Humor Quote by Nicholson Baker
““The fact that we had independently decided to sweep our apartments on that Sunday afternoon after spending the weekend together, I took as a strong piece of evidence that we were right for each other. And from then on when I read things Samuel Johnson said about the deadliness of leisure and the uplifting effects of industry, I always nodded and thought of brooms.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Mezzanine, 1988
Sweeping the apartment together becomes a sign of compatibility; the narrator links domestic chores to broader ideas about leisure and industry, finding meaning in mundane tasks.
In simple terms: Shared chores symbolize partnership.
Key Takeaway
Notice how everyday acts reflect deeper bonds.
Themes
relationships
work
leisure
meaning
domestic life
Mood
intimate
observational
philosophical
Type
novel excerpt
reflective
When to use this quote
- cohabitation
- routine building
- relationship building
Key Concepts
symbolism
habit formation
philosophy of work
Questions to Reflect On
- What daily tasks reveal compatibility?
- How does work shape intimacy?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may feel forced for some readers.
![“In comparing these two writers, he [Samuel Johnson] used this expression: "that there was as great a difference between them as between a man who knew how a watch was made, and a man who could tell the hour by looking on the dial-plate." This was a short and a figurative statement of his…” quote by James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f19/james-boswell-7136_brighter_in-comparing-these-two-writers-he-samuel_445768.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
