In Faulkner's The Unvanquished we are introduced to John through his son's, Bayard, eyes. Bayard tells of his father's stature, "He was not big; it was the just the things he did, that we knew he was doing, had been doing in Virgina and Tennessee, that made him big to us."
I like this quote because I remember people who seem larger than life. I am only in the first chapter, and I worry that Bayard will come to the inevitable conclusion, that his father is merely life-sized. This is usually a coming of age theme, if in fact this is a coming of age story, but it is usually a sad event, and I am already attached and caring for Bayard.
I also am please with the Faulkner's use of repetition, the "...things he did, the we knew he was doing, had been doing..." is suggestive of the bigness of John.
If you have read this book please post your thoughts about this quote, but as I am only in the first chapter, please don't give me the ending.
Again I am thinking of the , "things he did,..knew he was doing, had been doing...".
3/22/2010
Crickets, Wealth, and Giving
I am currently reading Tender is the Night by F.Scott Fitzgerald. Three striking sentences that made me pause are:
The "stretching out of her hands" is so Gatsby. Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby relates how Nick sees Gatsby for the first time alone in his lawn. Nick views Gatsby as, "...he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way...". Nicole, like Gatsby is literally stretching out her hands in want, and desire. (I pause to think what about what my hands stretch out and reach for...).
The last quote about the "sacrificial ambrosia" and "worshiping myrtle" makes me think of the ambrosia someone brings to Thanksgiving dinner. Really anything brought to a "pot luck" sort of affair, like an immigrant to our American melting pot, is sacrificed for the consumption of the whole dining party.
- In the lulls of the phonograph a cricket held the scene together with a single note.
- He delighted in her stretching out her hands to new octaves now that she found herself beautiful and rich.
- Nicole brought everything to his feet, gifts of sacrificial ambrosia, of worshiping myrtle.
The "stretching out of her hands" is so Gatsby. Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby relates how Nick sees Gatsby for the first time alone in his lawn. Nick views Gatsby as, "...he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way...". Nicole, like Gatsby is literally stretching out her hands in want, and desire. (I pause to think what about what my hands stretch out and reach for...).
The last quote about the "sacrificial ambrosia" and "worshiping myrtle" makes me think of the ambrosia someone brings to Thanksgiving dinner. Really anything brought to a "pot luck" sort of affair, like an immigrant to our American melting pot, is sacrificed for the consumption of the whole dining party.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
