An Education Quotes

Jack We have to have this out. Well, if you won't do it, I will. I'm still your father.

Jenny You're my father again now, are you? And what were you when you encouraged me to throw my life away? Silly schoolgirls are always getting seduced by glamorous older men, but what about you two?

Taglines Innocence of the Young.

Jenny Mellor If people die the moment that they graduate, then surely it's the things we do beforehand that count.

Headmistress He's a Jew? You're aware, I take it, that the Jews killed our Lord?

Jenny And you're aware, I suppose, that our Lord was Jewish?

Headmistress I suppose he told you that. We're all very sorry about what happened during the war. But that's absolutely no excuse for that sort of malicious and untruthful propaganda.

Miss Stubbs You seem to be old and wise.

Jenny I feel old. But not very wise.

Helen Someone told me that in about 50 years, no one will speak Latin, probably. Not even Latin people.

Headmistress Nobody does anything worth doing without a degree.

Jenny Nobody does anything worth doing with a degree. No woman anyway.

Headmistress So what I do isn't worth doing? Or what Miss Stubbs does, or Mrs. Wilson, or any of us here? Because none of us would be here without a degree. You do realize that, don't you? And yes, of course studying is hard and boring...

Jenny Boring!

Headmistress I'm sorry?

Jenny Studying is hard and boring. Teaching is hard and boring. So, what you're telling me is to be bored, and then bored, and finally bored again, but this time for the rest of my life? This whole stupid country is bored! There's no life in it, or color, or fun! It's probably just as well the Russians are going to drop a nuclear bomb on us any day now. So my choice is to do something hard and boring, or to marry my... Jew, and go to Paris and Rome and listen to jazz, and read, and eat good food in nice restaurants, and have fun! It's not enough to educate us anymore, Ms. Walters. You've got to tell us why you're doing it.

Jenny Mellor The life I want, there is no shortcut.

Jenny Mellor It's funny though, isn't it? All that poetry and all those songs, about something that lasts no time at all.

Jenny Mellor I don't want to lose my virginity to a piece of fruit.

Jenny Mellor If you never do anything, you never become anyone.

Jack Mellor Knowing a famous author is better than becoming one. It shows you're connected.

Jenny Mr. and Mrs. David Goldman. Mr. and Mrs. David Goldman. Mr. and Mrs. David— you're married!

David Legally yes, but...

Jenny When were you going to tell me?

David Soon. It just never seemed like the right time. You seemed so happy, and I was happy...

Jenny You were living with your wife all this time, around the corner! Byron Avenue. It's no wonder we kept bumping into each other, is it? What number?

David 34. Don't be like this, come on.

Jenny I have nothing. I didn't take my exams. I... I left school. Where's it all gone now?