Mrs. Allonby: They say, Lady Hunstanton, that when good Americans die they go to Paris. Lady Hunstanton: Indeed? And when bad Americans die, where do they go to? Lord Illingworth: Oh, they go to America.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Good Americans go to Paris after death, bad ones go to America, implying a reversal of moral expectations.
- In plain terms
- The afterlife destinations are humorously swapped for good and bad Americans.
- What can you take from it?
- Question stereotypes about nations and morality.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What does this say about our view of America?
- How does humor reveal bias?
Another view
It relies on simplistic moral binaries.
More from Oscar Wilde
To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.
Permalink to quote #134 The youth of America is their oldest tradition. It has been going on now for three hundred years.
Permalink to quote #136 The old believe everything; the middle-aged suspect everything; the young know everything.
Permalink to quote #133
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