Bad breath Quote by Margaret Atwood
““At school, he enacted a major piece of treachery against his parents. His right hand was Evil Dad, and his left was Righteous Mom. Evil Dad blustered and theorized and dished out pompous bullshit. Righteous Mom complained and accused. In Righteous Mom's cosmology, Evil Dad was the sole source of hemmoroids, kleptomania, global conflict, bad breath, tectonic-plate fault lines, and clogged drains, as well as every migraine headache and menstrual cramp Righteous Mom had ever suffered.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, 1985
The passage satirically portrays internal family conflict as a battle between destructive and moral forces, exaggerating blame to highlight how personal grievances can be projected onto larger societal issues.
In simple terms: Family fights are exaggerated as cosmic battles.
Key Takeaway
Recognize when personal blame is inflated.
Themes
family dynamics
satire
psychology
conflict
gender roles
Mood
wry
critical
reflective
Type
literary
satirical
psychological
When to use this quote
- parent‑child relationships
- political discourse
- mental health coping
- social criticism
Key Concepts
projection
cognitive bias
mythmaking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assign blame in personal conflicts?
- When does satire help or hinder understanding?
A Different Perspective
The humor may downplay real trauma and complex family dynamics.
