“Nothing like the act of eating for equalising men. Dying is nothing to it. The philosopher dies sententiously--the pharisee ostentatiously--the simple-hearted humbly--the poor idiot blindly, as the sparrow falls to the ground; the philosopher and idiot, publican and pharisee, all eat after the same fashion--given an equally good digestion.” This quote is from Elizabeth Gaskell's 1854 novel North & South. It is said by Mr. Bell (Margaret's godfather) to Mr. Thornton. Thornton is telling Bell of how he has started to eat an occasional meal with his men, when invited to do so. He says that it has made the hands less hesitant to speak their minds to him, and led to a better understanding between them. Mr. Bell sees this as the natural result of people eating together, sharing a table and meal- and eventually conversation. It's true that food is a great ice breaker; there's a reason why so many social occasions involve a meal of some sort. Eating greases the social wheels. It's also, as Mr. Bell points out, a leveller of sorts. When Mr. Thornton and his men sit down together and share a pot of stew, it's not just as a master and his hands but as men who have been working hard and are hungry. As conversation invariably springs up around the tables, this gives Thornton a chance to know his men better, and vice versa. Related Posts:
Comments
|
About MeI'm a lover of good books, classic movies, and well-written shows (as well as some pretty cheesy ones, to be completely honest). Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
Fun SitesOdds & Ends |