"Some places never let you go."
Shutter Island - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Which would be worse: To live as a monster, or to die as a good man?
— Edward "Teddy" Daniels / Andrew Laeddis
Context:
Spoken in the final scene on the steps of the hospital. After seemingly breaking through his delusion, Andrew refers to Dr. Sheehan as 'Chuck' again, suggesting a relapse. This line, however, reveals to Dr. Sheehan (and the audience) that he is aware of his reality and is making a conscious, tragic choice.
Meaning:
This is the film's most iconic and debated line. It signifies Andrew's final moment of lucidity. He is not relapsing into his delusion but is consciously choosing a lobotomy. He would rather have his mind erased ('die as a good man,' Teddy Daniels) than live with the knowledge of what he has done ('live as a monster,' Andrew Laeddis).
This is a game. All of this is for you. You're not investigating anything. You're a f**king rat in a maze.
— George Noyce
Context:
Teddy finds George Noyce, a patient he knows, being held in the high-security Ward C. Noyce, beaten and terrified, delivers this warning, trying to make Teddy understand that he is not an investigator but a subject.
Meaning:
This quote is a direct and crucial piece of foreshadowing. Noyce, another patient, explicitly tells Teddy that the entire situation is a setup centered around him. It plants the seed for both Teddy and the audience that his perception of events is being manipulated.
Sanity's not a choice, Marshall. You can't just choose to get over it.
— Dr. John Cawley
Context:
Dr. Cawley says this to Teddy during one of their interviews. He is explaining the nature of the patients' illnesses while subtly commenting on Teddy's own condition, which Teddy is oblivious to at the time.
Meaning:
This line speaks to the film's themes of mental illness and the struggle for control over one's own mind. It's an ironic statement from Dr. Cawley, whose entire experiment is based on the hope that Andrew can, in fact, choose reality over delusion.
You act like insanity is catching.
— Chuck Aule
Context:
Spoken by Chuck to Teddy early in their investigation as they are being briefed by the deputy warden. Teddy's discomfort and suspicion are palpable, and Chuck's line teases the underlying psychological truth of the story.
Meaning:
This is another piece of dialogue with a double meaning. On the surface, it's a simple observation about Teddy's unease around the patients. In hindsight, it's a poignant remark from Dr. Sheehan about Andrew's deep-seated fear of his own insanity, which he projects onto others.