“‘That’s not Sarc Three, Bev, that’s only Sarc Two. I mean, it’s almost as obvious as Sarc One. I can’t believe they let you out of Groton without passing Sarc. Sarc One is when I look at you, and I say, “Ohmygod, a cerise shirt. Cerise is such an in color this year.” That’s just ordinary intentionally obvious sarcasm. Okay?’
    [. . .] ‘Now . . . in Sarc Two you say the same thing, only in a sympathetic voice that sounds like totally sincere. “Oh, wow, Bev, I love that color. Cerise. That’s like so-o-o-o cool. Unnhhh . . . no wonder it’s so like . . . in this year.” By the time you get to the “So in this year,” your voice is dripping with so much syrup and like . . . sincerity, it finally dawns on the other person that she’s getting fucked over. What you’ve really been saying is that you don’t love the color, you don’t think it’s cool, and it’s not “in” this year. It’s the delay in it dawning on her that makes it hurt. Okay?’
    [. . .] ‘Okay. In Sarc Three you make the delay even longer, so it really hurts when she finally gets it. We’ve got the same situation. The girl’s getting ready to go out, and she has on this cerise shirt. She thinks it’s really sexy, a real turn-on, and she’s gonna score big-time. You start off sounding straight—you know, flattering, but like not laying it on too thick. You’re like, “Wow, Bev, I love that shirt. Where’d you get it? How perfect is that? It’s so versatile. It’ll be perfect for job interviews, and it’ll be perfect for community service.”’”

—Tom Wolfe, I am Charlotte Simmons, 2004. The bracketed ellipses are mine, the others are Wolfe’s.