--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They all laughed and clapped, taking it…" description: "\"“They all laughed and clapped, taking it for a deliberate witticism, while he had no idea what he was saying, so great was his foreboding of misfortune..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/boris-pasternak-1944_happiness_they-all-laughed-and-clapped-taking-it-f_875665.jpg" --- # They all laughed and clapped, taking it for a deliberate… ![“They all laughed and clapped, taking it for a deliberate witticism, while he had no idea what he was saying, so great was his foreboding of misfortune and his feeling of powerlessness over the future, however great his thirst for goodness and his capacity for happiness.” quote by Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/boris-pasternak-1944_happiness_they-all-laughed-and-clapped-taking-it-f_875665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/boris-pasternak-1944_happiness_they-all-laughed-and-clapped-taking-it-f_875665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/654/boris-pasternak-1944_happiness_they-all-laughed-and-clapped-taking-it-f_875665.jpg) > ““They all laughed and clapped, taking it for a deliberate witticism, while he had no idea what he was saying, so great was his foreboding of misfortune and his feeling of powerlessness over the future, however great his thirst for goodness and his capacity for happiness.”” [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man feels powerless and misled, yet his innate goodness and capacity for happiness persist despite foreboding misfortune. **In simple terms:** Even when doomed, inner goodness and hope survive. Key Takeaway Recognize resilience in the face of uncertainty. Themes powerlessness foreboding hope goodness Mood somber hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - war - personal crisis - social upheaval - psychological struggle Key Concepts existentialism human resilience fate vs free will Questions to Reflect On - What gives you hope when feeling powerless? - How can you act despite feeling foreboding? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook practical solutions to looming threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clapped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clapped-344038/) [Clapped Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clapped-taking-998707/) [Deliberate Witticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deliberate-witticism-998708/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Laughed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed/) [Laughed Clapped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughed-clapped-998706/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Charlie laughed and clapped”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-benners/charlie-laughed-and-clapped/) [Bill Benners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-benners/) > [“and when he saw the kid standing there looking looking down at him he held out to him his bloodied hands as if in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/and-when-he-saw-the-kid-standing-there-looking-looking-down-at-him-he/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [One minute I was a clapped-out, two-guinea, legal-aid lawyer, and the next minute I was in parliament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-minute-i-was-a-clapped-out-two-guinea-legal-aid-lawyer-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You didn't," John said, stepping from the shadows as he clapped for me, "even hit your head this time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/you-didn-t-john-said-stepping-from-the-shadows-as-he-clapped-for-me/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Yeah. We consulted our crystal balls, so we knew just when to drop the piano out of the window.” I clapped my hands together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-f-breene/yeah-we-consulted-our-crystal-balls-so-we-knew-just-when-to-drop-the/) [K.F. Breene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-f-breene/) > [“That left Cam, who was standing close to Daniel, their arms clapped around each other’s shoulders. “You pulled it off, brother.” “Course I did.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/that-left-cam-who-was-standing-close-to-daniel-their-arms-clapped/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [“William clapped to gain everyone's attention. "All right, listen up. I've got good news and bad news. 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