Is that true," I asked, "that song?""It is a metaphor," said Mrs. Davis, "it has metaphorical truth.""And the end of the mechanical age," I said, "is that a metaphor?""The end of the mechanical age," said Mrs. Davis, "is in my judgment an actuality straining to become a metaphor. One must wish it luck, I suppose. One must cheer it on. Intellectual rigor demands that we give these damned metaphors every chance, even if they are inimical to personal well-being and comfort. We have a duty to understand everything, whether we like it or nota duty I would scant if I could." At that moment the water jumped into the boat and sank us.
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About Donald Barthelme
Donald Barthelme was a 20th-century American writer and professor. Donald Barthelme Jr. was an American short story writer and novelist known for his playful, postmodernist style of short fiction. Read more on Wikipedia →