The way to do it

“The way to do it” is a puppeteer’s catchphrase heard at a counterfeit London Bridge. Spoken as Mr. Punch strikes Judy, it gives the phrase a comic, theatrical setting; its immediate juxtaposition with Gibreel Farishta’s greeting to Saladin Chamcha lends that greeting an uneasy double note.

Occurrence and Speaker

From a red-and-white-striped puppeteer’s booth, Mr. Punch calls, “That’s the way to do it!” while striking Judy. The phrase belongs to the puppet show: it is an emphatic performance cue, not a line spoken by Gibreel Farishta or Saladin Chamcha.

The Greeting That Follows

Immediately afterward, Gibreel Farishta greets Saladin Chamcha with apparent enthusiasm, calling him over familiarly. Yet the narration marks a mismatch between the words and their delivery: the greeting’s energy is undone by the listlessness of Gibreel’s voice. The catchphrase’s brisk confidence therefore sits beside a reunion whose welcome sounds less convincing than its words suggest.

Dramatic Resonance

The phrase’s placement draws attention to performance and the gap between an action’s outward display and its effect. In the puppet booth, the call accompanies a stylized blow; in the following exchange, an exuberant greeting is weakened by its tone. The scene does not explain the catchphrase further, but its jaunty certainty sharpens the contrast with the strained encounter between the two men.