--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Gould arrives at a party, people who…" description: "\"“When Gould arrives at a party, people who have never seen him before usually take one look at him and edge away. Before the evening is over, however, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/joseph-mitchell-30843_hold-fast_when-gould-arrives-at-a-party-people-who_1931228.jpg" --- # When Gould arrives at a party, people who have never seen… ![“When Gould arrives at a party, people who have never seen him before usually take one look at him and edge away. Before the evening is over, however, a few of them almost always develop a kind of puzzled respect for him; they get him in a corner, ask him questions, and try to determine what is…” quote by Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/joseph-mitchell-30843_hold-fast_when-gould-arrives-at-a-party-people-who_1931228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/joseph-mitchell-30843_hold-fast_when-gould-arrives-at-a-party-people-who_1931228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/joseph-mitchell-30843_hold-fast_when-gould-arrives-at-a-party-people-who_1931228.jpg) > ““When Gould arrives at a party, people who have never seen him before usually take one look at him and edge away. Before the evening is over, however, a few of them almost always develop a kind of puzzled respect for him; they get him in a corner, ask him questions, and try to determine what is wrong with him. Gould enjoys this. "When you came over and kissed my hand," a young woman told him one night, "I said to myself, 'what a nice old gentleman.' A minute later I looked around and you were bouncing up and down with your shirt off, imitating a wild Indian. I was shocked. Why do you have to be such an exhibitionist?" "Madam," Gould said, "it is the duty of the bohemian to make a spectacle of himself. If my informality leads you to believe that I'm a rum-dumb, or that I belong in Bellevue, hold fast to that belier, hold fast, hold fast, and show your ignorance.”” [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gould deliberately behaves oddly to provoke curiosity, forcing observers to confront their assumptions about normalcy. **In simple terms:** He acts weird to make people think about their judgments. Key Takeaway Use unexpected behavior to challenge stereotypes. Themes identity perception bohemianism social norms challenge provocation Mood playful provocative reflective Type aphilosophical inspirational When to use this quote - social gatherings - first impressions - interpersonal dynamics - artistic expression - cultural critique Key Concepts self‑presentation social psychology performance art Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you make about strangers? - How can you provoke thought without causing offense? A Different Perspective His tactics may alienate rather than enlighten, limiting genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exhibitionist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhibitionist/) [Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gould-866490/) [Gould Arrives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gould-arrives-3023995/) [Gould Enjoys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gould-enjoys-3023994/) [Gould Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gould-said-3023993/) [Hold fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-fast/) [Young woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-woman/) ## Related quotes > [“Gould is a night wanderer, and he has put down descriptions of dreadful things he has seen on dark New York streets – descriptions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/gould-is-a-night-wanderer-and-he-has-put-down-descriptions-of/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [“Charles Gould did not open his heart to her in any set speeches. He simply went on acting and thinking in her sight. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/charles-gould-did-not-open-his-heart-to-her-in-any-set-speeches-he/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Gould carried the art of bending over backward to positively supine lengths. Why shouldn't we comment on God, as scientists? ... A universe with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/gould-carried-the-art-of-bending-over-backward-to-positively-supine/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Glenn Gould was my hero. Glenn Gould was my idol. I loved him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/glenn-gould-was-my-hero-glenn-gould-was-my-idol-i-loved-him/) [Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/) > [I do not believe that since man was in the habit of living on this planet anyone has ever lived possessed of the impudence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-gould/i-do-not-believe-that-since-man-was-in-the-habit-of-living-on-this/) [Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-gould/) > [“Fox: It's lonely at the top. Gould: But it ain't crowded.