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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
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The Quiet American - Questions
Hello, everyone:
Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene
Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items:
1.
Granger flung his burden on to a chair. Then he noticed Phuong (a Vietnamese lady, Thomas's lover). ... 'Where did you find here. Didn't know you HAD A WHISTLE in you."
Q. Is this:
- child's penis, slang (19th century), as found in J. Green's Slang Dictionary; however the novel is placed in 1950s
or
- Magic Flute, as in Mozart
2.
'I left her, too.'
'Why?'
Why indeed? 'We are fools,' I said, 'when we love. I was terrified of losing her. I thought I saw her changing - I don't know if she really was, but I couldn't bear the uncertainty any longer. I ran towards the finish line like a coward runs toward the enemy and wins a medal. I wanted to get DEATH OVER.'
Q. Is this:
- is DEATH used here similarly to a participle e.g. in : "I wanted to get tramped over"
or
- does this mean: "I wanted to get over death"? If so, why the inversion, is it better stressed this way?
3.
'Sit down and have another Scotch, Pyle.'
'MUSTN'T drink all your whisky,' he muttered.
BTW, Pyle is an American.
My understanding of this is "I shouldn't drink all your whisky". If correct, is MUSTN'T in this context obsolete in *2003* American English?
Thank you very much for any pointers.
Marius Hancu
Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene
Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items:
1.
Granger flung his burden on to a chair. Then he noticed Phuong (a Vietnamese lady, Thomas's lover). ... 'Where did you find here. Didn't know you HAD A WHISTLE in you."
Q. Is this:
- child's penis, slang (19th century), as found in J. Green's Slang Dictionary; however the novel is placed in 1950s
or
- Magic Flute, as in Mozart
2.
'I left her, too.'
'Why?'
Why indeed? 'We are fools,' I said, 'when we love. I was terrified of losing her. I thought I saw her changing - I don't know if she really was, but I couldn't bear the uncertainty any longer. I ran towards the finish line like a coward runs toward the enemy and wins a medal. I wanted to get DEATH OVER.'
Q. Is this:
- is DEATH used here similarly to a participle e.g. in : "I wanted to get tramped over"
or
- does this mean: "I wanted to get over death"? If so, why the inversion, is it better stressed this way?
3.
'Sit down and have another Scotch, Pyle.'
'MUSTN'T drink all your whisky,' he muttered.
BTW, Pyle is an American.
My understanding of this is "I shouldn't drink all your whisky". If correct, is MUSTN'T in this context obsolete in *2003* American English?
Thank you very much for any pointers.
Marius Hancu
Top answer
[nq:1]Hello, everyone: Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items: 1. Granger flung ... found in J.
- [nq:1]Hello, everyone: Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items: 1.
- Granger flung ...
- found in J.
- Green's Slang Dictionary; however the novel is placed in 1950s or - Magic Flute, as in Mozart[/nq] I don't think it's either of these, but it isn't a familiar expression to me.
- [nq:1]2.
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11 Answers
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[nq:1]Hello, everyone: Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items: 1. Granger flung ... found in J. Green's Slang Dictionary; however the novel is placed in 1950s or - Magic Flute, as in Mozart[/nq]
I don't think it's either of these, but it isn't a familiar expression to me.
[nq:1]2. 'I left her, too.' 'Why?' Why indeed? 'We are fool
I don't think it's either of these, but it isn't a familiar expression to me.
