Was Marge Simpson unhappy?

[thedaffodils]

Episode:

The Simpons had a sweet tooth. One day, Homer Simpson got a ticket of Candy Industry Show where he could get many freebies. Both of his kids, Bart and Lisa, wanted to go with him but he just could take one. Here is the dialogues.

Bart: Can I come to the candy show? Can I?

Lisa: No, me. Take me, me, me.

Homer: Sorry, kids. But this the one event, I want my darling wife by my side.

Marge: Oh, well, thank you, Homer. But take one of the kids.

Homer: Marge, they can't carry enough candy. They have puny little muscles.

(Homer took Marge's arm in his hand and rub it, and then said) Not big, ropy ones like you.

(Marge purred.)

Bart: You go, Mom. For the greater good.

Lisa: For the greater good.

Questions:

(1) Is it rude to say a woman's arms are big and ropy? I sense Marge purred with an unpleasure after listening Homer said that. But I am not sure.

(2) For the greater good = better? Is it very colloquial? Could you please give another example for the usage of "greater good".

And I got a comment about it from Wikipedia.

The term "greater good" is usually associated with the philosophy of utilitarianism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Good

Thanks in advance!

[Anglika]

Episode:

The Simpons had a sweet tooth. One day, Homer Simpson got a ticket of Candy Industry Show where he could get many freebies. Both of his kids, Bart and Lisa, wanted to go with him but he just could take one. Here is the dialogues.

Bart: Can I come to the candy show? Can I?

Lisa: No, me. Take me, me, me.

Homer: Sorry, kids. But this the one event, I want my darling wife by my side.

Marge: Oh, well, thank you, Homer. But take one of the kids.

Homer: Marge, they can't carry enough candy. They have puny little muscles.

(Homer took Marge's arm in his hand and rub it, and then said) Not big, ropy ones like you.

(Marge purred.)

Bart: You go, Mom. For the greater good.

Lisa: For the greater good.

Questions:

(1) Is it rude to say a woman's arms are big and ropy? I sense Marge purred with an unpleasure pleasure after listening to Homer said say that. But I am not sure. Any compliment from Homer is better than none! Marge clearly feels that it shows Homer cares for her.

(2) For the greater good = better? Is it very colloquial? Could you please give another example for the usage of "greater good". For the good of all - Marge will be able to carry more candy than either Lisa or Bart, so everyone will get more.

A new runway is being constructed at the airport, which will obliterate a village. However, the runway is for the greater good of the country as it will allow an increase in the number of flights per day.



And I got a comment about it from Wikipedia.



Greater good - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks in advance!

.

[thedaffodils]

(1) Is it rude to say a woman's arms are big and ropy? I sense Marge purred with an unpleasure pleasure after listening to Homer said say that. But I am not sure. Any compliment from Homer is better than none! Marge clearly feels that it shows Homer cares for her.

Hello Anglika,

Thank you for your answers.

I mean I think Marge was unhappy after listening to Homer say that - big and ropy arms. Marge mumbled in an unhappy voice I sensed.

I suppose most women would like to look feminine rather than being very strong with the descriptive words-big, ropy.

My question is whether most Western women like to hear that.

[Anglika]

Hmm. The use of the verb "purred" would lead one to think that Margo liked what Homer said. You do not generally purr about something you dislike.

If Margo had "mumbled", "muttered" or "growled", the understanding would be that she did not like what had been said.

To go on to the question of whether someone sees it as a compliment to be told she has ropy muscles, no - most women would not see it that way

[Barb_D]

Go with your instincts - most women would NOT like to have their "big, ropey" muscles commented upon.

Remember that this is a man who thinks that saying that someone doesn't spill the jelly over the side of the sandwhich is a compliment. He's not very good at making women feel good about themselves.

[thedaffodils]

Anglika and Barb_D:

Thank you very much for your help.


Anglika:

I am sorry to misguide you previously with the wrong word- purr.

If Margo had "mumbled", "muttered" or "growled", the understanding would be that she did not like what had been said.

Is there any neutral word for the unclear voice from the throat but it doesn't reveal people's emotion - happy or unhappy?

For example, in such a case, I was not sure whether Marge was happy or not. So I wanted to choose a colourless word for my question.

[jma]

Marge made a sound under her breath.

Now you don't know what kind of sound.

"Purred" definitely sounds happy.
Marge's sound is usually.... hmmm, that weird rough sound, how would you accurately describe it? That kind of ""unhnw" sound...
That is one weird sound.

You can also describe the sound this way:

Marge made a complaining sound, an unhappy sound, an irritated sound....

[thedaffodils]

You can also describe the sound this way:

Marge made a complaining sound, an unhappy sound, an irritated sound....

Hello Jma,

Thank you for your reply. If I knew the sound was unhappy, irritate, and complaining, I wouldn't have asked that question - Was Marge unhappy? I just sensed it from her subtle facial expression. And it is cartoon. I was not sure.