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The success of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction comes from his ability to weave poignant dialogue with bloody violence. It is set in the chaotic intersection of eight wildly different characters: Hitmen Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, their gangster boss Marsellus Wallace, his wife Mia, boxer Butch Coolidge, fixer Winston Wolfe, and Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, a duo of armed robbers.
The movie is considered one of the greatest crime thrillers ever made, earning seven nominations at the 67th Academy Awards and winning Best Original Screenplay. This is, in part, due to the hard-hitting quotes. The non-linear writing peels back layers of every character, revealing their unique sides: sometimes philosophical, sometimes humorous, and almost always memorable.
Whether it's Jules's monologues about one's purpose or Mia's measured observations about life, there is no dearth of dialogue from Pulp Fiction for fans to enjoy.
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Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. The list is in no particular order.
Pulp Fiction quotes that fans can never forget
1) "If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions."- Jules Winnfield
One of the most surprising facets of a cult classic like Pulp Fiction is the philosophical back and forth between hitmen Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega. Jules grapples with retiring from crime, which is evident in how he analyzes religious texts. In the calm after the storm moment at the diner, where the movie comes full circle, the duo discusses their miraculous escape from a hail of bullets.
Jules is convinced that his escape was symbolic and Jesus's way of giving him a chance at redemption. However, Vega is less convinced. When he quotes the "water into wine" scenario from the Bible, Jules reminds him that miracles come in all shapes and sizes. Vega is unhappy with that response.
"If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions," Jules reminds him.
This is one of the best quotes in Pulp Fiction because it goes beyond just the movie's context. To become one with purpose, it is important to ask the scary questions.
2) "That's when you know you've found somebody special."- Mia
One of Vincent Vega's (John Travolta) tasks as a hitman working for Marsellus Wallace is to take his wife, Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), out for dinner while he is out of town. This turns into a conversation about a $5 milkshake and the iconic twist dance contest that Pulp Fiction is known for.
The conversation slowly turns into an awkward silence, which Mia recognizes as uncomfortable. She then muses about finding someone to be quiet with and how that's the marker for a solid relationship. The dialogue is underscored by a degree of caution. However, this famous quote in Pulp Fiction is a profound reminder of what matters in life.
"That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the f*ck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence," Mia says.
3) "I am kinda curious about that myself."- Lance
Things go south after the dance competition, after Mia overdoses on Vince's heroin. The sequence is tense and has the audience chewing off their fingernails in fear. There is a high possibility of Mia dying, which means he would have to face the wrath of his boss, Marsellus. With nowhere else to go, he drives over to his drug dealer, Lance's house.
Chaos, tons of screaming, and one overdose injection later, Vince is poised and ready to jab an unconscious Mia to see if she can be revived. Nobody knows how it could go.
"I am kinda curious about that [what happens next] myself," Lance says.
This dialogue both cuts the tension and ups it at the same time. The nonchalance makes fans almost want to laugh, which makes the quote and its delivery memorable.
4) "You play with matches, you get burned."- Vincent Vega
Vince and Jules talk about Marsellus's twisted sense of justice when he kills an employee named Antwan for giving his wife a foot massage. Jules thinks it is a gross overreaction because he gives foot massages to his mother, and it has no inherently sexual meaning. However, Vince has a different perspective.
"You play with matches, you get burned," he states.
This simple but straightforward line establishes the power dynamics in Pulp Fiction: Marsellus is in charge, and they are all his puppets in his grand game. It also shows how Vega isn't big on challenging the status quo, while Jules is more interested in pushing back and finding his own way.
5) "Say 'what' one more time, I dare you."- Jules
Samuel L. Jackson's thundering performance as Jules Winnfield pushes the boundaries of crime thrillers and adds more gravitas to Pulp Fiction. He toes the line between an intimidating hitman and an introspective philosopher with ease, so fans never know which side of him to expect. This rings true for his scene with Brett, a business partner who has Marsellus's briefcase.
