Oscar WildeWhat are American dry-goods? asked the duchess, raising her large hands in wonder and accentuating the verb. American novels, answered Lord Henry.
About This Quote
The duchess’s question was a clever rejoinder to Lord Henry's earlier statement that the American novel is "the most perfect thing in the world." She responded with a witty reply that was not only an oblique criticism of her British counterpart, but also a humorous take on the American novel. While Lord Henry had defined the American novel as the most perfect thing in the world, she countered with a reference to America's status as a new nation. The dry-goods are not merely goods, but also the means by which an Englishman can recreate himself in his own image. "American novels" are meant to be the one thing that will transform an Englishman into an American.
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