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Expression: steal a day's march on him



 
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English phrase "Can I help WHO's next?" | Conditional (If we had more money we might OR we'd better travel a lot.)
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #1 (permalink) