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PlumeCassee Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
The Novel "Rabbit is Rich" by John Updike
Dear tutors,
I bought the novel "Rabbit is Rich."
Here are the first lines:
Running out of gas, Rabbit Angstrom thinks as he stands behind the summer-dusty windows of the Springer Motors display room watching the traffic go by on the Route 111, traffic somehow thin and scared compared to what it is used to be. The *** world is running out of gas. But they won’t catch him, not yet, because there isn’t a piece of junk on the road gets better mileage than his Toyotas, with lower service costs.
I wonder if it is a good idea to use that book because of all these comments:
(1) What does Rabbit "think?" It looks like a "run-on" sentence to me.
(2) run-on sentences are not acceptable in English literature... unfortunately they are common in cheap novels.
(3) when one speaks or think the phrases are quoted (" " ) with these marks.
(4) maybe she's trying to say "SCARCE" which is rare
All those comments are about the first sentences of the novel. I would like to know if you agree with them.
I don't agree with "What does Rabbit "think?" It looks like a "run-on" sentence to me" because I read in the Cambridge dictionary that "think" can be an intransitive verb. So "rabbit thinks" is fine: no need of an object to complete the sentence.
I don't agree with "when one speaks or think the phrases are quoted (" " ) with these marks" because the thoughts are told in an indirect speech and not direct speech. Maybe is there another reason?
I don't know what to think about the word scared in the text.
Thank you very much
I bought the novel "Rabbit is Rich."
Here are the first lines:
Running out of gas, Rabbit Angstrom thinks as he stands behind the summer-dusty windows of the Springer Motors display room watching the traffic go by on the Route 111, traffic somehow thin and scared compared to what it is used to be. The *** world is running out of gas. But they won’t catch him, not yet, because there isn’t a piece of junk on the road gets better mileage than his Toyotas, with lower service costs.
I wonder if it is a good idea to use that book because of all these comments:
(1) What does Rabbit "think?" It looks like a "run-on" sentence to me.
(2) run-on sentences are not acceptable in English literature... unfortunately they are common in cheap novels.
(3) when one speaks or think the phrases are quoted (" " ) with these marks.
(4) maybe she's trying to say "SCARCE" which is rare
All those comments are about the first sentences of the novel. I would like to know if you agree with them.
I don't agree with "What does Rabbit "think?" It looks like a "run-on" sentence to me" because I read in the Cambridge dictionary that "think" can be an intransitive verb. So "rabbit thinks" is fine: no need of an object to complete the sentence.
I don't agree with "when one speaks or think the phrases are quoted (" " ) with these marks" because the thoughts are told in an indirect speech and not direct speech. Maybe is there another reason?
I don't know what to think about the word scared in the text.
Thank you very much
Top answer
The only real problems I can see are... to what it (is) used to be Toyota(s), with lower service costs - this doesn't make much sense. but they could be typos.
- The only real problems I can see are...
- to what it (is) used to be Toyota(s), with lower service costs - this doesn't make much sense.
- but they could be typos.
- Are you sure you copied it exactly?
- However, I get the feeling this is what they call a 'pulp' novel - cheap and quickly churned out with the emphasis on plot rather than elegant writing.
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9 Answers
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The only real problems I can see are...
to what it (is) used to be
Toyota(s),
with lower service costs - this doesn't make much sense.
...but they could be typos. Are you sure you copied it exactly?
However, I get the feeling this is what they call a 'pulp' novel - cheap and quickly churned out with the emphasis on plot rather than elegant writing. It'
to what it (is) used to be
Toyota(s),
with lower service costs - this doesn't make much sense.
...but they could be typos. Are you sure you copied it exactly?
However, I get the feeling this is what they call a 'pulp' novel - cheap and quickly churned out with the emphasis on plot rather than elegant writing. It'
00
Hi again,
Nona, yesss. Tkssss. It is "It used to be[...]"
The rest of the text is identical to my book.
Here is the text:
Running out of gas, Rabbit Angstrom thinks as he stands behind the summer-dusty windows of the Springer Motors display room watching the traffic go by on the Route 111, traffic somehow thin and scared compared to
Nona, yesss. Tkssss. It is "It used to be[...]"
The rest of the text is identical to my book.
Here is the text:
Running out of gas, Rabbit Angstrom thinks as he stands behind the summer-dusty windows of the Springer Motors display room watching the traffic go by on the Route 111, traffic somehow thin and scared compared to
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I queried the Toyotas as it didn't seem that likely to me that someone would have more than one car, but of course, looking at it again, he is inside a car showroom. Presumably he sells Toyotas.
It doesn't need the quotation marks around his thoughts. Thinks is fine. He is standing there thinking. He thinks as he stands. He is just thinking about the traffic outside and the rest of the pa
It doesn't need the quotation marks around his thoughts. Thinks is fine. He is standing there thinking. He thinks as he stands. He is just thinking about the traffic outside and the rest of the pa
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Nona The BritHowever, I get the feeling this is what they call a 'pulp' novel - cheap and quickly churned out with the emphasis on plot rather than elegant writing. It's not exactly high literature.
It might still be fun to read and you'll certainly get an idea of how language is used in the real world rather than as perfectly correct grammar exercises.
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Oh is it Updike? I must admit I haven't read any of his works 
but then I think of him as more of an American-audience autho
but then I think of him as more of an American-audience autho00
Hi again,
Thank you so much for your help.
What does "as high literature as they come" mean? I understand the comparaison "He is as tall as I am." But I don't understand "as they come."
Thanks again
Thank you so much for your help.
What does "as high literature as they come" mean? I understand the comparaison "He is as tall as I am." But I don't understand "as they come."
Thanks again
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I'll let MH explain it.
I don't much like the "literature" that "they" tell us is good to read. Pretty much anything on the required reading list for advanced English class wasn't much fun, except Tom Jones, which I really did enjoy thoroughly.
I don't much like the "literature" that "they" tell us is good to read. Pretty much anything on the required reading list for advanced English class wasn't much fun, except Tom Jones, which I really did enjoy thoroughly.
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Grammar Geek I don't much like the "literature" that "they" tell us is good to read. Pretty much anything on the required reading list for advanced English class wasn't much fun, except Tom Jones, which I really did enjoy thoroughly.Which Tom Jones, by Fielding? Bought it, not read it yet (900 pages).
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PlumeCassee
What does "as high literature as they come" mean? I understand the comparaison "He is as tall as I am." But I don't understand "as they come."
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be as crazy/rich etc. as they come
to be very rich, crazy etc.
Jenny's as crazy as they come.
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As they come: IMO, As
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