Comments on: While we’re on the subject … http://crookedtimber.org/2009/06/13/while-were-on-the-subject/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 27 May 2012 08:01:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Ray Davis http://crookedtimber.org/2009/06/13/while-were-on-the-subject/comment-page-1/#comment-279561 Ray Davis Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:04:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=11570#comment-279561 The shockingly visceral contrast between assumed standards of family behavior after marriage or adoption has been a trope of exogamous narratives for centuries. Generally it's played for warm comedy (Midwestern WASP meets Lower East Side Jews and learns that shouting's how you show real love), but personally I find horror (as depicted in Austen's <i>Mansfield Park</i>) more believable. 1934's <i>After the Thin Man</i> nicely inverted the usual formula by making the upper-class in-laws the horror enducers. The shockingly visceral contrast between assumed standards of family behavior after marriage or adoption has been a trope of exogamous narratives for centuries. Generally it’s played for warm comedy (Midwestern WASP meets Lower East Side Jews and learns that shouting’s how you show real love), but personally I find horror (as depicted in Austen’s Mansfield Park) more believable. 1934’s After the Thin Man nicely inverted the usual formula by making the upper-class in-laws the horror enducers.

]]> By: Tracy W http://crookedtimber.org/2009/06/13/while-were-on-the-subject/comment-page-1/#comment-279322 Tracy W Mon, 15 Jun 2009 07:24:29 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=11570#comment-279322 Doesn't this sort of thing always happen? It took me a while to realise that the lack of probing, or any, questions at my in-laws was not a sign that they didn't care, but a sign that they didn't gossip. Doesn’t this sort of thing always happen? It took me a while to realise that the lack of probing, or any, questions at my in-laws was not a sign that they didn’t care, but a sign that they didn’t gossip.

]]> By: Neil http://crookedtimber.org/2009/06/13/while-were-on-the-subject/comment-page-1/#comment-279194 Neil Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:59:04 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=11570#comment-279194 One of Kit and Anne's children is a friend of mine, and the idea that they had utter contempt for table manners does not gel with my experience. One of Kit and Anne’s children is a friend of mine, and the idea that they had utter contempt for table manners does not gel with my experience.

]]> By: CTS http://crookedtimber.org/2009/06/13/while-were-on-the-subject/comment-page-1/#comment-279176 CTS Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:43:31 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=11570#comment-279176 Hmm. My children grew up with - according to my daughter - intense (maybe, 'ferocious' on occasion) dinner table discussions accompanied by instructions on table manners. Perhaps the effort to conjoin the two was my error? Hmm. My children grew up with – according to my daughter – intense (maybe, ‘ferocious’ on occasion) dinner table discussions accompanied by instructions on table manners.

Perhaps the effort to conjoin the two was my error?

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