---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When irony first makes itself known in a…"
description: "\"When irony first makes itself known in a young man's life, it can be like his first experience of getting drunk; he has met with a powerful thing which..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png"
---

#  When irony first makes itself known in a young man's life…

![“When irony first makes itself known in a young man's life, it can be like his first experience of getting drunk; he has met with a powerful thing which he does not know how to handle.” quote by Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png)

> “When irony first makes itself known in a young man's life, it can be like his first experience of getting drunk; he has met with a powerful thing which he does not know how to handle.”

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Irony confronts a young man like intoxication, overwhelming him with forces he cannot yet manage.

**In simple terms:** Irony is overwhelming.

Key Takeaway

Learn to recognize and manage unexpected challenges.

Themes

irony youth self‑discovery

Mood

thoughtful introspective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- college life
- career start
- relationship turmoil
- creative work

Key Concepts

existential crisis personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What unexpected events have shaken you?
- How do you regain control?

A Different Perspective

Irony can also inspire insight if reflected upon.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk/) [Drunk Met](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk-met-5167848/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Getting drunk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-drunk/) [Handle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle/) [Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony/) [Irony Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony-makes-3331548/) [Know how](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-how/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man's Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mans-life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mets/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-man/)

## Related quotes

> [The irony of that is, what makes it kind of ironic, is when you do become successful as a professional athlete in particular, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/the-irony-of-that-is-what-makes-it-kind-of-ironic-is-when-you-do/)

[Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/)

> [We certainly noted that when given the opportunity, women handle money more efficiently. They have long term vision, they manage money more carefully. Men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/we-certainly-noted-that-when-given-the-opportunity-women-handle-money/)

[Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/)

> [And I sat there getting drunker and drunker and more in love and more in love...And you can never touch a girl in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/and-i-sat-there-getting-drunker-and-drunker-and-more-in-love-and-more/)

[Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/)

> [“If you're going to drive a Hummer and buy carbon offsets, that's like getting drunk every night and getting into an AA meeting, throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/if-you-re-going-to-drive-a-hummer-and-buy-carbon-offsets-that-s-like/)

[Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/)

> [“Images of people in the Middle East dressing like Westerners, spending like Westerners, that is what the voters watching TV here at home want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-torday/images-of-people-in-the-middle-east-dressing-like-westerners-spending/)

[Paul Torday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-torday/)

> [“Muscat is like a mind-altering drug. A stroll in its streets is like getting drunk for the first time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/muscat-is-like-a-mind-altering-drug-a-stroll-in-its-streets-is-like/)

[Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/)

> [“How do you talk to a new love about an old one, especially so early in a relationship? If I’d brought it up earlier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/how-do-you-talk-to-a-new-love-about-an-old-one-especially-so-early-in/)

[Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/)

> [Of course, everybody makes mistakes, and we've all been young and stupid. But people need to have a sense of respect, particularly in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/of-course-everybody-makes-mistakes-and-we-ve-all-been-young-and/)

[Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/)

> [Getting drunk was good. I decided that I would always like getting drunk. It took away the obvious and maybe if you could get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/getting-drunk-was-good-i-decided-that-i-would-always-like-getting/)

[Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/)

> [I think the little kid next to me that got middle seat must be getting drunk from my Jack Daniels breath. And I stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-owen/i-think-the-little-kid-next-to-me-that-got-middle-seat-must-be/)

[Jake Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-owen/)

> [I have actually programmed a fair bit in Perl, like I have C++ code published with my name on it. Other things I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-actually-programmed-a-fair-bit-in-perl-like-i-have-c-code/)

[Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/)

> [I can do this, I tell myself firmly. I can be attracted to him. It's just a matter of self control and possibly also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-kinsella/i-can-do-this-i-tell-myself-firmly-i-can-be-attracted-to-him-it-s/)

[Sophie Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-kinsella/)

> [Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs With the boom box blaring as we're falling in love Got a bottle of whatever, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvil-lavigne/singing-radiohead-at-the-top-of-our-lungs-with-the-boom-box-blaring/)

