I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to write on Wilson or Fish so I'll do a little of both. On Wednesday there was much discussion on the power of lineage or lack there of. I believe Twain intended to show that excellence is not mutually exclusive to lineage. I heard somewhere or other that most children of U.S. Presidents fail to live up their parents expectations and suffer or make things worse trying to out-accomplish them, the 43rd comes to mind. The most important example that kept running through my head was Don Corleone, the Godfather. I know its fiction, so don't try to call me out, I'm talking hypothetical here. He was a great man, but his three sons were totally different and only one of them, Michael, was smart enough to succeed. Fredo was incompetent, I think he might of had a learning disability though, and Sonny was arrogant and it cost him his life, Fredo died too but we had to wait for part III for that to happen. All three men born to the great Vito Corleone, but that did not guarantee them the same power and respect that their father had, each one had individual characteristics that either helped or hindered their paths.
I've only read the first 30 or so pages of Fish, It was kinda hard for me to get through the first few pages but then it eased up and I really got into it. Already I've noticed a lot of symbolism and irony with the deception of the tourist and peoples reactions to the book he's found. I also found it funny, but I find most things funny. Like when he describes Americans(6),when they have the spoken/unspoken conversation with the tourist(9),when he describes the book's threads to his aunts stubble(11),when the historian complimented him on his great forgery(17),when his mind wanders in his opportunistic thoughts of selling fake ball-and-chains(19)...there's quite a few more but you get the point. I'm really fascinated by where this book could go, I'm looking forward to reading it.
Unfortunately I am not looking forward to reading this book unlike you. I am so traumatized by how hard it was for me to comprehend the beginning like you mentioned you were as well. And I'm still a lil confused, like I had no clue what they were talk about with Madame Bovary. I do agree with your observations of the description used by the author. I think that you felt so strongly about the descriptions of the Americans and the book etc. because of the use of metaphors and similes. He uses this stuff A LOT! And he does it well, if it were not for his metaphors and similes we readers would not get the same reaction from his descriptions.
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