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About this quote

What does it mean?
This sarcastic question mocks the absurdity of a mortician's job by implying they only bury people who are still alive.
In plain terms
Why would a mortician only bury living people?
What can you take from it?
Use absurdity to highlight logical flaws in a situation.

Where it applies

  • comedic dialogue
  • social commentary
  • job criticism

Putting it to work

  • write satire
  • critique professions
  • craft jokes

Questions to consider

  • How does absurdity make serious topics accessible?
  • What makes a joke about death work?

Another view

It relies on wordplay that might not land with all audiences.

More from Groucho Marx

  1. Age is not a particularly interesting subject. Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live long enough.

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  2. Because we were a kid act, we traveled at half-fare, despite the fact that we were all around twenty. Minnie insisted we were thirteen. 'That kid of yours is i…

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  3. A moose is an animal with horns on the front of his head and a hunting lodge wall on the back of it.

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