[Arvil Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvil-lavigne/)

> [Want to talk third wave feminism, you could cite Ariel Levy and the idea that women have internalized male oppression. Going to spring break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/want-to-talk-third-wave-feminism-you-could-cite-ariel-levy-and-the/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [I think getting drunk is the key to flying comfortably. A couple of bloody marys or several glasses of champagne, and suddenly it's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-peet/i-think-getting-drunk-is-the-key-to-flying-comfortably-a-couple-of/)

[Amanda Peet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-peet/)

## More by Robertson Davies

> [“...the irrational will have its say, perhaps because 'irrational' is the wrong word for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-irrational-will-have-its-say-perhaps-because-irrational-is-the/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [If you're going to do something that looks evil, don't smear it with icing and pretend it's good; just bloody well do it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-you-re-going-to-do-something-that-looks-evil-don-t-smear-it-with/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [Extraordinary people survive under the most terrible circumstances and they become more extraordinary because of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/extraordinary-people-survive-under-the-most-terrible-circumstances/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [Although there may be nothing new under the sun, what is old is new to us and so rich and astonishing that we never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/although-there-may-be-nothing-new-under-the-sun-what-is-old-is-new-to/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [If I had to describe my remarks this evening frankly as if I were in police court and on oath, so to speak I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/if-i-had-to-describe-my-remarks-this-evening-frankly-as-if-i-were-in/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [The people of the United States, perhaps more than any other nation in history, love to abase themselves and proclaim their unworthiness, and seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-people-of-the-united-states-perhaps-more-than-any-other-nation-in/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [I don't suppose God laughs at the people who think He doesn't exist. He's above jokes. But the devil isn't. That's one of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/i-don-t-suppose-god-laughs-at-the-people-who-think-he-doesn-t-exist/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [Inactivity and deprivation of all accustomed stimulus is not rest; it is a preparation for the tomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/inactivity-and-deprivation-of-all-accustomed-stimulus-is-not-rest-it/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [“My lifelong involvement with Mrs Dempster began at 5:58 o'clock p.m. on 27 December 1908, at which time I was ten years and seven months old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/my-lifelong-involvement-with-mrs-dempster-began-at-5-58-o-clock-p-m/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [The art of the quoter is to know when to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/the-art-of-the-quoter-is-to-know-when-to-stop/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [There can be no doubt that Samuel Marchbanks is one of the choice and master spirits of this age. If there were such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/there-can-be-no-doubt-that-samuel-marchbanks-is-one-of-the-choice-and/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [Nobody who looks as though he enjoyed life is ever called distinguished, though he is a man in a million.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/nobody-who-looks-as-though-he-enjoyed-life-is-ever-called/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [They're all so highly educated, you know. Education is a great shield against experience. It offers so much, ready-made and all from the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/they-re-all-so-highly-educated-you-know-education-is-a-great-shield/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [Students today are a pretty solemn lot. One of the really notable achievements of the twentieth century has been to make the young old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/students-today-are-a-pretty-solemn-lot-one-of-the-really-notable/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

[Explore all 357 Robertson Davies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

## More Doe quotes

> [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/)

[Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/)

> [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/)

[Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/)

> [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/)

[Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/)

> [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/)

[Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/)

> [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/)

[James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/)

[William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/)

> [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/)

[Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/)

> [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/)

[Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/)

> [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/)

[Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/)

[Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When irony first makes itself known in a young man's life, it can be like his first experience of getting drunk; he has met with a powerful thing which he does not know how to handle.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robertson Davies"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a-young-man-s-life-it-can-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Doe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a-young-man-s-life-it-can-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/19d/robertson-davies-834_doe_when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a_1442793.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When irony first makes itself known in a young man's life, it can be like his first experience of getting…” — Robertson Davies",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Robertson Davies",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When irony first makes itself known...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a-young-man-s-life-it-can-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/when-irony-first-makes-itself-known-in-a-young-man-s-life-it-can-be/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
