How we cite our quotes: All quotes are from The Sixth Sense.
Quote #1
MALCOLM: Vincent? Vincent Gray? I do remember you, Vincent. You were a good kid. Quiet, very smart, compassionate. Unusually compassionate.
VINCENT: You forgot "cursed." You failed me.
MALCOLM: Vincent, I'm sorry I didn't help you. But if you just let me try, if you just give me a chance…
From the moment Malcolm sees the man in the bathroom, even though he doesn't recognize him at first, he relies on his communication skills to try to defuse the situation. He's got enormous faith in the power of words to solve problems. This time, it doesn't work.
Quote #2
MALCOLM: What were you talking about with your soldiers when I came in? De...
COLE: De profundis clamo ad te Domine. It's called Latin.
MALCOLM: Do all your soldiers speak Latin?
COLE: No, just one.
This is Malcolm's attempt to gently enter into Cole's inner world. He knows that young kids often act out their conflicts with their toys. Sure enough, Cole lets him in a bit. Malcom has to go look up what it meant. Is it significant that he doesn't ask Cole what it means? Does he think this would be pushing?
Quote #3
MALCOLM: Don't feel like talking today? Want to play a game? It's a mind-reading game. Here's how it works: I read your mind. If what I say is right, you take one step toward the chair. If what I say is wrong, you take one step back toward the doorway. If you reach the chair, you sit down. If you reach the door, you can go. Want to play?
Cole is pretty afraid to talk to anyone about the whole seeing-ghosts thing, so he resists talking to Malcolm for a good long while until Malcolm wears him down with a game.