Alison Porter: [on bears and squirrels] Its sort of a silly symphony for people who can't bear the pain of being human any longer.

Alison Porter: I don't think I want anything more to do with love. Not any more, I can't take it on.

Alison Porter: I keep looking back as far as I remember. I can't think what it was like to feel young, really young. Jimmy said the same thing to me the other day and I pretended not to be listening because I thought it would hurt him I suppose. But I knew just what he meant. Oh I suppose it would've been so easy to say 'oh yes darling, I know what you mean, I know how you're feeling'. Its these easy things that seem to be so impossible with us.

Alison Porter: I suppose none of this could ever really have worked. I do love you Jimmy, I shall never love anyone as I love you, but I can't go on, I can't take part in all this suffering, I can't.
Jimmy Porter: It's no good fooling about with love you know. You can't fall into it like a soft job without dirtying up your hands. It takes muscle and guts. If you can't bear the thought of messing up your nice, tidy soul, you better give up the whole idea of life and become a saint, because you'll never make it as a human being. It's either this world... or the next.

Alison Porter: You know what he said about mummy, he said she was an overfed, overprivileged old cow.
Colonel Redfern: I see, and what did he say about me?
Alison Porter: He doesn't seem to mind you, in fact I think he rather likes you. Poor old daddy, just one of those sturdy plants left over from the Edwardian era wondering why the sun doesn't shine any more.
Colonel Redfern: Why did you have to meet this young man?
Alison Porter: Oh daddy, please don't put me on trial now. I've been on trial every day and night for the past two years.
Colonel Redfern: But why you, my daughter?

Colonel Redfern: I think you take after me my dear, you like to sit on the fence. Its comfortable and more peaceful.
Alison Porter: Sitting on the fence - I married him didn't I?

Doctor: What does your husband do, what's his profession?
Alison Porter: He runs a sweet stall at the market.
Doctor: I thought you said he's been to university.

Jimmy Porter: [Last words] Don't let yourself down.

Jimmy Porter: [singing] Don't be afraid to sleep with your sweetheart, just because she's better than you.

Jimmy Porter: All because I want something from that girl I know in my heart she's incapable of giving.