“All girls are mad. Each in her own way.” MadnessInsanityGirlsGirlhood Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“Silence . . . Silence is what, Samokhina?” “Golden,” Sasha squeezed out. “Golden. From this point on, Samokhina, you are to be silent. This exercise is intended to speed up certain processes, which are beginning to emerge, but are way too slow at this moment. You are not to speak a single word, neither here, nor outside. Nowhere at all. I forbid you.” Silence Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“I’m serious, Sasha: what is so important about being human? Is it because you simply haven’t experienced anything else?” HumanityExperienceBeing Human Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“Sasha herself had changed. It felt as if she had been taken apart—and then put back together again, but at first glance she seemed exactly the same. Sometimes even she herself thought that she was exactly the same as last fall, when they had listened to “Gaudeamus” in the assembly hall.” Change Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“This institution of higher education had no such concept as mercy.” MercyHigher EducationMerciless Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“To live is to be vulnerable. A thin membrane of a soap bubble separates one from impenetrable hell. Ice on the road. The unlucky division of an aging cell. A child picks up a pill from the floor. Words stick to each other, line up, obedient to the great harmony of speech...” LifeDeathFragile Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“What's in a name? that which we call a rose/By any other name would smell as sweet.' In other words, the essence of an object does not change depending on it's name. This is a common misconception not unlike the 'world is flat' belief. By verbally identifying an object, by giving it a name, we alter it. And at the same time we prevent it from changing. A name is like a forked stick that we use to hold a snake on the ground." Portnov imitated using a forked branch to press down an imaginary viper. "By the way, consider this: the contradictory nature of a statement almost certainly proves its legitimacy... Come in." [...] "May I continue? Thank you. However, there is also another misconception-by which a name automatically defines the properties of an object. Here is a pen." He tossed up and caught a dark-blue pen with a white top. "If I give it the name of... an earthworm, will it slither?" Second years, Group A, maintained a tense silence. No one wanted to risk an answer. "It will not." Portnov let the pen fall on his desk. "Because this given piece of plastic has nothing in common with the process and events that we are talking about, that we spend time studying... between dance parties and dealing with gastrointestinal problems. Besides, when I say 'give a name,' I do not imply any of the languages that are commonly used by any of the living persons. I am talking about Speech, which you will begin to study during your third year. Some of you may start earlier.” PhilosophyNamesLanguageSpeechEssenceNameChangingIdentifyObject Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra
“Can I really read my future?" "Easily. When you buy a train ticket, you are not only reading your future, you are forming it. Your ticket states the day of your departure. The number of your carriage. Your seat. That means that in the most plausible future you will appear at the train station, approach the carriage that is mentioned on your ticket..." "Do you like making fun of me?" Sasha herself was shocked at the helplessness in her voice. Kozhenikov stopped smiling. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to offend you. This question is too serious to discuss without irony.” ReadingFutureTrainPossibilitiesTicketForetelling The Future Book:Vita Nostra Source: Vita Nostra