Assassin Quote by Terry Pratchett
““Lord Downey was an assassin. Or, rather, an Assassin. The capital letter was important. It separated those curs who went around murdering people for money from the gentlemen who were occasionally consulted by other gentlemen who wished to have removed, for a consideration, any inconvenient razorblades from the candyfloss of life.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Discworld series, 1995
Capitalizing “Assassin” distinguishes professional killers from genteel, contract‑based ones, highlighting social nuance.
In simple terms: Capital letters signal social status.
Notice subtle language cues.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading literature
- writing satire
- character analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does capitalizing a word change in perception?
- How does humor reveal social structures?
Overemphasis on nuance may obscure broader themes.