Scarcely had I entered the sitting-room when I found ... what appeared at first sight to be the Devil, A closer scrutiny informed me that it was Gussie Fink-Nottle, dressed as Mephistopheles.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The narrator initially mistakes a person dressed in costume for the Devil before realizing it is a friend.
- In plain terms
- Someone looked like the Devil until I saw it was just a friend in costume.
- What can you take from it?
- First impressions can be misleading without closer look.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What did you see first?
- How did you react?
Another view
The devil comparison is hyperbolic and specific to the costume.
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