Skip to content

When the typewriter stops in a New York office everybody's…

“When the typewriter stops in a New York office everybody's embarrassed; men start to quarrel or to make love to the stenographer or drop lighted cigarettes in the wastebasket.” quote by John Dos Passos
Download Open image
“When the typewriter stops in a New York office everybody's embarrassed; men start to quarrel or to make love to the stenographer or drop lighted cigarettes in the wastebasket.”

John Dos Passos

About This Quote

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

Depicts a chaotic office scene where a malfunctioning typewriter leads to embarrassment and a range of reactions, from conflict to intimacy.

In simple terms: Shows how a small problem can cause varied human responses.

Key Takeaway

Expect unpredictable outcomes from minor disruptions.

Themes

chaos human behavior workplace

Mood

wry observational

Type

satirical narrative

When to use this quote

  • office environment
  • stress
  • interpersonal relations

Key Concepts

social dynamics awkwardness humor

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do people react so differently to the same incident?
  • What does this reveal about workplace culture?
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by John Dos Passos

Explore all 125 John Dos Passos quotes

More Cigarette quotes

Browse all 787 Cigarette quotes