Ask the Night Crew: Favorite Quotes

Here at Nocturnal Mind, we’re all about quotes. Not only do we have a whole file of quotes on hand about art and creativity, but we also have our own personal collections of statements, lyrics, and questions that strike us as inspirational, charming, or reassuring. These quotes have accumulated over the years from various sources, some of which include public figures, movies and television, books, and other forms of entertainment.

And because the purpose of art and creativity is to hold a mirror up to life, even fictional phrases can be just as inspiring and thought-provoking as those made by Martin Luther King Jr. or Eleanor Roosevelt. So, this week I decided to ask the Night Crew to share some of their favorite quotes from fiction and tell us what those words mean to them in the face of reality.

One thing I noticed after putting them all together is that our favorite quotes tend to be the more obscure. These are the quotes that might seem unimportant at first glance, but in context—or, sometimes, after taking a moment to dig a little deeper—they hold more poignant meanings.

And, like all art, those meanings can be extra significant based on our own personal experiences and points of view.

 

 

1. “If I can mince, you can dance.” – Prince Naveen, The Princess and the Frog

 

At first glance, this quote may not seem very important or inspiring. But contextually, it has a lot to say about romantic couples and what a true partnership should be like. At this point in the story, Tiana has taught the spoiled Prince Naveen how to mince food, leading to his admission that, since his parents cut him off from his fortune, he’s realized he “[doesn’t] know how to do anything.” Later, when the all-work-and-no-play Tiana is invited by the carefree prince to dance, she’s forced to admit: “I don’t dance… I’ve never danced.” To which, the prince responds: “If I can mince, you can dance.” Beneath the surface, when Naveen says this to Tiana he is really telling her that if he can learn to be self-reliant, she can learn to let go and have fun. This brief exchange reveals an all-important factor in a relationship: the ability to continuously teach each other and help each other grow. (Shameless plug incoming: I should have put this moment in my Top Ten Romantic Gestures) – CO

 

2. “My people are in the world again. No sorrow will live in me as long as that joy—save one, and I thank you for that, too.” – The Unicorn: The Last Unicorn (Peter S. Beagle)

 

This quote, delivered by the Unicorn near the end of her story, is reminiscent of Tennyson’s “‘Tis better to have loved and lost / than never to have loved at all.” In her own way, the Unicorn is stating that she’s content to live with regret, because that one painful memory is still the result of something beautiful she got to experience. It shows us that our experiences shape who we are, and even the things we sorrow over may still give us something to learn and grow from, and, on rare occasions, to still look back on fondly. – CM

 

3. “I’d forgotten not all victories are about saving the universe.” – Rory, Doctor Who: “The God Complex”

 

In this fascinating episode from Series 6, the Doctor and his companions find themselves in what appears to be a vast, abandoned hotel, where guests are picked off one by one by an alien creature that (they believe) feeds on fear. When they are too late to save one of their group, Rory remembers the young man by praising the fact that he’d worked past a speech impediment. He follows this by reflecting to the Doctor, who has saved countless planets and peoples during his adventures, that “not all victories are about saving the universe.” This quote shows us that each one of us has our own struggles to deal with, and just by facing them and pulling through, we achieve something great. Sometimes, we are our own heroes simply by working hard at something that is important to us, no matter how big or small it may seem in the grand scheme of things. – CQ

 

4. “Empty your cup.” – Lu, Forbidden Kingdom

 

In this movie starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li, kung fu enthusiast Jason finds himself transported back to ancient China to help a band of misfits free the fabled Monkey King. During this particular scene, Jason expresses his enthusiasm for learning kung fu to Lu, the “Drunken Master” charged with training him, and begins to list off all the moves he’s anxious to be taught. Lu, using a literal cup of tea as a metaphor, tells Jason to forget what he knows by asking, “How can you fill your cup, if already full? How can you learn kung fu, you already know so much?” He ends his lecture by telling Jason to empty his cup—something Jason cannot truly understand at this point in the story. This whole speech given by Lu is stirring because it is impossible to teach someone who thinks they have all the answers. (And usually those who think they have all the answers are the ones who need the most teaching. Just sayin’.) The philosophy of “Empty your cup” is one we should all take into consideration. – CO

 

5. “But the most important thing for you to understand is this: all things want to open. You must feel that need, and use it.” – Door’s Father: Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)

 

In this haunting story, Door is a young woman with the extraordinary power to open “doorways” wherever she goes. In this quote from her father, we can find a deeper undertone. Not everything can be “opened” in a literal sense, but sometimes we as human beings lock things away, like emotions, or truths, or memories. This quote demonstrates that with a little care and patience, anyone can be “opened” to such things as communication, and trust, and love, no matter how securely they might seem to have shut themselves away. All we need is a little sympathy and kindness. – CM

 

6. “Sometimes you are what’s coming around.” – Michael, The Dresden Files: “Grave Peril” (Jim Butcher)

 

In this segment of the series, Chicago’s resident wizard, Harry Dresden, confides to his friend that he fears some karmic repercussions for a few questionable spells he had to cast in order to save himself and others. In response to these worries, Michael weaves his own perspective of karmic intervention to put his friend’s mind at ease: “What goes around comes around. And sometimes you get what’s coming around… And sometimes you are what’s coming around. You see what I mean?” This quote leaves us with the idea that, just maybe, we all have a place within the grander scheme of things. And that, sometimes, even what seems to be a destructive action may in fact be balancing out someone else’s wrongdoings. The point here is to just always keep doing what we feel is right and what is necessary, and know that the universe will sort things out from there. – CQ

 

 

— CQ

 

 

 

Night Owls, what are some of your favorite fictional quotes? What do they mean to you?