What does this mean?

Question

In the short story, Sunday in the Park by Bel Kaufman, what does the phrase "You and who else?" mean in the context?

Answer 1

Hi there!

In both instances of its use, the phrase "You and who else," is meant to comment on Morton's fecklessness. It's equivalent to the phrase "you and what army?" The bully uses it to indicate that Morton would need several other people to effectively take him down in a fist fight, which is probably true -- the man is presented to the reader as brutish and unconcerned with the feelings of others. When Morton's wife uses it against him at the end of the story, it is perhaps more cutting in this context, since it passes the lips of someone Morton likely suspects would not challenge him in such a way and is a direct attack on his masculinity and his effectiveness as a father. She's irritated that she has to leave the park and is irritated that her child is crying, so as a way of letting Morton know she's not exactly thrilled with how he handled the situation with the bully, she alludes to Morton's failure against the bully.

Hope this helps!