Friday 11 November 2016

Gold And Blue

Poul Anderson has taught us to look out for appeals to at least three of the senses in any descriptive passage. Sometimes finding such a passage feels like rereading part of a work by Anderson, e.g.:

"Dawn was a beautiful haze of gold and blue. Bond went outside and ate his bean curd and rice and drank his tea sitting on the spotless doorstep of the little cut-stone and timbered house, while indoors the family chattered like happy sparrows as the women went about their housework."
-Ian Fleming, You Only Live Twice (London, 1966), p. 126.

The women are compared to happy sparrows but, on the last page, Bond will think that his love for Kissy Suzuki is "...of as little account as sparrow's tears." (p. 190) Anderson fans might remember Dominic Flandry leaving Kit at the end of "Hunters of the Sky Cave." In both cases, the heroine of this episode of the series has helped the hero to defeat his enemies but now the episode ends and the hero leaves.

5 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

A nice quote from Fleming's YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. I really should reread some of the Bond books. One being FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
Good morning. You have begun to comment just as I have got up this morning. My son-in-law and technical assistant, Ketlan, is very unwell in Lancaster Royal Infirmary. We hope for better news today.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Oh, dear! I knew Ketlan hsa serious health problems, but I had hoped he was doing better. My good wishes and prayers for his recovery!

Sean

Paul Shackley said...

Sean,
Thank you. He has been getting better today.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

Good! I'm very glad!

Sean