Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
You thunder and lightning too much; the reader ceases to get under the bed, by and by.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Overdoing something can lead to desensitization and loss of its intended impact.
Mark Twain's quote humorously suggests that when someone becomes overly dramatic or excessive in their expression of fear or excitement—symbolized by 'thunder and lightning'—the audience eventually becomes accustomed to it and no longer reacts. The idea is that a perpetual state of alarm or exaggeration can lead to apathy or indifference, ultimately undermining the intended emotional response.
Themes
ExaggerationHumorImpactReaderCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a writing workshop to emphasize the importance of moderation in storytelling.
More from Mark Twain
All quotes →The easy part of being an artist is figuring out the message that everyone else is ready to hear. The hard part is waiting for the proper lull to make the announcement.
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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