--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had…" description: "\"“Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had prevailed upon the board of trustees; the board had requested that Larch comply with Dr. Gingrich’s recommendation ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png" --- # Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had prevailed upon the… ![“Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had prevailed upon the board of trustees; the board had requested that Larch comply with Dr. Gingrich’s recommendation of a ‘follow-up report’ on the status of each orphan’s success (or failure) in each foster home. If this added paperwork was too tedious for Dr…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png) > ““Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had prevailed upon the board of trustees; the board had requested that Larch comply with Dr. Gingrich’s recommendation of a ‘follow-up report’ on the status of each orphan’s success (or failure) in each foster home. If this added paperwork was too tedious for Dr. Larch, the board recommended that Larch take Mrs. Goodhall’s suggestion and accept an administrative assistant. Don’t I have enough history to attend to, as is? Larch wondered. He rested in the dispensary; he sniffed a little ether and composed himself. Gingrich and Goodhall, he said to himself. Ginghall and Goodrich, he muttered. Richhall and Ginggood! Goodring and Hallrich! He woke himself, giggling. ‘What are you so merry about?’ Nurse Angela said sharply to him from the hall outside the dispensary. ‘Goodballs and Ding Dong!’ Wilbur Larch said to her.”” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A doctor feels overwhelmed by bureaucratic demands and personal doubts, leading to a nervous breakdown and absurd wordplay as a coping mechanism. **In simple terms:** Overwhelmed by paperwork, he escapes into nonsense. Key Takeaway Recognize limits and seek help early. Themes stress bureaucracy mental health humor Mood anxious ironic reflective Type literary dialogue When to use this quote - hospital work - administrative tasks - personal crisis - seeking support Key Concepts cognitive overload coping mechanisms absurdity Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle overwhelming responsibilities? - When does humor become avoidance? A Different Perspective His humor masks deeper anxiety and may hinder addressing real issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foster Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foster-home/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success or failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-or-failure/) ## Related quotes > [“But first, he knew he had to apologize for hurting Dr. Larch’s feelings – it had all just slipped out of him, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/but-first-he-knew-he-had-to-apologize-for-hurting-dr-larch-s-feelings/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“And what were the rules at St. Cloud's? What were Larch's rules? Which rules did Dr. Larch observe, which ones did he break, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-what-were-the-rules-at-st-cloud-s-what-were-larch-s-rules-which/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“When Homer Wells saw the stationmaster’s brain stem exposed, he felt that Dr. Larch was busy enough – with both hands – for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/when-homer-wells-saw-the-stationmaster-s-brain-stem-exposed-he-felt/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“He wanted to take Homer Wells in his arms, and hug him, and kiss him, but he could only hope that Homer understood how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/he-wanted-to-take-homer-wells-in-his-arms-and-hug-him-and-kiss-him/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“David Copperfield had a fever when he’d gone to bed, and Larch went to check on the boy. Dr. Larch was relieved to feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/david-copperfield-had-a-fever-when-he-d-gone-to-bed-and-larch-went-to/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“In Wally’s bedroom Homer marveled at how the world was simultaneously being invented and destroyed. Nothing marvelous about that, Dr. Larch would have assured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/in-wally-s-bedroom-homer-marveled-at-how-the-world-was-simultaneously/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Almost none of them understood Great Expectations or David Copperfield, anyway. They were not only too young for the Dickensian language, they were also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/almost-none-of-them-understood-great-expectations-or-david/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Here in St. Cloud’s,” Dr. Larch wrote, “ I have been given the choice of playing God or leaving practically everything up to chance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/here-in-st-cloud-s-dr-larch-wrote-i-have-been-given-the-choice-of/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Dr. Larch bent over him and kissed him, very lightly, on his lips. Homer heard Dr. Larch whisper, ‘Good work, Homer.’ He felt a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/dr-larch-bent-over-him-and-kissed-him-very-lightly-on-his-lips-homer/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Sometimes I think you take over my mind,” Larch said, “with your words.” Immiker’s smile widened, and then he began to laugh. The laughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/sometimes-i-think-you-take-over-my-mind-larch-said-with-your-words/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [“I’ve wondered sometimes if your Grace has anything to do with speaking,” Larch said as they rode the hills east, leaving the river and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/i-ve-wondered-sometimes-if-your-grace-has-anything-to-do-with/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [I've grown up putting my suitcase down, making new friends, and then having to pick it up again, like 'Let's move him to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie/i-ve-grown-up-putting-my-suitcase-down-making-new-friends-and-then/) [Goldie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie/) > [I was in a foster home and I was only allowed to see my mum via supervised visits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/i-was-in-a-foster-home-and-i-was-only-allowed-to-see-my-mum-via/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [I had a rough upbringing. Group homes. Foster homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-had-a-rough-upbringing-group-homes-foster-homes/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. 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Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Success quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [It's sort of the American way to go up and down the ladder, maybe several times in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/it-s-sort-of-the-american-way-to-go-up-and-down-the-ladder-maybe/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“Success is for a man whose stories of sruggles and chalenges are inspirations to and up coming generation..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-sanaba-c/success-is-for-a-man-whose-stories-of-sruggles-and-chalenges-are/) Nelly sanaba .c > [If you hate yourself... The world will hate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/if-you-hate-yourself-the-world-will-hate-you/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/winning-is-a-habit-unfortunately-so-is-losing/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) [Browse all 41,540 Success quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had prevailed upon the board of trustees; the board had requested that Larch comply with Dr. Gingrich’s recommendation of a ‘follow-up report’ on the status of each orphan’s success (or failure) in each foster home. If this added paperwork was too tedious for Dr. Larch, the board recommended that Larch take Mrs. Goodhall’s suggestion and accept an administrative assistant. Don’t I have enough history to attend to, as is? Larch wondered. He rested in the dispensary; he sniffed a little ether and composed himself. Gingrich and Goodhall, he said to himself. Ginghall and Goodrich, he muttered. Richhall and Ginggood! Goodring and Hallrich! He woke himself, giggling. ‘What are you so merry about?’ Nurse Angela said sharply to him from the hall outside the dispensary. ‘Goodballs and Ding Dong!’ Wilbur Larch said to her.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevailed-upon-the-board-of-trustees/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Success" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevailed-upon-the-board-of-trustees/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/john-irving-337_success_dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevail_2158161.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had prevailed upon the board of trustees; the board had requested that Larch…” — John Irving", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Dr. Gingrich and Mrs. Goodhall had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevailed-upon-the-board-of-trustees/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/dr-gingrich-and-mrs-goodhall-had-prevailed-upon-the-board-of-trustees/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```