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Computers Quote by Nick Hornby

“Marcus couldn’t believe it. Dead. A dead duck. OK, he'd been trying to hit it on the head with a piece of sandwich, but he tried to do all sorts of things, and none of them had ever happened before. He'd tried to get te highest score on the Stargazer machine in the kebab shop on Hornsey…” quote by Nick Hornby
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““Marcus couldn’t believe it. Dead. A dead duck. OK, he'd been trying to hit it on the head with a piece of sandwich, but he tried to do all sorts of things, and none of them had ever happened before. He'd tried to get te highest score on the Stargazer machine in the kebab shop on Hornsey Road--nothing. He's tried to read Nicky’s thoughts by staring at the back of his head every maths lesson for a week--nothing. It really annoyed him that the only thing he'd ever achieved was something he hadn't really wanted to do that much in the first place. And anyway, since when did hitting a bird with a sandwich kill it? Kids must spend half their lives throwing things at the ducks in Regent's Park. How come he managed to pick a duck that pathetic? There must have been something wrong with it. It was probably about to die from a heart attack or something; it was just a coincidence. But if it was, nobody would believe him. If there were any witnesses, they'd only have seen the bread hit the duck right on the back of the head, and then seen it keel over. saw it die. They'd put two and two together and make five, and he'd be imprisoned for a crime he never committed. ... "What's that floating next to it?" Will asked. "Is that the bread you threw at it?" Marcus nodded unhappily. "That's not a sandwich, that's a bloody french loaf. No wonder it keeled over. That would've killed me.””

Nick Hornby

About This Quote

Source Novel: High Fidelity by Nick Hornby, 1995

A boy’s futile attempts to control outcomes illustrate the absurdity of over‑analysis, leading to unintended consequences and a realization of personal agency.

In simple terms: Overthinking leads to accidental mishaps and frustration.

Key Takeaway

Embrace spontaneity and own your actions.

Themes

humor coming‑of‑age absurdity personal responsibility mistake

Mood

witty light‑hearted thoughtful

Type

literary humorous

When to use this quote

  • School projects
  • everyday experiments
  • creative problem solving
  • self‑reflection

Key Concepts

Chaos theory cause and effect self‑awareness irony

Questions to Reflect On

  • What small actions could you simplify to avoid unnecessary complications?
  • How do you differentiate between luck and personal responsibility?
A Different Perspective

The narrative’s focus on a trivial incident may overlook deeper systemic issues of accountability.

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