Perhaps,' I wearily suggest, 'reading is the opiate of the educated classes.' 'Is it? Are you thinking of becoming a flower child?' he says, lighting up a new cigar.
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In Philip Roth's "The Professor of Desire," a character suggests that reading might serve as an escape for the educated, much like an opiate. This implies that for those who are well-read, books can be a means to avoid reality, providing a comfortable detachment from the complexities of life.
The response from another character hints at a lighthearted exploration of alternative lifestyles, as he teases the idea of embracing a more free-spirited, carefree existence. Their interaction reveals a juxtaposition between the intellectual pursuits of reading and the desire for a more spontaneous way of living.
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Taffy. He thinks about taffy. He thinks it would take his teeth out now, but he would eat it anyhow, if it meant eating it with her.
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You see?
He leaned back. He smiled.
When you come to the end, that's where God begins.
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