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Literally Not Figurative
10/22/2003

I emailed Glenn Reynolds two sentences comparing figurative and literal language for use in explaining why some criticism of him was wrong. Professor Reynolds posted my note but complained about the movie to which I made reference:

And really, Temple of Doom? Can't we get an example from one of the good Indiana Jones movies?

Well, I was merely going for vivid imagery, and I thought to use heart removal before I thought to use that movie, specifically. But still, I must confess that Temple of Doom was in very heavy rotation back when I was about ten years old and watching a lot of cable television, so it is burned into my memory much more than the other two movies (which were, I agree, better). I even remember the arcade game. And the Mad Magazine parody...

ADDENDUM:
Note: I used "burned into my memory" in the figurative sense, here, in contrast to, say, the literal sense in which the markings on the medallion that led to the Ark of the Covenant were burned into Nazi agent Toht's hand in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Posted by Justin Katz @ 11:45 PM EST

1 Comment

Funny as hell. Figuratively speaking.

And I still remember the Mad Magazine parody of "Cool Hand Luke", which is a hint as to what an old-timer I am.

Tom Maguire @ 10/23/2003 11:13 AM EST