[nq:1]2. 'I left her, too.' 'Why?' Why indeed? 'We are fool
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[nq:1]Hello, everyone: Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items: 1. Granger flung ... found in J. Green's Slang Dictionary; however the novel is placed in 1950s or - Magic Flute, as in Mozart[/nq]
I don't know, and I cannot get at my copy of the book at this moment as my wife is asleep in the room where it's kept. I'll make a note to ch
I don't know, and I cannot get at my copy of the book at this moment as my wife is asleep in the room where it's kept. I'll make a note to ch
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[nq:2]Hello, everyone: Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items:[/nq]
[nq:2]3. 'Sit down and have another Scotch, Pyle.' 'MUSTN'T ... is MUSTN'T in this context obsolete in *2003* American English?[/nq]
[nq:1]I doubt it. As in British English, it's a contraction of "must not", just as "isn't" is a contraction of "is not".[/nq
[nq:2]3. 'Sit down and have another Scotch, Pyle.' 'MUSTN'T ... is MUSTN'T in this context obsolete in *2003* American English?[/nq]
[nq:1]I doubt it. As in British English, it's a contraction of "must not", just as "isn't" is a contraction of "is not".[/nq
00
[nq:2]1. Granger flung his burden on to a chair. ... placed in 1950s or - Magic Flute, as in Mozart[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know, and I cannot get at my copy of the book at this moment as my wife is ... note to check tomorrow, when I can see more context. It would help me to know which chapter it's in.[/nq]
First of all, sorry to have mistyped "here" instead of "her". Might be essential to a co
[nq:1]I don't know, and I cannot get at my copy of the book at this moment as my wife is ... note to check tomorrow, when I can see more context. It would help me to know which chapter it's in.[/nq]
First of all, sorry to have mistyped "here" instead of "her". Might be essential to a co
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[nq:2]I doubt it. As in British English, it's a contraction of "must not", just as "isn't" is a contraction of "is not".[/nq]
[nq:1]"Mustn't" isn't much used in the US nowadays, but I think most people would understand it and not consider it ... not" usually means it would be bad form, or a mistake; "I must not" means it's forbidden, or absolutely wrong.[/nq]
Over here, it depends.
[nq:1]"Mustn't" isn't much used in the US nowadays, but I think most people would understand it and not consider it ... not" usually means it would be bad form, or a mistake; "I must not" means it's forbidden, or absolutely wrong.[/nq]
Over here, it depends.
00
[nq:2] Granger flung his burden on to a chair. Then ... her. Didn't know you HAD A WHISTLE in you." [/nq]
The expression isn't familiar to me, but I think the Magic Flute idea is pertinent; "whistle" is figurative in my reading, suggesting the ability to call "whistle up" or attract companionship.
Odysseus
The expression isn't familiar to me, but I think the Magic Flute idea is pertinent; "whistle" is figurative in my reading, suggesting the ability to call "whistle up" or attract companionship.
Odysseus
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[nq:1]Hello, everyone: Re: The Quiet American, by Graham Greene Would appreciate clarifications wrt the CAPITALIZED items: 1. Granger flung ... found in J. Green's Slang Dictionary; however the novel is placed in 1950s or - Magic Flute, as in Mozart[/nq]
None of those things. I finally managed to buy the book yesterday and have read it to that point.
The whistle is a 'wolf-whistle' - the w
None of those things. I finally managed to buy the book yesterday and have read it to that point.
The whistle is a 'wolf-whistle' - the w
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[nq:2]1. Granger flung his burden on to a chair. ... placed in 1950s or - Magic Flute, as in Mozart[/nq]
[nq:1]None of those things. I finally managed to buy the book yesterday and have read it to that point. The ... during WWII and many years after, and maybe make right to this day, when they see an exceptionally pretty girl.[/nq]
I can confirm it's still in practice:-))
I knew 'wolf-
[nq:1]None of those things. I finally managed to buy the book yesterday and have read it to that point. The ... during WWII and many years after, and maybe make right to this day, when they see an exceptionally pretty girl.[/nq]
I can confirm it's still in practice:-))
I knew 'wolf-
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[nq:2]None of those things. I finally managed to buy the ... to this day, when they see an exceptionally pretty girl.[/nq]
[nq:1]I can confirm it's still in practice:-)) I knew 'wolf-whistle', but didn't make the connection. It's indeed very plausible.[/nq]
Remember, Greene was an Englishman, a generation older than me. In the 50s we would in the Midlands say things like:
"Him? Oh, the
[nq:1]I can confirm it's still in practice:-)) I knew 'wolf-whistle', but didn't make the connection. It's indeed very plausible.[/nq]
Remember, Greene was an Englishman, a generation older than me. In the 50s we would in the Midlands say things like:
"Him? Oh, the
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[nq:1]I've always thought Greene was one of the finest 20th century authors. taut prose, not a word wasted.[/nq]
He's also, in my opinion, one of the few great naturals. There's nothing interfering with the story, its flow and the human emotion, nothing in terms of pretense, vocabulary, architecture of the phrase. Simple and essential in the best meaning of the terms.
I discovered him
He's also, in my opinion, one of the few great naturals. There's nothing interfering with the story, its flow and the human emotion, nothing in terms of pretense, vocabulary, architecture of the phrase. Simple and essential in the best meaning of the terms.
I discovered him
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