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/fox-it-s-lonely-at-the-top-gould-but-it-ain-t-crowded/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“No,' said Gould, with an unusual and convincing gravity; 'I do not believe that being perfectly good in all respects would make a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/no-said-gould-with-an-unusual-and-convincing-gravity-i-do-not-believe/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [I love Glenn Gould. Max Steiner. John Williams. Louis Prima. Benny Goodman. Miles Davis. John Philip Sousa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-love-glenn-gould-max-steiner-john-williams-louis-prima-benny/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [“As he teased her lips with his tongue, she palmed his erection. “Want to do something about this while we wait for the cleanup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-duvall/as-he-teased-her-lips-with-his-tongue-she-palmed-his-erection-want-to/) [Dianne Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-duvall/) > [There isn't a performer on earth that isn't an exhibitionist. There isn't any point in being in this business if you're not an exhibitionist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/there-isn-t-a-performer-on-earth-that-isn-t-an-exhibitionist-there/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [I like the experience of being in a shoot, and I'm a total exhibitionist, but I don't like to look at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/i-like-the-experience-of-being-in-a-shoot-and-i-m-a-total/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [I was always an exhibitionist. I liked it when everyone laughed. But I didn't do plays in high school. I was too nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-gay-harden/i-was-always-an-exhibitionist-i-liked-it-when-everyone-laughed-but-i/) [Marcia Gay Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-gay-harden/) > [I'm looking for a girl who's an exhibitionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-m-looking-for-a-girl-who-s-an-exhibitionist/) [Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/) > [I've done nudity. I'm an exhibitionist. It doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-turturro/i-ve-done-nudity-i-m-an-exhibitionist-it-doesn-t-matter/) [John Turturro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-turturro/) > [Would you want people walking up to you and pointing at your d--k? I can't believe I'm still talking about this. But I've worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/would-you-want-people-walking-up-to-you-and-pointing-at-your-d-k-i/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) ## More by Joseph Mitchell > [“I’m not going to stand for it any longer," said Mr. Flood. "I’m going to put my foot down. All I want in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/i-m-not-going-to-stand-for-it-any-longer-said-mr-flood-i-m-going-to/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [“My grandfather used to like the word 'mitigate,'" Harry said. "He liked the sound of it, and he used it whenever he could. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/my-grandfather-used-to-like-the-word-mitigate-harry-said-he-liked-the/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [“When things get too much for me, I put a wild-flower book and a couple of sandwiches in my pockets and go down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/when-things-get-too-much-for-me-i-put-a-wild-flower-book-and-a-couple/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [The best talk is artless, the talk of people trying to reassure or comfort themselves, women in the sun, grouped around baby carriages, talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/the-best-talk-is-artless-the-talk-of-people-trying-to-reassure-or/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [I never felt at home. I stuck outIn New York City, especially in Greenwich Village, down among the cranks and the misfits and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/i-never-felt-at-home-i-stuck-outin-new-york-city-especially-in/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [Also, I had not yet found out about time; I was still under the illusion that I had plenty of time - time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/also-i-had-not-yet-found-out-about-time-i-was-still-under-the/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [My dad was a cotton buyer and cotton buyers always considered themselves superior to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/my-dad-was-a-cotton-buyer-and-cotton-buyers-always-considered/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [“It is perhaps an ugly comment on the American press, but the function of the interviewer on most newspapers is to entertain, not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/it-is-perhaps-an-ugly-comment-on-the-american-press-but-the-function/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [I have a great deal of experience in justifying myself to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/i-have-a-great-deal-of-experience-in-justifying-myself-to-myself/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [All information of a spiritual or personal nature will have to come from our father, who art in heaven, and I think he's in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/all-information-of-a-spiritual-or-personal-nature-will-have-to-come/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [“Gould is a night wanderer, and he has put down descriptions of dreadful things he has seen on dark New York streets – descriptions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/gould-is-a-night-wanderer-and-he-has-put-down-descriptions-of/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [...you can hate a place with all your heart and soul and still be homesick for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/you-can-hate-a-place-with-all-your-heart-and-soul-and-still-be/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [He had a habit of remarking to bartenders that he didn't see any sense in mixing whiskey with water since the whiskey was already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/he-had-a-habit-of-remarking-to-bartenders-that-he-didn-t-see-any/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [Life is a goddam mess...but you wouldn't want to miss