A nameless drifter dons a postman's uniform and bag of mail as he begins a quest to inspire hope to the survivors living in post-apocalyptic America.

The Postman: Wouldn't it be great if wars could be fought just by the assholes who started them?
Irene March: [to the Postman] You're a godsend. A savior!
The Postman: No, I'm... I'm just the Postman.
[Clutching a spoon as a weapon]
The Postman: Don't make me use this.
General Bethlehem: Great men were made by other great men. Patton had Rommel, Grant had Lee, I get stuck with you.
Sheriff: You're nothing but a drifter who found a bag of mail.
General Bethlehem: I was at the Battle of Georgetown; I watched the White House burn to the ground!
General Bethlehem: U.S. Mail... Restored United States... Do these people really believe that shit?
General Bethlehem: Law one. You will obey orders without question. Law two: Punishment shall be swift. Law three: Mercy is for the weak. Four: Terror will defeat reason. Five: Your allegiance is to the clan. Six: Justice can be dictated. Seven: Any clansman may challenge for leadership of the clan. Law eight: There is only one penalty. Death.
Postman: I know you. You're... famous.
Bridge City Mayor: I was once... sorta.
General Bethlehem: I know what your problem is. Do you know why you won't fight? Because you have nothing to fight for! You don't care about anything! You don't value anything! You don't believe in anything! That's what makes me better!
[the Postman is performing Shakespeare]
The Postman: It's a tale told by...
Piano Player: [prompting him] An idiot.
The Postman: ...by a moron! Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
[Hours after The Postman arrived in town, a woman has asked to have his child]
The Postman: It's gotta be the uniform.
Abby: You made Mrs. March feel like she could see again. You made Ford believe he was part of something. You give out hope like it was candy in your pocket.
Bridge City Mayor: I heard of you, man. *You're* famous!
The Postman: Yeah, I guess I am.
The Postman: You're no general. You're not even a good painter.
The Postman: Once more into the breach, my friends, once more. We'll close the wall with our dead. In peace, nothing so becomes a man as modesty and humility, but when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with rage and lend the eye a terrible aspect.
The Postman: Uh... Strangers... I hate this. Do they want to share what they got or take what you got? Do you say 'hi' or do you blow them away?
The Postman: It takes one postman to make someone else a postman.
Ford Lincoln Mercury: Sorta like vampires, huh?
Irene March: [to The Postman] I have a feeling about you. I know you'll do what's right.
Postman: The President's name... is Richard Starkey!
The Postman: [shivering in the postal van, sees a skeleton] Hi, how you doing?
The Postman: Tell me something: how much mail can a dead Postman deliver?
Larry: I tried to be an actor when I was young. I wasn't a good actor, but now after seeing you at least I can die knowing I wasn't the worst one.
The Postman: How much did you pay to get in, Larry? So bite me!
[end of the movie; introducing The Postman to her baby]
Abby: This is your daughter... her name is Hope.
Old George: [while talking with the Postman] I was an aerospace engineer. I helped design the Galileo space station. I dream it's orbiting Earth forever, with a dozen human skeletons all grinning at each other. Laughing at us down here.
General Bethlehem: You see the reason you don't want to die for anything is because you have nothing to die for. That's the difference between you and me. You don't believe in anything.
The Postman: I believe in the United States.
General Bethlehem: Great men were made by other great men. Patton had Rommel. Grant had Lee!
Luke: The General is a great man!
Postman: [incredulous] The General is a fucking lunatic!
Postman: When I was a kid, we all wore our hats backwards. We thought it was cool.