Re: "Tenner" trouble

[Doug Alan <nessus@ATHENA.MIT.EDU>]

> Uh oh, here we go again.  Well, I see that you folks here are like
> the professor I once had who gave me a C- on a paper because I dared
> to find a symbolism in a play that he didn't agree with.  After all,
> we all know that there is only one way to interpret anything, right?
> Goodness knows *all* Judeo-Christians are Bible fundamentalists,
> right?

Well, I'm certainly not going to going to take sides on this issue
without reading the play and reading the paper.  You may be right that
the professor just didn't agree with your theory, and thus gave you a
C-.  On the other hand, it's possible that you didn't do a good job of
arguing your case.  Your interpretation may not have made real sense
or may have not been consistant.

It is not the case that there is neccesarily one particular right
interpretation of a work of art and all others are wrong.  However,
there are interpretations that just don't make sense.  And there are
poor arguments.

The same is true in Philosophy.  A good professor will not grade you
on the basis of whether or not he agrees with you, but rather on the
basis of whether your argument makes sense, and whether you presented
it convincingly.

> The line I am questioning is "Pockets floating in the breeze."

> Ok, let's just think about that for a moment.  Anybody here ever
> watch cartoons or old comedies? I didn't think so.  Anyway, a person
> who is trying to show he has no cash does what? He *turns out his
> pockets*.  I have always taken that line to mean that she was
> reflecting on a time when she was poor, when things were simpler,
> when there was the time to enjoy each other and the outdoors.

I suppose this is possible, but keep in mind that "pockets" also has
the slang meaning of paper money.  Consider the fact that "Pockets
floating in the breeze" immediatelly precedes the line "There goes a
tenner".  This definitely pushes the meaning of "pockets" towards
paper money.  Furthermore, in the Razmatazz video of "There Goes a
Tenner", as Kate sings these lines, there is paper money "floating in
the breeze".  Also, if the meaning of pockets was suppose to be "the
things in your pants that hold small items", then one would expect
the line to be "Pockets flapping in the breeze".  Also, the image of
Kate's pockets flapping in the breeze is a little strained.  Why would
her pockets be turned inside out?  This song is not in the comedy or
cartoon genre.  It is in the gangster movie genre.

> Some of you probably kick babies, too.

Only when they present invalid arguments.

|>oug

"Like a baby grabing at something that isn't there,
 but it is, but it is, but it is."