Ducks Quote by Nicholson Baker
““Gerard Manley Hopkins somewhere describes how he mesmerized a duck by drawing a line of chalk out in front of it. Think of me as the duck; the chalk, softly wearing itself away against the tiny pebbles embedded in the corporate concrete, is Joyce's forward-luring rough-smooth voice on the cassettes she gives me. Or, to substitute another image, since one is hardly sufficient in Joyce's case, when I let myself really enter her tape, when I let it surround me, it is as if I'm sunk into the pond of what she is saying, as if I'm some kind of patient, cruising amphibian, drifting in black water, entirely submerged except for my eyes, which blink every so often. Each word comes floating up to me like a thick, healthy lily pad and brushes past my head.””
About This Quote
The author uses vivid metaphor to describe being immersed in Joyce's complex voice, likening it to a duck navigating a chalk line in a concrete pond.
In simple terms: Joyce's writing feels immersive and challenging.
Key Takeaway
Engage deeply with complex literature.
Themes
literature
metaphor
immersion
Mood
analytical
creative
Type
literary
descriptive
When to use this quote
- reading challenging texts
- creative writing
- interpretive analysis
Key Concepts
complexity
perception
artistic voice
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the chalk line symbolize?
- How does immersion affect comprehension?
A Different Perspective
Understanding may require effort and patience.
![“People say, "Look, your book [Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty's Favorite Uncle] is about tall tales." And I said, "No, you don't understand, OK? The book is tall tales, OK, by me. But look, those tall tales are my life, OK? And look, I added some spices in there. That's the five percent. You…” quote by Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/37a/si-robertson-9422_book_people-say-look-your-book-tales-and-wisd_22827.jpg)