it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/life-is-a-goddam-mess-but-you-wouldn-t-want-to-miss-it/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) > [When I get through tearing a lobster apart, or one of those tender West Coast octopuses, I feel like I had a drink from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mitchell/when-i-get-through-tearing-a-lobster-apart-or-one-of-those-tender/) [Joseph Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) [Explore all 16 Joseph Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mitchell/) ## More Exhibitionist quotes > [Would you want people walking up to you and pointing at your d--k? I can't believe I'm still talking about this. But I've worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/would-you-want-people-walking-up-to-you-and-pointing-at-your-d-k-i/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [I've done nudity. I'm an exhibitionist. It doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-turturro/i-ve-done-nudity-i-m-an-exhibitionist-it-doesn-t-matter/) [John Turturro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-turturro/) > [I'm looking for a girl who's an exhibitionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/i-m-looking-for-a-girl-who-s-an-exhibitionist/) [Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/) > [I was always an exhibitionist. I liked it when everyone laughed. But I didn't do plays in high school. I was too nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-gay-harden/i-was-always-an-exhibitionist-i-liked-it-when-everyone-laughed-but-i/) [Marcia Gay Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-gay-harden/) > [I like the experience of being in a shoot, and I'm a total exhibitionist, but I don't like to look at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/i-like-the-experience-of-being-in-a-shoot-and-i-m-a-total/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [There isn't a performer on earth that isn't an exhibitionist. There isn't any point in being in this business if you're not an exhibitionist.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/there-isn-t-a-performer-on-earth-that-isn-t-an-exhibitionist-there/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [“As he teased her lips with his tongue, she palmed his erection. “Want to do something about this while we wait for the cleanup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-duvall/as-he-teased-her-lips-with-his-tongue-she-palmed-his-erection-want-to/) [Dianne Duvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-duvall/) > [I wrote about the life of a housing officer in Britain, in a pretty rough area of London. Maybe it was because I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-richards/i-wrote-about-the-life-of-a-housing-officer-in-britain-in-a-pretty/) [Ben Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-richards/) > [I don't think any actors love taking their clothes off on film, unless you're an exhibitionist, which I'm certainly not. Those are the scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/i-don-t-think-any-actors-love-taking-their-clothes-off-on-film-unless/) [Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/) > [In short, I'm an egotistically insecure exhibitionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/in-short-i-m-an-egotistically-insecure-exhibitionist/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [When you stand up acoustic in front of an audience, you really are a man without any clothes on. And that can be fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thompson/when-you-stand-up-acoustic-in-front-of-an-audience-you-really-are-a/) [Richard Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thompson/) > [“The dual ends of Arca's personality - he is both a press-shy introvert and, in his visual work, a bold exhibitionist - come through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-new-yorker/the-dual-ends-of-arca-s-personality-he-is-both-a-press-shy-introvert/) [The New Yorker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-new-yorker/) > [I don't think that I'm modest by any means, but I'm also not an exhibitionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/i-don-t-think-that-i-m-modest-by-any-means-but-i-m-also-not-an/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [We do not accept the Western way of thinking that there are two ways of life. At the same time, the police (here) are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoweri-museveni/we-do-not-accept-the-western-way-of-thinking-that-there-are-two-ways/) [Yoweri Museveni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoweri-museveni/) > [“The entire planet can get along nicely now with maybe a dozen champion performers in each area of human giftedness. A moderately gifted person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-entire-planet-can-get-along-nicely-now-with-maybe-a-dozen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 57 Exhibitionist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhibitionist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When Gould arrives at a party, people who have never seen him before usually take one look at him and edge away. Before the evening is over, however, a few of them almost always develop a kind of puzzled respect for him; they get him in a corner, ask him questions, and try to determine what is wrong with him. Gould enjoys this. \"When you came over and kissed my hand,\" a young woman told him one night, \"I said to myself, 'what a nice old gentleman.' A minute later I looked around and you were bouncing up and down with your shirt off, imitating a wild Indian. I was shocked. Why do you have to be such an exhibitionist?\" \"Madam,\" Gould said, \"it is the duty of the bohemian to make a spectacle of himself. 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