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--Here, my good man. Could you tell me whereabouts Horatio…

“--Here, my good man. Could you tell me whereabouts Horatio Street...good heavens. Thus called upon, he took courage; the sursum corda of an extravagant belch straightened him upright, and he answered, --Whfffck? Whether this was an approach to discussion he had devised himself, or a subtle…” quote by William Gaddis
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““--Here, my good man. Could you tell me whereabouts Horatio Street...good heavens. Thus called upon, he took courage; the sursum corda of an extravagant belch straightened him upright, and he answered, --Whfffck? Whether this was an approach to discussion he had devised himself, or a subtle adaptation of the Socratic method of questioning perfected in the local athenaeums which he attended until closing time, was not to be known; for the answer was, --Stand aside.””

William Gaddis

About This Quote

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

A chaotic dialogue satirizes pretentious intellectualism, exposing absurdity in over‑the‑top questioning.

In simple terms: Pretentious questioning can become absurd.

Key Takeaway

Beware of over‑complicating conversation.

Themes

satire communication intellectualism

Mood

witty critical

Type

satirical literary

When to use this quote

  • academic debates
  • political interviews
  • online forums
  • creative writing

Key Concepts

absurdism social critique

Questions to Reflect On

  • When does satire become exclusionary?
  • How can we keep dialogue clear yet thought‑provoking?
A Different Perspective

The humor may alienate readers unfamiliar with the references.

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