Friday Fun: Lines from The Princess Bride that Double as Comments on Freshman Composition Papers

Personally, I find it inconceivable that any writer could come up with such a wonderful list.

Lines from The Princess Bride that Double as Comments on Freshman Composition Papers.

Here’s a few to refresh your memory:

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

“At a time like this that’s all you can think to say?”

“Nonsense. You’re only saying that because no one ever has.”

The Princess Bride (memorable quotes) is one of my favourite films and I’m sure it’s one of yours. There are no doubt lines from other films that could be re-purposed as essay comments or even lines that could be slightly altered and would make terrific sense as essay comments.

I can think of one from TPB: “Hello. My name is Professor Montoya. You massacred my essay. Prepare to fail.”

Or perhaps from another film that’s been a source of a lot of sayings, “Of all the classes, in all the universities, in all the world, you walk into mine.”

There’s got to be more…let’s see what we can come up with in the comments!

Comments

#1 rpenner
March 2, 2012

Some student essays just don’t make the grade. Luckily, we now have the sagely wisdom of Gandalf the Grey to comment on their plagiarism or other failure to meet minimum standards.

“You shall not pass!”

Link in url to a product based on this line.
#2 Emory K.
March 2, 2012

Remedial Geometry:

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE MATHEMATICAL FLAKES ON THIS MATHEMATICAL PLANE.

– Prof. Samuel L. Jackson.
#3 TeeTee
March 2, 2012

Or as Aragorn said: “This is beyond my skill to heal.”
#4 Rob Lopresti
March 2, 2012

Still from the Princess Bride:

Why not give me a nice paper cut and rub lemon juice into it?

Get used to disappointment.

Stop saying that!

What was that for?

You’re just stalling now.

You guessed wrong.

You can die slowly, cut in a thousand pieces.

Are you a rotten liar.

I think that’s about the worst thing I’ve ever heard.
#5 John S. Wilkins
March 2, 2012

You seem a decent fellow. I hate to fail you.

Mostly wrong is slightly right.

[For an essay on ancient philosophy that goes horribly wrong] Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?

There’s a shortage of perfect arguments in this world. It would be a pity to damage [philosopher A's].

Where I come from, there are penalties when a student plagiarises.

And from other films:

Rules? In a knife fight? [Works in many situations]

I’m sorry Dave. I’m afraid I can’t pass that.
#6 afrika mangosu
March 5, 2012

I can think of one from TPB: “Hello. My name is Professor Montoya. You massacred my essay.
#7 Eric Lund
March 8, 2012

I once seriously considered using, “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means,” in a paper review. I didn’t only because the lead author was from [redacted foreign country], so I suspected he would not recognize the reference.

Two from Dirty Harry:

“So you’re probably asking yourself, ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do you?”

“Go ahead. Make my day.”