We must, by law, keep a record of the innocents we kill. And as I see it, they’re all innocents. Even the guilty.
-- Honorable Scythe Curie (chapter 1)

Importance: In this passage from her gleaning journal, Scythe Curie expresses her belief that all victims of gleaning are innocent. Regardless of the person’s character or moral choices, Curie believes that every individual does not deserve to be gleaned. This statement introduces Curie’s personal philosophy to the reader right away.

A slap in the face is bracing. It reminds me that I’m human.
-- Honorable Scythe Faraday (chapter 1)

Importance: Scythe Faraday appreciates Citra’s brutal honesty because he feels that this sort of interaction is genuine and telling of Citra’s character. He prefers this sort of discourse to the pandering that most individuals he meets displays, since they aim only to get on the good side of a scythe.

I’m not going!’ she called out from her room...
-- Narrator (chapter 3)