character, carry on the story or provide necessary background.

The break would never come as long as fear could turn to wrath.