Sunday, December 11, 2011
I think that part of the books appeal goes beyond the humor and irony and analyses the human condition. The waiter says that eating is directly connected to human life and exposes people's true nature. Part of the story's appeal is that the narrator is in the unique position of being able to see both the best and the worst that mankind has to offer.
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Agreed. One of the most stand out quotes was when he said that he people reveal too much about themselves at restaurants. That they let their guard down and reveal too much. Makes me wonder if I have ever done this. You never think the waiter is listening to what you're talking about at your table. He is.
ReplyDeleteIt's eerie, but true. I kind of relate a waiter to a taxi driver: their both treated like crap but they also deal with people at their least guarded. Especially in big cities, think about everything a cab driver might hear that someone wouldn't tell their secretary. Eating, just as he said, is primal and leads to a more primitive mindset. I think on top of this quote, another very thought provoking statement, "The only difference between civilization and chaos is three meals and twenty four hours." I feel like many people try to detach themselves from the thought that we are just animals, and this has led to many horrible transgressions in our history and every day lives. This is perhaps one of the greatest sentiments I have ever heard/read.
ReplyDeleteLauren is right, the schedule of eating really sets the schedule of the day. That cycle really hasn't changed for thousands of years which makes the schedule of eating, really an primeval act that leaves people's true nature's exposed.
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