Won't Take Yes for An Answer: Difference between revisions
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Alice really wants a date/permission to go to a concert/something else from Bob, but is convinced that he won't agree, and has prepared for this. She asks, then gets her response in without really listening to what Bob has to say. After all, he obviously said no, didn't he... wait a minute, did Bob just ''agree''? Alice has to do a sort of verbal [[Double Take]], before responding to what Bob actually said.
{{examples}}▼
▲{{examples}}
== Anime
* In chapter twelve of the ''[[Love Hina]]'' manga, Keitaro learns that he did ''not'' fail the test, because "most of his random answers were good". However, the girls either refuse to listen to him or to believe him, leading to them throwing a "bath party" to cheer him up. When they "discover" that he didn't fail, they [[Why Didn't You Just Say So?]] and go [[Ax Crazy]] (he manages to flee this time, though). Yes, he's a [[Butt Monkey]] when those girls are around.
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== Literature ==
* In the ''[[Xanth]]'' novel ''Heaven Cent'', Prince Dolph is allowed to go on a quest, so long as he travels with an adult. He wants to go with snarky troublemaker Grundy Golem, but knows his parents will disapprove. So he compiles a list of choices he thinks they will object to even more vehemently, believing that when he names Grundy last they will acquiesce. To his disbelief they agree to the first option listed, and he must travel with animated skeleton Marrow Bones.
* In ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (
{{quote|"It wasn' Harry, Professor Dumbledore! I was talkin' ter him seconds before that kid was found, he never had time, sir!" (Dumbledore tries to interrupt) "It can't've bin him, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to -"
"Hagrid, I-"
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"Oh. Right. I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." }}
* A non-comedic version of this is what basically sets the plot of ''[[The Demolished Man]]'' into motion. The protagonist is so convinced that a hated business rival will refuse his offer to merge their firms that he literally cannot see that the coded answer he gets is actually an ''agreement'' and thus starts to {{spoiler|plot the man's murder}}. Different from most other cases here in that the misunderstanding is only cleared up {{spoiler|weeks after he has already succeeded}}.
* In Aldous Huxley's ''Island,'' the protagonist, a world-weary journalist, refers to himself as "the man who won't take yes for an answer." Not an example of this trope, since he's joking about his
* In [[Diana Wynne Jones]]'s ''[[House of Many Ways]]'', Charmain Baker initially writes to the royal library volunteering as an assistant to sort out its contents. She never expect the library to accept her, and repeatedly tell herself that what she is doing is a ridiculous idea and will not work. They accepted. Cue mental panic as she rushes to ask Peter — a boy residing with her — what day it is, and speed walks out the house the next day.
== Live-Action TV ==
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'''Hacker:''' Now, hold on! It's no good trying to talk me out of it, because once I've made up my mind, I... what did you say? }}
* In a ''[[News Radio]]'' episode, Matthew asks Dave if he's being fired, and after Dave says no, Matthew doesn't hear it that way. As he begins to leave, he realizes his mistake and asks, "Were you just going to let me leave?" Dave nods mischievously, having fully expected him to not listen (he is the Spaz, after all).
* ''[[Stargate SG-1]]''
** In the episode "The Broca Divide", Daniel is trying to argue to General Hammond that they should spend more time on their latest contacted planet, even though there's nothing to be gained militarily. Having clearly lost several rounds of this argument already, he's so determined to make his case that it takes him a minute to realize that this time the General is saying yes.
** This happens to Daniel a few times when he underestimates the General's [[Genre Savvy]]-ness. In another episode, he's ready to go in with rhetorical guns ablazin' to convince Hammond to act on a tip he got from a [[Prophetic Dreams]], when the General agrees instantly on the basis that that's hardly the weirdest thing he's heard while in command of the SGC.
* The trope was said verbatim in an early episode of ''[[Saved by the Bell]]''.
* One episode of ''[[Deep Space Nine]]'' features Odo telling Quark that he has no choice but to do something. Quark protests "That's not fair." Odo points out that he hasn't said what it is yet, and then makes Quark a temporary deputy. Quark again starts to say "That's not fair!" but only gets halfway through before reacting.
* ''[[M*A*S*H (television)|Mash]]''
** One episode has Radar reacting this way when he asks a new nurse to go out with him, and she agrees to.
** An earlier episode has half the camp coming down with the flu, including Colonel Blake and Major Burns. At one point Major Houlihan tells Hawkeye that, as ranking officer among the well, she should be in charge rather than him. Hawkeye agrees, but she keeps stating her case, leading him to invoke the trope name.
* In the final moments of ''[[Popular]]'', we see Brooke storming out of a restaurant with Sam, saying "This isn't what I wanted", concerning an unseen-by-viewers decision by Harrison over who he's going to take to the prom. This prompted viewers to assume that he had picked Sam. Even the [[Television Without Pity]] [http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/popular/promblems.php?page=12 recap]{{Dead link}} said as much, although it also said that others argue that it could have been the other way. Ryan Murphy [[Word of God|later revealed]] that this was (would have been?) the case.
