He wasn't a man; he was a thing, and things just did what they did.
-- Kaladin (chapter 9)

Importance: This quote illustrates how slaves were treated as less than men and how those men were brainwashed into thinking they had nothing to live for since they were not men anymore. It shows the despair that haunts the bridgemen and how they have no hope at becoming men again.

No, this place wasn't natural. The land had been broke. And now it broke the people who came to it.
-- Kaladin (chapter 11)

Importance: This quote illustrates how the Shattered Plains have changed the men that have lived on them. The land was broken by something terrible years ago and now it breaks the men who come to it. It is a land of despair and devoid of hope that kills men's souls.

The world just changed, Gaz,' Kaladin said, leaning in close. 'I died down at that chasm...
-- Kaladin (chapter 11)