--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the afternoon the ship's company…" description: "\"“In the afternoon the ship's company assembled aft, on deck, under the awnings; the flute, the asthmatic meodeon, and the consumptive clarinet crippled..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/mark-twain-22_business_in-the-afternoon-the-ship-s-company-asse_728982.jpg" --- # In the afternoon the ship's company assembled aft, on… ![“In the afternoon the ship's company assembled aft, on deck, under the awnings; the flute, the asthmatic meodeon, and the consumptive clarinet crippled the Star Spangled Banner, the choir chased it to cover, and George came in with a peculiarly lacerating screech on the final note and slaughtered…” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/mark-twain-22_business_in-the-afternoon-the-ship-s-company-asse_728982.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/mark-twain-22_business_in-the-afternoon-the-ship-s-company-asse_728982.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/mark-twain-22_business_in-the-afternoon-the-ship-s-company-asse_728982.jpg) > ““In the afternoon the ship's company assembled aft, on deck, under the awnings; the flute, the asthmatic meodeon, and the consumptive clarinet crippled the Star Spangled Banner, the choir chased it to cover, and George came in with a peculiarly lacerating screech on the final note and slaughtered it. Nobody mourned. We carried out the corpse on three cheers (that joke was not intentional and I do not endorse it).”” [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A satirical scene depicts a chaotic, disrespectful rendition of a national anthem, highlighting absurdity and loss of reverence. **In simple terms:** A chaotic, mocking performance of the anthem shows disrespect. Key Takeaway Respect symbols, avoid mockery. Themes satire absurdity cultural critique Mood critical humorous Type satirical commentary When to use this quote - public ceremonies - musical performances - political commentary Key Concepts nationalism artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What does this exaggeration reveal about reverence? - When is satire effective versus offensive? A Different Perspective Satire can be misinterpreted as endorsement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humorist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorist/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been really nationalistic, and I had a brother killed in Korea. And I think the 'Star Spangled Banner,' even today - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/i-ve-always-been-really-nationalistic-and-i-had-a-brother-killed-in/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [One of my earliest memories... I knew three full verses of the Star Spangled Banner when I was seven or eight years old. 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