“There are millions of people in the world and none of those people are an extra. They're all the leads of their own stories. They have to be given their due.”
In line with the exploration of theatre and artistic expression in the film, this quote analyses people in regards to the "play" of their lives, and their own story. Here, Caden refers to the fact that each and every person you meet is the lead in their own life, and must be treated respectfully. This is something people often forget, treating other people as if they were "extras."
“We're all hurtling towards death. Yet here we are, for the moment, alive. Each of us knowing we're going to die. Each of us secretly believing we won't.”
Death is a key theme in this film, whether this is real, metaphorical, or spiritual death. This quote foreshadows Caden's own death at the end of the film, after suffering from a strange medical condition.
"Everything is more complicated than you think. You only see a tenth of what is true. There are a million little strings attached to every choice you make; you can destroy your life every time you choose."
Synecdoche follows the life of Caden and explores the consequences of his choices. This is reflected in this quote, which suggests that our choices are complicated and have far-reaching consequences beyond what we can immediately perceive.
