Original artwork, not a still
I run a couple of newspapers. What do you do?
— Citizen Kane • 1941
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The speaker describes his work in a casual phrase, then immediately asks the other person to account for theirs. 'A couple of newspapers' makes an impressive occupation sound ordinary. The exchange can suggest understatement or competition, depending on how that returning question is heard.
Context reviewed
