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He was a solemn, unsmiling, sanctimonious old iceberg who looked like he was waiting for a vacancy in the Trinity.
Mark Twain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote humorously describes a person as overly serious and stiff, comparing him to an iceberg.

Mark Twain uses vivid imagery to convey the character of a person who is excessively solemn and moralizing, likening him to an icebergβ€”cold and unyielding. The comparison suggests that this individual lacks warmth and humor, embodying a rigid, perhaps self-righteous attitude that makes him seem out of place and waiting for something that signifies a higher status, as implied by the reference to a vacancy in the Trinity.

Themes

SolemnHumorIcebergSeriousnessMorality

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of humor in leadership.

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