Idioms in Forrest's Gallatin and Buffalo Misadventures

[Jeff]

Well I'm relatively new to the game so what do I know?  Since I can't add anything to WWWH, here's an observation of likely no consequence to the solve.  My apologies if this has been discussed before.

The two consecutive related chapters Looking for Lewis and Clark and Buffalo Cowboys juxtapose Forrest’s youthful misadventures with historical explorers, adventurers, or mountain men. In Looking for Lewis and Clark, we are explicitly told about the mountain man Osbourne Russell and, of course, we have the expedition leaders Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the title. In Buffalo Cowboys, there is word play in the phrase "buffalo bull" and the buffalo’s nickname of "Cody," which are clearly references to the cowboy William Frederick Cody who went by the stage name Buffalo Bill.  Forrest certainly got "spanked" in both chapters.

These misadventures involved "loosen[ing] our grip on the reins" of their horses in the first and "throw[ing] a loop" of rope that "wrapped around both horns" of the buffalo in the second. These scenes conjure up the idioms "take up the reins" and "take the bull by the horns"--the former meaning to be in or take up control of a situation and the latter meaning to deal bravely with a difficult situation. Applying these idioms in the context of the stories is ironic given that Fenn and company gave up control to get out of their first misadventure and were simply being dragged along in their second.

Whoopee.

[npsbuilder]

Feb 14, 2019 17:49:04 GMT -5 Jeff said:

Well I'm relatively new to the game so what do I know?  Since I can't add anything to WWWH, here's an observation of likely no consequence to the solve.  My apologies if this has been discussed before.

The two consecutive related chapters Looking for Lewis and Clark and Buffalo Cowboys juxtapose Forrest’s youthful misadventures with historical explorers, adventurers, or mountain men. In Looking for Lewis and Clark, we are explicitly told about the mountain man Osbourne Russell and, of course, we have the expedition leaders Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the title. In Buffalo Cowboys, there is word play in the phrase "buffalo bull" and the buffalo’s nickname of "Cody," which are clearly references to the cowboy William Frederick Cody who went by the stage name Buffalo Bill.  Forrest certainly got "spanked" in both chapters.

These misadventures involved "loosen[ing] our grip on the reins" of their horses in the first and "throw[ing] a loop" of rope that "wrapped around both horns" of the buffalo in the second. These scenes conjure up the idioms "take up the reins" and "take the bull by the horns"--the former meaning to be in or take up control of a situation and the latter meaning to deal bravely with a difficult situation. Applying these idioms in the context of the stories is ironic given that Fenn and company gave up control to get out of their first misadventure and were simply being dragged along in their second.

Whoopee.

Does this mean that "If you are brave" = Lead 

                               "in the wood" = Lead

[Jeff]

npsbuilder, I'm new to this game and I'm not even sure what type of puzzle Fenn has created--me pontificating on how this may apply this specifically to the Gold and More poem puzzle is a bit premature.

In the context of TTOTC without regard to the puzzle, these idioms apply to the now young adult Forrest venturing out into an often dangerous world and experiencing degrees of failure. These "spankings" have evolved throughout the book up through Buffalo Cowboys; they are somewhat more dangerous now and he isn’t receiving oversight or help from his mother or mother-like figures.

Turning to the Gold and More poem as a poem and not as a puzzle, Fenn is describing the course of life in a similar vein but with a different outcome from the Omar Khayyam poem quoted in My War for Me. In Khayyam's poem, one’s life is described as proceeding relentlessly forward through time, regardless of whether one can make sense of things, until death arrives. This is a universally traveled path and one from which none are exempted but, as we experience this alone and in an irrevocable manner, it remains a complete mystery. In his Gold and More poem, Fenn describes life’s unrelenting course through time with danger, difficulties, and burdens; however, in contrast to Khayyam’s conception, Fenn contends that we too can arrive at the answers to life’s great questions, just as he did or perhaps because he did, and come to "peace with it all." Perhaps Fenn’s brush with death due to his cancer ordeal was what allowed him to have "found [his] way" and to do opposite of what Khayyam’s poem says: thus, "[return] to tell us of the road."

