A stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed…
““A stout, middle-aged man, with enormous owl-eyed spectacles, was sitting somewhat drunk on the edge of a great table, staring with unsteady concentration at the shelves of books. As we entered he wheeled excitedly around and examined Jordan from head to foot. “What do you think?” he demanded impetuously. “About what?” He waved his hand toward the book-shelves. “About that. As a matter of fact you needn’t bother to ascertain. I ascertained. They’re real.” “The books?” He nodded. “Absolutely real — have pages and everything. I thought they’d be a nice durable cardboard. Matter of fact, they’re absolutely real. Pages and — Here! Lemme show you.” Taking our scepticism for granted, he rushed to the bookcases and returned with Volume One of the “Stoddard Lectures.” “See!” he cried triumphantly. “It’s a bona-fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me. This fella’s a regular Belasco. It’s a triumph. What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop, too — didn’t cut the pages. But what do you want? What do you expect?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A character boasts about possessing a physical book, emphasizing its tangibility to mock pretentiousness and highlight absurdity of material certainty.
In simple terms: A man pretends a book is real to mock seriousness.
Key Takeaway
Question the value of material proof.
Themes
irony
satire
materialism
Mood
playful
critical
Type
satirical
literary
When to use this quote
- literary critique
- social commentary
- mocking pretentiousness
Key Concepts
existentialism
authenticity
absurdity
Practical Applications
- academic discussion
- book club
- creative writing
- teaching literary analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “real” mean in a literary context?
- How does satire expose pretentiousness?
A Different Perspective
The claim is a performance, not an objective truth.