How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Vanity, tempered with self-suspicion if not self-knowledge, a sense of people as automatons to his will, a desire to "pass" as many boys as possible and get to a vague top of the world… with this background did Amory drift into adolescence. (1.1.142)
Amory is such an egomaniac during adolescence that he thinks the people around him are a bunch of robots or "automatons." In other words, he thinks only he is a full human being and everyone else is just an obstacle standing between him and greatness.
Quote #2
"I want to pull strings, even for somebody else, or be Princetonian chairman or Triangle president. I want to be admired, Kerry." (1.2.109)
Amory makes his case clear to his buddy Kerry when he says he wants people to admire him. He wants to be a big shot, but the problem is that he doesn't really want to work hard along the way. He basically wishes he had the talent necessary to become famous without having to try.
Quote #3
He asked her if she thought he was conceited. She said there was a difference between conceit and self-confidence. She adored self-confidence in men. (1.2.237)
Isabelle Borgé says that she likes Amory's pride. But that's only in the beginning. Once they've known each other for a while, Isabelle changes her mind and decides that Amory's pride is actually really annoying.
Quote #4
As in the story-books, she ran into them, and on that half-minute, as their lips first touched, rested the high point of vanity, the crest of his young egotism. (1.2.438)
There's nothing that strokes Amory's ego more than kissing a pretty girl. In fact, it all seems to go downhill from this moment. The only time we see Amory this happy again is when he's kissing another pretty girl—Rosalind Connage.
Quote #5
"Not a bit of it!" scoffed Monsignor. "You've lost a great amount of vanity and that's all." (1.3.161)
Amory feels like he's lost his innocence and vitality as he's gotten older. But his mentor Monsignor Darcy thinks that all he's lost is a whole lot of vanity and pride. Monsignor thinks this is a good thing. But it sometimes seems as though Amory is an engine that runs on pride, and that without pride, he has no motivation.
Quote #6
"Well—no, you have tremendous vanity, but it'll amuse the people who notice its preponderance." (1.4.226)
It doesn't take long for Clara to recognize Amory's giant pride. But rather than scold Amory for it, she says that his pride is kind of charming. There are too many people who pretend to be modest all the time, and it's refreshing to meet a guy like Amory who can't hide even when he tries.
Quote #7
"I can't marry you and ruin both our lives." (2.1.411)
Rosalind doesn't want to marry Amory because she's certain that she'll make him miserable. The truth is that Amory isn't good/wealthy enough for her. Rosalind knows she'll never be happy unless she marries someone rich and respectable, and even though she loves Amory, she feels that love isn't enough.
Quote #8
"I'm sick of a system where the richest man gets the most beautiful girl if he wants her, where the artist without an income has to sell his talents to a button manufacturer." (2.5.206)
The fact is that Amory wants all that life doesn't have to offer. He wants to be appreciated (and paid) simply for being who he is and he wants a beautiful girl at his side. But he doesn't feel as though he should have to play the game to get these things. He doesn't want to work for some boring company to make his money, and he doesn't want beautiful girls to flock to men just because the men are rich.
Quote #9
Here was a new generation, shouting the old cries, learning the old creeds, through a revery of long days and nights; destined finally to go out into that dirty gray turmoil to follow love and pride. (2.5.245)
Amory looks around and sees a bunch of young people who are about to go through the exact same process he has. They're going to lose their youthful enthusiasm as soon as they realize how boring they'll have to become to live a comfortable adult life. They'll start with a lot of pride, but Amory is convinced they'll all get beaten down like him. There's a depressing thought.
Quote #10
"I know myself […] but that is all." (2.5.251)
In the final line of this book, Amory insists that all he really knows is himself. But this just begs the question: does he actually know himself at all? It's nice to think that we know ourselves, but it's impossible to ever be sure. So in this sense, Amory's final statement might be a total fantasy that's built on his lingering pride.