In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby, a painting expressed in type if there ever was one, the author explores the importance (or overblown significance) of symbolism throughout the book. Are the all-seeing eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg on the faded billboard those of God or nothing more than peeling paint on weathered wood? Fitzgerald lets his protagonist and readers wrestle with that one. In “You Tell Me Because I Don’t Know”, A serves up a veritable smorgasbord of possibilities. There’s no question as to who we’re regarding (although the addition of the names is a bit small-town for this reviewer), but what hangs ominously (or divinely?) just above their heads and below the azure sky? Is it the eyes of their maker watching over them? Two birds and free souls shadowing their human frames? Or two enormous sagging breasts with tired, reddened nipples? Great Scott!
breasts. those spent, slack teats mean something. too bad i can't figure out what.
ReplyDelete"spent, slack teats".
ReplyDeleteNow that's descriptive, and absolutely horrifying.