An obvious idiom in the Gold and More poem is found in the third stanza's "There'll be no paddle up your creek." The phrase "up the creek," particularly with no paddle, means being in a difficult situation--this is an apt one given one of the principal themes of TTOTC. In the broad stroke take on the poem as a reflection of some of the big picture messages in TTOTC, the sixth stanza's "If you are brave and in the wood" is similarly an apt one for receiving "title to the gold."

How any of this directly relates to the puzzle, if at all, is well beyond me at this point. (Although count me as being very skeptical on that front.)

[robjohnson]

Jeff:

There are many searchers with many different opinions about what is useful in solving the chase. Some people have tried to categorize themselves or others in their strategies. For example, some people like to call themselves a "poem purist" and discount the stories in ttotc - they just use the poem. On the other hand, I label myself as an "everything purist" and use the poem, ttotc, other Fenn stories, Mysterious Writings Six Questions/Answers, etc. I use it all.


I think your analysis of the chapters above is a great start. And I am of the opinion that you are just scratching the surface, by all accounts nothing negative meant by what I state. I consider the stories in ttotc essential to the chase. To each their own on how we proceed in the chase. The chase is fun, as it should be, but certainly difficult. My opinion is that we should avoid beliefs, and instead think. We are trying to determine what Forrest means and our own beliefs can interfere with true understanding of the chase.

My suggestion, best to keep an open mind and let that guide you. Good luck to you!

[Jeff]

Rob, thank you for your kind words.

I'm new to this game--I don't know anything. I don't even suspect I'm scratching the surface.

Was it Confucius who said "a journey of a thousand steps begins with the first mile?" Well, about that journey: seems to me I have yet to stand up.

[npsbuilder]

Feb 18, 2019 10:18:25 GMT -5 Jeff said:

npsbuilder, I'm new to this game and I'm not even sure what type of puzzle Fenn has created--me pontificating on how this may apply this specifically to the Gold and More poem puzzle is a bit premature.

In the context of TTOTC without regard to the puzzle, these idioms apply to the now young adult Forrest venturing out into an often dangerous world and experiencing degrees of failure. These "spankings" have evolved throughout the book up through Buffalo Cowboys; they are somewhat more dangerous now and he isn’t receiving oversight or help from his mother or mother-like figures.

Turning to the Gold and More poem as a poem and not as a puzzle, Fenn is describing the course of life in a similar vein but with a different outcome from the Omar Khayyam poem quoted in My War for Me. In Khayyam's poem, one’s life is described as proceeding relentlessly forward through time, regardless of whether one can make sense of things, until death arrives. This is a universally traveled path and one from which none are exempted but, as we experience this alone and in an irrevocable manner, it remains a complete mystery. In his Gold and More poem, Fenn describes life’s unrelenting course through time with danger, difficulties, and burdens; however, in contrast to Khayyam’s conception, Fenn contends that we too can arrive at the answers to life’s great questions, just as he did or perhaps because he did, and come to "peace with it all." Perhaps Fenn’s brush with death due to his cancer ordeal was what allowed him to have "found [his] way" and to do opposite of what Khayyam’s poem says: thus, "[return] to tell us of the road."

An obvious idiom in the Gold and More poem is found in the third stanza's "There'll be no paddle up your creek." The phrase "up the creek," particularly with no paddle, means being in a difficult situation--this is an apt one given one of the principal themes of TTOTC. In the broad stroke take on the poem as a reflection of some of the big picture messages in TTOTC, the sixth stanza's "If you are brave and in the wood" is similarly an apt one for receiving "title to the gold."

How any of this directly relates to the puzzle, if at all, is well beyond me at this point. (Although count me as being very skeptical on that front.)

The way I see it is that Fenn answers the questions posed to him from the cards dealt to him. Being honest with himself and not not answering the questions hard questions gets him nowhere. He has gotten the answers to life's great questions from himself just as we all can. We all have the right answers already and have to realize that. Every person has the choice to use the right or not no matter how easy or hard the answer is.