[Prince Humperdinck] was seventy-five minutes away from…
![“[Prince Humperdinck] was seventy-five minutes away from his first female murder, and he wondered if he could get his fingers to her throat before even the start of a scream. He had been practicing on giant sausages all the afternoon and had the movements down pretty pat, but then, giant sausages…” quote by William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/8d1/william-goldman-1095_afternoon_prince-humperdinck-was-seventy-five-minu_2026460.png)
“[Prince Humperdinck] was seventy-five minutes away from his first female murder, and he wondered if he could get his fingers to her throat before even the start of a scream. He had been practicing on giant sausages all the afternoon and had the movements down pretty pat, but then, giant sausages weren’t necks and all the wishing in the world wouldn’t make them so.”
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 rehearses violent acts on unsuitable substitutes, realizing practice on the wrong target fails.
In simple terms: Practice on the wrong thing won’t work.
Key Takeaway
Choose realistic practice targets.
Themes
training
illusion
preparation
Mood
cautionary
reflective
Type
warning
lesson
When to use this quote
- martial arts
- performance rehearsals
- sports drills
- medical simulations
Key Concepts
skill acquisition
misjudgment
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the risks of practicing on unrealistic models?
- How can you find safe, effective training methods?
A Different Perspective
Realistic practice may be unsafe or unethical.