Q explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Politics and Power

  The definition of 'Quorum' satirizes political bodies and the manipulation of power, referencing the U.S. Senate and House.

• Human Folly and Self-Deception

  Definitions like 'Quill' and 'Quotation' mock human pretension and error, highlighting folly in writing and speech.

• Language and Meaning

  The chapter plays with words and their ironic or literal meanings, especially in 'Quotation' and 'Quixotic'.

Characters to notice

• Unknown

  The narrator provides the definitions and commentary throughout the chapter.

Key passages

• “Queen A woman by whom the realm is ruled when there is a king, and through whom it is ruled when there is not.”

  A queen is a woman who rules the country when a king is present, and through whom the country is ruled when there is no king.

  Satirizes the limited and indirect power of queens in monarchies.

• “Quill An implement of torture yielded by a goose and commonly wielded by an ass.”

  A quill is a torture device made from a goose feather, often used by a fool.

  Criticizes writers and the pain of writing.

• “Quorum A sufficient number of members of a deliberative body to have their own way and their own way of having it.”

  A quorum is the minimum number of members needed for a group to get what they want, and to have their own method of getting it.

  Mocks the self-serving nature of political assemblies.

• “Quotation The act of repeating erroneously the words of another.”

  Quotation is the act of incorrectly repeating someone else's words.

  Highlights the common inaccuracy in quoting.

• “Quotient A number showing how many times a sum of money belonging to one person is contained in the pocket of another—usually about as many times as it can be got there.”

  A quotient is a number indicating how often one person's money ends up in another's pocket, which is as often as possible.

  Satirizes greed and the transfer of wealth.