The Bad Beginning

Sometimes, just saying that you hate something, and having someone agree with you, can make you feel better about a terrible situation.

He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over. He found himself reading the same sentence over and over

But I consider her to be a stick behind a stubborn mule.”

You're not going to marry Violet figuratively—you're going to marry her literally!

something happens figuratively, it feels like it's happening. If you are literally jumping for joy, for instance, it means you are leaping in the air because you are very happy. If you are figuratively jumping for joy, it means you are so happy that you could jump for joy,

Even though the fire was of course not Mr. Poe's fault, Klaus was reluctant to see Mr. Poe because he was afraid of getting more bad news.

and tomatoes, which are actually fruits and not vegetables as most people believe.

the worst surroundings in the world can be tolerated if the people in them are interesting and kind.

it is a sad truth in life that when someone has lost a loved one, friends sometimes avoid the person, just when the presence of friends is most needed.