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Poor people Quote by Barbara Comyns

“She cleared her throat once or twice, and said something about poor people should eat a lot of herrings, as they were most nutritious, also she had heard poor people eat heaps of sheeps' heads and she went on to ask if I ever cooked them. I said I would rather be dead than cook or eat a sheep's…” quote by Barbara Comyns
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““She cleared her throat once or twice, and said something about poor people should eat a lot of herrings, as they were most nutritious, also she had heard poor people eat heaps of sheeps' heads and she went on to ask if I ever cooked them. I said I would rather be dead than cook or eat a sheep's head; I'd seen them in butchers' shops with awful eyes and bits of wool sticking to their skulls. After that helpful hints for the poor were forgotten.””

Barbara Comyns

About This Quote

Source Short story: The House of the Spirits, Barbara Comyns, 1963

The narrator recounts a bizarre, graphic description of a woman's misguided advice about feeding the poor, highlighting absurdity and discomfort.

In simple terms: A strange, unsettling anecdote about advice on food for the poor.

Key Takeaway

Question the value of bizarre advice.

Themes

absurdity food social commentary

Mood

uneasy irritated thoughtful

Type

narrative satirical critical

When to use this quote

  • discussions about poverty
  • food policy debates
  • literary analysis
  • social satire

Key Concepts

cultural critique humor discomfort

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does this story reveal about attitudes toward poverty?
  • How does shock affect our perception of advice?
A Different Perspective

The anecdote may be exaggerated or fictional, limiting its factual relevance.

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