Brett's hyper-realistic fear has him repeating the word "what" for every question, which brings every ounce of rage from Jules's being as he points a gun at him.
"Say 'what' one more time, I dare you, I double dare you, motherf**ker, say 'what' one more godd*mn time!" he shouts.
This scene shows Jackson's peak acting prowess, with his glowering stare and punchy dialogue delivery. The way Brett lets slip another "what?" right after being warned and getting shot in the shoulder ties the hot and sourness of the horror and humor in the scene together.
6) "I'm American, honey. Our names don't mean sh*t."- Butch Coolidge
Every dialogue, down to the way the characters split the syllables and deliver it, is a peek into their personality. Bruce Willis plays Butch, the boxer who double-crosses Marsellus and attempts to flee a murder scene. He is in the car with a driver named Esmeralda, and the setting is a jarring contradiction to the previous one.
The driver asks what his name means. The conversation is casual while Butch is sweating bullets, thinking of what to do next.
"I'm American, honey. Our names don't mean sh*t," he casually responds.
The scene is simple and understated, but it reveals a lot about the character. For starters, it offers a look into how the human psyche can compartmentalize traumatic incidents, particularly those who have seen a life of crime. But apart from that, it is filled with wry humor and disdain, making it one of the best quotes in Pulp Fiction.
7) "If Bonnie comes home and finds a dead body in her house, I'm gonna get divorced."- Jimmy
"The Bonnie Situation" is a chaotic, but hilarious segment in Pulp Fiction. For starters, it introduces director Quentin Tarantino in a cameo as Jimmy, whose house becomes a crime scene after Jules and Vince arrive with a bloodied car and a dead Marvin in tow.
Jimmy seems unbothered by the violence, but what sets him off is the looming arrival of his wife, Bonnie. His fear of getting divorced if she found a dead guy in their house drives most of his decision-making and emotionally charged monologue, which includes the memorable line:
"If Bonnie comes home and finds a dead body in her house, I'm gonna get divorced... Alright? No marriage counsellor, no trial separation, I'm gonna get divorced."
8) "Pride only hurts. It never helps."- Marsellus
Ving Rhames plays the multi-faceted Marsellus, whose power radiates around him. Throughout Pulp Fiction, he displays authority over every situation, especially the one where he convinces Butch to throw his boxing game for a bribe.
"Pride only hurts. It never helps," Marsellus reminds him when Butch takes some convincing.
This sentence is a double-edged sword because he is right, just in the wrong context. Moreover, he fails to apply it in his own life, and the advice comes to bite him in the end when he is cornered by Zed. His power dynamics with the rest of the ensemble make this statement more ironic.
9) "I am trying real hard to be the shepherd."- Jules
The ending of Pulp Fiction flips the script completely, putting the brakes on the mindless violence. The opening scene in the diner with Honey Bunny and Pumpkin's hostage plan comes full circle, and it is revealed that they are in the same diner as Jules and Vince. A gun-ridden standoff follows, and the nervous thieves are worried about ending up dead.
However, Jules quotes the Bible and the passage about the righteous man. The previous time he delivered this loaded dialogue, he shot Brett dead. This time, he lets the thieves go, showing his transition into a life free from crime.
"I am trying Ringo... I am trying real hard to be the shepherd," he says.
This signifies him trying to become someone worth following, like Jesus in the Bible, someone who is on the path of goodness.
10) "I think we should be leaving now."- Vince
The anti-climactic climax of the movie makes it one of the most intense portrayals of what it means to be human. After the tense stand-off, the other people in the diner look at the duo, terrified for their lives. Vince cuts the tension with a wry and memorable quote in Pulp Fiction:
"I think we should be leaving now," he says.
Jules responds that it's a good idea, and the duo exits the premises in their jarringly colorful clothing with guns in the waistband of their shorts. The dialogue perfectly sums up their exit, showcasing that they've done everything they can to fuel the plot. Overall, it is a punchy and refreshingly humorous way to end a movie filled to the brim with crime.
Watch Pulp Fiction on Paramount+.
