Rhinoceros Wisdom and Knowledge Quotes

We’re sure you’re often sitting around hoping someone will just come explain syllogisms to you. That’s what the Logician thinks, anyway. He spends his limited time in the play simply spouting his knowledge to all those around, and they respect him, because, well, he’s a logician. The great thing about this character, though, is that the knowledge he passes on plays right into the absurdity of the world around him. His syllogism proves nothing, betters no one, and has no real effect on the listeners. His knowledge, like much of the life of this small French town, is empty.

Even stupid people think about things, even if they don’t realize they’re thinking them. That’s pretty much what Jean is saying here, and he’s saying it to Berenger, so we get a sense he’s hinting his friend doesn’t have too much going on between the ears. Just one more thing Jean gets to hold over Berenger.

Burn! With this zinger (don’t get into a debate with Jean), we get another of those short little lines where Ionesco still manages to pack in tons of good stuff. The key is the word “imagine.” This is Jean’s way of calling Berenger stupid again without coming out and saying it. He’s suggesting that Berenger can only imagine that he actually knows things, because in reality, he knows absolutely nothing.