Why did the wise guys always accuse other people of being wise guys?

You bring up your children to be self-reliant and independent and they double-cross you and become self-reliant and independent.

Everybody sins, Francis. The terrible thing is that we love our sins. We love the thing that makes us evil.

Archie became absolutely still, afraid that the rapid beating of his heart might betray his sudden knowledge, the proof of what he'd always suspected, not only of Brother Leon but most grownups, most adults: they were vulnerable, running scared, open to invasion.

A new sickness invaded Jerry, the sickness of knowing what he had become, another animal, another beast, another violent person in a violent world, inflicting damage, not disturbing the universe but damaging it.

It doesn't matter how big the body, it's what you do with it.

Affection is one of the most neglected words in the English language, that people throw the word love around like confetti when they mean affection.