Next time Quote by Ian McEwan
““Mace leaned on his shovel and did a passable imitation. "'I think we'd rather not.' Very good, guv'nor. I'll remember that next time." "Divigation was nice. Where'd you get that one?" "He swallowed a ****ing dictionary," Corporal Nettle said proudly.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “Atonement”, 2001
A soldier humorously recounts absurd military banter, highlighting absurdity of war language.
In simple terms: War speech can be absurd and comic.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the humanity behind military jargon.
Themes
war
humor
absurdity
Mood
wry
thoughtful
Type
literary
humorous
When to use this quote
- storytelling
- theater
- military training
- satire
Key Concepts
communication
military culture
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the humor reveal about soldiers?
- How does language shape wartime experience?
A Different Perspective
Humor may mask deeper trauma.
![“We went to America a few times and [Brian] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there came a time when George [Harrison] and I said 'Listen, when they ask next time, we're going to say we don't like that war and we think they should get right out.' That's…” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/512/john-lennon-322_america_we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian_12070.jpg)
