That'll teach him (irony)

"'That'll teach him,' he said to himself. But he was mistaken. For Bernard left the room with a swagger,...elated by the intoxicating consciousness of his individual significance and importance." p. 98

I seem to feel like this is not the first time someone in authority says or does something to scare or warn someone and the person brushes it off or even, in this case, takes it as compliment. After dragging on about a personal tale  to warn Bernard about the savages and New Mexico, the Director gets to his point about Bernard. He feels that Bernard is not living up to the standards of an Alpha-plus socially and he's had enough. But, his threat to send Bernard to Iceland doesn't really hit Bernard as hard as he expects if at all. Like any revolutionary, Bernard takes ignores the threat. Many times people have said to me "One more time, and...". Some I have heeded, others I have ignored. This was definitely a threat Bernard should have taken to heart.