Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction Quotes and Analysis

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

Jules Winnfield

Jules regularly recites this Biblical passage, Ezekiel 25:17, before performing executions. He comments at the end of the film that he only recites these words because they sound like "some cold-blooded shit to say to a motherfucker," before he reconsiders their actual meaning, after he and Vincent are spared by gunfire that should have killed them.

"A Royale with cheese."

Vincent Vega

The first time the audience encounters Vincent and Jules, Vincent is telling Jules about his recent trip to Europe. Vincent explains to Jules that a quarter-pounder with cheese in France is called a "Royale with cheese," which amuses both of them, as does the fact that a Big Mac is called "Le Big Mac."

"Don't be a... [square]."

Mia Wallace

After pulling up to the 1950s retro diner Jackrabbit Slim's, Vincent is hesitant to enter, due to its over-the-top kitschiness. Mia teases him in 1950s lingo by saying, "Don't be a square," but draws a square with her fingers instead of saying the actual words. Tarantino superimposes the square that she draws with a dotted line—one of the film's only conspicuous post-production effects.

"Three tomatoes are walking down the street, a poppa tomato, a momma tomato, and a little baby tomato. The baby tomato is lagging behind the poppa and momma tomato. The poppa tomato gets mad, goes over to the momma tomato and stamps on him—and says: catch up."

Mia Wallace

This is Mia's signature joke from Fox Force Five, her failed television pilot where she played a super-spy who also happened to be the granddaughter of a vaudevillian. She at first refuses to tell the joke to Vincent, but eventually relents after he saves her life when she accidentally overdoses on heroin.

"Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead."

Butch Coolidge

Butch tells this to Fabienne when she asks who owns the chopper motorcycle named Grace that the two ride away on at the end of Butch's storyline. The line comically references the fact that Marsellus plans to sadistically torture and kill Zed, in revenge for being captured and raped in his basement.

"That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence."

Mia Wallace

Mia says this to Vincent after the two share what she calls an "uncomfortable silence," while eating dinner together at Jackrabbit Slim's. They later share another uncomfortable, sexually charged silence back at her house, just before Mia overdoses.

"Would you give a guy a foot massage?"

Vincent Vega

After arguing at length about the implications of a foot massage, which Vincent believes are sexual and Jules believes are not, Vincent asks Jules if he would give another man a foot massage. Jules's hesitation proves Vincent's point, which amuses Vincent and irritates Jules.

"Just because you are a character doesn't mean that you have character."

Winston Wolfe

Wolfe tells this to Raquel, after she tells him, "I have character." The line is self-referential, in that Wolfe seems to be aware of the fact that he and Raquel are fictional characters in a film. "Having character" can also be a synonym for pride and integrity, which all of the film's characters are struggling to uphold.

"Normally, both your asses would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period so I don't wanna kill you, I wanna help you."

Jules Winnfield

Jules tells this to Pumpkin in the final scene of the film, after he and Vincent have recently been spared by what Jules calls an act of "divine intervention." The event sparks a transition in which Jules becomes determined to leave behind his life of crime and embrace a more altruistic, intentional style of living.

"Bring out the Gimp."

Zed

Zed orders Maynard to release a man in a full-body bondage suit who they keep in a trunk in the basement of the pawn shop. They order "The Gimp" to keep watch over Butch, who is bound and gagged, while they drag Marsellus into another room.