I was a weedy kid, not like one of those working-class men who can accommodate not being academically clever by physical strength and prowess.

Summary

This quote suggests that the speaker, as a child, was not physically strong or tough like working-class individuals who may compensate for their lack of academic intelligence with physical abilities. The phrase "weedy kid" implies someone who may have been physically frail or less imposing. By mentioning the working-class men, the quote hints at how societal expectations or stereotypes often associate physical prowess with this particular social group, contrasting it with the speaker's own personal experience as a less physically strong individual.

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