People
"Dig in," said the king, poking Milo with his elbow and looking disapprovingly at his plate. "I can't say that I think much of your choice."
— Norton Juster
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The king urges Milo to dig in while looking disapprovingly at a plate, then criticises the choice. Encouragement and disapproval sit awkwardly together. The exchange's comic force comes from combining an invitation to eat with a plainly unenthusiastic judgment of the selection.
Context reviewed