Association Quote by Elizabeth Gaskell
![“When oranges came in, a curious proceeding was gone through. Miss Jenkyns did not like to cut the fruit, for, as she observed, the juice all ran out nobody knew where, sucking [only I think she used some more recondite word] was in fact the only way of enjoying oranges; but then there was the…” quote by Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d6/elizabeth-gaskell-894_association_when-oranges-came-in-a-curious-proceedin_1233882.jpg)
“When oranges came in, a curious proceeding was gone through. Miss Jenkyns did not like to cut the fruit, for, as she observed, the juice all ran out nobody knew where, sucking [only I think she used some more recondite word] was in fact the only way of enjoying oranges; but then there was the unpleasant association with a ceremony frequently gone through by little babies; and so, after dessert, in orange season, Miss Jenkyns and Miss Matty used to rise up, possess themselves each of an orange in silence, and withdraw to the privacy of their own rooms to indulge in sucking oranges.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mary Barton, 1848
The passage humorously describes a ritual of eating oranges in silence, highlighting personal quirks and social etiquette.
In simple terms: People sometimes develop odd, private habits.
Key Takeaway
Respect individual quirks while staying mindful of social norms.
Themes
culture
ritual
food
social behavior
Mood
playful
observational
Type
humorous
cultural
When to use this quote
- family meals
- private rituals
- social gatherings
Key Concepts
personal habit
ritualistic behavior
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we create private rituals around food?
- How does silence affect enjoyment?
A Different Perspective
The description may exaggerate for comic effect, not a universal practice.
![“[T]here are, at bottom, basically two ways to order social affairs, Coercively, through the mechanisms of the state - what we can call political society. And voluntarily, through the private interaction of individuals and associations - what we can call civil society. ... In a civil society, you…” quote by Ed Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b8b/ed-crane-39299_affair_t-here-are-at-bottom-basically-two-ways_34431.jpg)
