Posted by Jonathan Labaree on September 24, 2002 at 13:32:46 from 207.5.198.231 user JLabaree.
In Reply to: Patrick O'Brian mousing sisterhooks??? posted by Adam Quinan on September 24, 2002 at 02:33:55:
Adam,
I defer entirely to your better memory. I am a big Patrick O'Brian fan, but do not have anything like an exhaustive knowledge of his books. For some reason, I connected the mousing of sisterhooks with one of those phrases Steven sought to understand. I wish I had the time to dig around in O'Brian's series to figure out where I got this idea. I have in mind a scene in which Jack is explaining something to Steven, but it must have revolved around an entirely different bit of nautical jargon.
Steven's unending ignorance of things nautical is, of course, one of the great themes in the books and serves a very important literary purpose. [Although, I have to admit that I've never quite understood how someone could spend 20 or so years at sea and remain so oblivious to words and phrases that he must hear continually throughout the day.]
It is similar to the purpose that the D's play in SA, I think. Their newness to the water provides AR the opportunity to explain boats and sailing for the readers' benefit as well as to introduce a new element into the stories - Dick's interest in natural history, for example - not to mention introducing some more, fun characters.
Again, Adam, I'm sure you must be right.
- Jonathan