--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then Augustus Waters reached into a…" description: "\"“Then Augustus Waters reached into a pocket and pulled out, of all things, a pack of cigarettes. He flipped it open and put a pack between his lips. “A..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/john-green-12_augustus-waters_then-augustus-waters-reached-into-a-pock_1693135.jpg" --- # Then Augustus Waters reached into a pocket and pulled out… ![“Then Augustus Waters reached into a pocket and pulled out, of all things, a pack of cigarettes. He flipped it open and put a pack between his lips. “Are you serious?” I asked. “You think that’s cool? Oh, my God, you just ruined the whole thing.” “Which whole thing?” he asked, turning to me. The…” quote by John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/john-green-12_augustus-waters_then-augustus-waters-reached-into-a-pock_1693135.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/john-green-12_augustus-waters_then-augustus-waters-reached-into-a-pock_1693135.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adc/john-green-12_augustus-waters_then-augustus-waters-reached-into-a-pock_1693135.jpg) > ““Then Augustus Waters reached into a pocket and pulled out, of all things, a pack of cigarettes. He flipped it open and put a pack between his lips. “Are you serious?” I asked. “You think that’s cool? Oh, my God, you just ruined the whole thing.” “Which whole thing?” he asked, turning to me. The cigarette dangled unlit from the unsmiling corner of his mouth. “The whole thing where a boy who is not unattractive or unintelligent or seemingly in any way unacceptable stares at me and points out incorrect uses of literality and compares me to actresses and asks me to watch a movie at his house. But of course there is always a hamartia and yours is that, oh, my God, even though you HAD FREAKING CANCER you give money to a company in exchange for the chance to acquire YET MORE CANCER. Oh, my God. Let me just assure you that not being able to breathe? SUCKS. Totally disappointing. Totally.” “A hamartia?” he asked, the cigarette still in his mouth. It tightened his jaw. He had a hell of a jawline, unfortunately. “A fatal flaw,” I explained, turning away from him.”” [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## 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 uses sarcasm and a cigarette to mock another's perceived hypocrisy, highlighting the tension between illness and consumerism. **In simple terms:** Sarcastic mockery of hypocrisy about illness and consumer choices. Key Takeaway Recognize when sarcasm masks deeper pain. Themes sarcasm hypocrisy illness consumerism identity Mood ironic critical contemplative Type literary dialogue character When to use this quote - college relationships - health advocacy - marketing ethics - personal integrity - dialogue analysis Key Concepts existentialism social critique character dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does sarcasm affect honest communication? - What responsibilities do consumers have when facing health risks? 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The cigarette dangled unlit from the unsmiling corner of his mouth. “The whole thing where a boy who is not unattractive or unintelligent or seemingly in any way unacceptable stares at me and points out incorrect uses of literality and compares me to actresses and asks me to watch a movie at his house. But of course there is always a hamartia and yours is that, oh, my God, even though you HAD FREAKING CANCER you give money to a company in exchange for the chance to acquire YET MORE CANCER. Oh, my God. Let me just assure you that not being able to breathe? SUCKS. Totally disappointing. Totally.” “A hamartia?” he asked, the cigarette still in his mouth. It tightened his jaw. 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