People need to read more of these works
I find myself often quoting the books I read. Within the past ten minutes, I have come across at least four ‘tweetable’ passages in Ford’s The Sportswriter. Unfortunately, taking these passages so far out of context—and then reinserting them into another context, my own—truly bastardizes their meaning.
Being aware of this, I can do it correctly. For example: this is one passage that I have decided to pass along:
“I just thought it would be all right if you saw me cry. That’s my idea of grief. Isn’t that womanish?”
Why does this work? Because those people that know me—my personal friends and acquaintances—understand my humor. More specifically, they understand that I am amused by pseudo-sexist commentary on life. For those that don’t know me well, this passage doesn’t have any context for me as a person, and I give them just enough context from it’s origin that it doesn’t offend (not that this particular passage is overltly offensive).
Reading over this, I’m making very little sense. I will put this phenomenon down as something to observe and write about further.
-KES
