Skip to content

The expression terminal, when the doctor first pronounced…

“The expression terminal, when the doctor first pronounced it, had struck Meershank with a comic bounce, this after a lifetime of pursuing puns for a living. His scavenger self immediately pictured a ghostly airline terminal in which scurrying men and women trotted briskly to and fro in hospital…” quote by Carol Shields
Download Open image
““The expression terminal, when the doctor first pronounced it, had struck Meershank with a comic bounce, this after a lifetime of pursuing puns for a living. His scavenger self immediately pictured a ghostly airline terminal in which scurrying men and women trotted briskly to and fro in hospital gowns.””

Carol Shields

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator finds humor in a grim medical diagnosis, turning a serious moment into a playful image.

In simple terms: Finding humor in dark moments.

Key Takeaway

Seek levity in adversity.

Themes

humor mortality language

Mood

wry thoughtful

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • hospital stays
  • grieving
  • creative writing
  • teaching literature

Key Concepts

playful coping literary imagination

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can humor aid coping with illness?
  • When does humor become inappropriate?
A Different Perspective

Humor may downplay seriousness of illness.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Carol Shields

Explore all 67 Carol Shields quotes

More Comedy quotes

Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes