what does this mean?

Question

"things can happen in some cities* and the tale of them will be interesting; the same story laid in another city* would be ridiculous."

Answer 1

It could have a variety of meanings. One possible meaning refers to the fact that cities all over the world have different cultures and values, so what is acceptable in one city may not be acceptable in another. Different weather and climates means that the clothing appropriate in one city may be quite ridiculous in another.

Answer 2

Where did you get this great quote?

The Apprenticeship Writings of Frank Norris, 1896-1898: 1896-1897 - Page 272
by Frank Norris, Douglas K. Burgess, Joseph R. McElrath - 1996 - 276 pages
Things can happen in some cities and the tale of them will be interesting; the same story laid in another city would be ridiculous.

It is what 1897, the city is San Francisco, USA.
Isolated except for ships and the railroad, not very
much allied to any place or anything: isolated. Thus a unique culture and such. But he adds still not a mature city, my words, not having a true tradition culture yet, but someday as great as Dicken's London, Zola in Paris, etc.

SF is suited to "short stories" not yet great novels to paraphrase
Mister Norris, he goes on to ask the youth to write. He states "who shall be our Kipling" (The great English poet, author).

Intesesting as the great earthquake followed in just a few years: San Francisco became known: many writers are allied with the city.

He talks about a "city with a soul", again, he must have known something.

Great question: one wonders how you came across this?

But I did not google this:

Thank your teacher, professor, do so.






.

Answer 3

Environment and setting play important roles in storytelling. They help the reader understand the perspectives of the characters. For example, picture the show "sex in the city". Makes sense and is funny/interesting in NYC, right? Now change the setting to a rural "one traffic light" type town. The whole thing would be pretty ridiculous, wouldn't it?

Not sure if that helps or explains. Good luck!

Answer 4

Example:
People can fly in some cities- they have airports. The stories of their flights may me interesting.

Go to Outer whoop-whoop, however, and the local natives have never heard of airplanes. Try to tell them a story about flying, and they will think it ridiculous.

Answer 5

I would think it means that every city has it's own culture and way of thinking about things. Such as, wearing a cheesehead hat in Wisconsin would be perfectly acceptable, because that is their symbol for being the cheese country. But if you did that in L.A., you couldn't make it down the block. :-)

Answer 6

I remember hearing about a lecture by a very esteemed psychologist who specialized in schizophrenia.

For the first hour, he described his trip to India, where he lived with monks. The monks sat still in meditation for long hours, staring ahead of themselves. They ate very little and didn't communicate much with other people.

For the second hour, he described a girl he was called to see in Chicago. The parents said that their teenaged daughter was schizophrenic- she sat still and stared ahead of herself for long hours, ate very little, and didn't communicate very much with other people.

Then the psychologist's time was up, and he ended the lecture. Most people went away thinking it was a pointless waste of time, but my professor (who saw the lecture) realized the significance: The behaviors of the monks in India was regarded as perfectly normal and understandable behavior. The girl in Chicago behaved in the same way, but her behavior was interpreted as schizophrenia.

Answer 7

We all perceive the tale differently, as our ears all hear differently...What is awesome to some is not awesome to others...

Answer 8

that meansthe context could be different for certains things place wise