* In the second season finale of ''[[Parks and Recreation]]'', Leslie goes to Chris to argue in favor of holding a childrens' concert in spite of budget cuts. Leslie has barely begun her points before he agrees with her. She then explains she wasn't expecting him to say yes so quickly, so he lets her go through her carefully-prepared argument anyway.
* Variation: In an episode of ''[[Studio 60
* ''[[Fringe]]'': Broyles calls Olivia on this at one point:
{{quote|'''Broyles:''' Dunham. I came in here to begin making the calls I'm going to need to make in order to get the interview that we both agree is necessary. And I would also request that you stop cutting me off every time I'm about to tell you to stop drilling, you've struck oil, as I was going to do when we first came through that door.}}
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* It's a bit different from most examples, but happens once in ''[[Ace Attorney]] Investigations'' case 4 when Gumshoe asked Edgeworth that does he have a proof that there's other people in the hallway, Edgeworth said yes. Gumshoe's response:
{{quote|'''Gumshoe:''' As if you could! I mean, what are the chances of that...Wait, you do...?}}
* In [[Katawa Shoujo]], Misha and Shizune often try to get Hisao to do work for them on the Student Council in the routes besides Shizune's, in which Hisao joins as a member. In Lilly's route, the following exchange happens.
{{quote|'''Misha''': Since we're just two poor little girls that need help with all the work we've been given just before the holidays begin~...
'''Hisao''': Sure, I can help.
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== Web Comics ==
* ''[[The Order of the Stick]]''
** Our heroes are [[
** Also happens in the prequel book ''On the Origin of PCs'', when Roy is trying to hire party members [[You All Meet in An Inn|in a tavern]]. After receiving a "No" from at least thirty adventurers, comes Haley Starshine. Roy begins thanking her for listening and saying he understands, before realizing she actually said "Yeah, OK."
* From ''[[A Miracle of Science]]'', [http://project-apollo.net/mos/mos145.html the scene where] [[Mad Scientist]] Dr. Haas is explaining his plan to conquer the solar system with robots and institute a technocratic rule. This conversation is particularly apt because Dr. Juruna is ''trying'' to have a romantic dinner with Dr. Haas.
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* From ''Roxxor University'', [http://roxxoru.comicgenesis.com/d/20080707.html here].
* In ''[[Tweep]]'', [http://www.tweep.com/comic/?date=07-30-08 Milton is a spoilsport].
* Happens in ''[[Something
* In ''Absurd Notions'', Biff's telemarketing job [http://www.absurdnotions.org/page13.html makes him prone to this].
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* An episode of ''[[Clerks the Animated Series]]'' has villain Leonardo Leonardo attempting to bribe Dante into keeping quiet about a drunken liaison that occurred between them. He first offers Dante the chance to coach a little league team. Dante is enthusiastic about the idea, but thinking he has rejected the offer, Leonardo begins to offer him a million dollars. He stops short once he realizes that Dante has accepted his first bribe.
* In the ''[[Duck Dodgers]]'' episode "The Green Loontern", [[Green Lantern]] villain [[Sinestro]] tries to sway Dodgers to his side:
{{quote|'''Sinestro:''' [[We Can Rule Together|Join forces with me]], or be ''obliterated''.
'''Dodgers:''' Okay.
'''Sinestro:''' Don't be such a sanctimonious fool! You don't realize the-- did you say "''okay''"? }}
* In ''[[The Fairly
* Used in the ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'' episode "Applebuck Season". Applejack tries to harvest all the apples in her orchard by herself, only to run herself ragged and cause chaos in town due to her sleep-deprived state. At several different junctures, Twilight Sparkle entreats Applejack to get some help, only to be rebuffed each time. Finally, after Applejack faints from realizing that she was barely half-done when she thought she was completely finished, Twilight begins another plea for Applejack to get some help, and Applejack agrees. Twilight, fully expecting Applejack to keep being stubborn, continues with "I won't take no for an answer," before she realizes what Applejack said.
* In the episode "Dogs On A Wire" of the 2010 version of ''[[Pound Puppies]]'', [[The Smart Girl|Strudel]] snaps after her pleas to go out on a mission are ignored. Team leader Lucky then gives her the opportunity to accompany a show dog back to the circus, after which she complains ''about being chosen'' for a few seconds before she realizes that's exactly what she wanted.
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== Real Life ==
* [[Truth in Television]], as anyone who has ever worked with the general public can attest. You tell a customer that yes, they can have whatever freebie they've asked for, and they'll still spend 20 minutes ranting about how they deserve it before they click that you've said yes. Browsing [[(The Customer is) Not Always Right]] will reveal more than a few of these.
** Or when two people are arguing, and ''neither'' of them realizes that the other is actually taking the same side as them. Sometimes pointed out as "I think you two are in violent agreement".
** Another variant happens when a person gets "yes" when asking for a permission but is so afraid of being scolded for it by ''someone else'' that they will keep asking multiple times until the person gets annoyed - possibly to the point of threatening to say "no" if they ask even one more time.
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[[Category:Comedy Tropes]]
[[Category:Just for Pun]]
[[Category:Example as a Thesis]]
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
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