Reek took not more than an hour to relate what would've taken the most intelligent man five or six hours--that is, five minutes of speech and the rest of the five hours to recover from the nausea caused by having to utter such shameless rot...
In Sinclair Lewis's novel "It Can't Happen Here," the character Reek is able to convey an extensive and convoluted idea in a surprisingly short amount of time, taking just an hour. This swift explanation would typically take much longer for a more astute individual, highlighting the absurdity and the difficulty of confronting the nonsense being discussed.
The quote reflects the frustration and nausea that accompany the forced acceptance of such insincere rhetoric. It underscores the theme of the book, illustrating how easily people can be manipulated by dubious narratives that seem all too familiar in political discourse. Reek's ability to simplify the complex but unsettling truths about society into a brief presentation serves as a commentary on the dangers of complacency and gullibility in the face of absurdity.
