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Sleep Quote by P.G. Wodehouse

“How long Archibald slept he could not have said. He woke some hours later with a vague feeling that a thunderstorm of unusual violence had broken out in his immediate neighborhood. But this, he realized as the mists of slumber cleared away, was an error. The noise which had disturbed him was not…” quote by P.G. Wodehouse
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““How long Archibald slept he could not have said. He woke some hours later with a vague feeling that a thunderstorm of unusual violence had broken out in his immediate neighborhood. But this, he realized as the mists of slumber cleared away, was an error. The noise which had disturbed him was not thunder but the sound of someone snoring. Snoring like the dickens. The walls seemed to be vibrating like the deck of an ocean liner… His spirit was not so completely broken as to make him lie supinely down beneath that snoring. The sound filled him, as snoring fills every right-thinking man, with a seething resentment and a passionate yearning for justice, and he climbed out of bed with the intention of taking the proper steps through the recognized channels. It is the custom nowadays to disparage the educational methods of the English public school and to maintain that they are not practical and of a kind to fit the growing boy for the problems of afterlife. But you do learn one thing at a public school, and that is how to act when somebody starts snoring. You jolly well grab a cake of soap and pop in and stuff it down the blighter's throat. And this is what Archibald proposed - God willing - to do.””

P.G. Wodehouse

About This Quote

Source Short story: “The Code of the Woosters” by P.G. Wodehouse, 1938

Archibald’s exaggerated reaction to snoring satirizes over‑dramatic responses to minor annoyances, highlighting absurdity in social etiquette.

In simple terms: Archibald overreacts to snoring, mocking social norms.

Key Takeaway

Don’t let small irritations dictate big actions.

Themes

humor satire social etiquette overreaction

Mood

witty lighthearted critical

Type

satire social commentary humor

When to use this quote

  • office environment
  • shared living
  • stress management
  • conflict resolution
  • personal growth

Key Concepts

absurdity social critique personal restraint

Questions to Reflect On

  • When does a minor annoyance become a real problem?
  • How can humor defuse tension?
A Different Perspective

Exaggeration may obscure genuine issues needing attention.

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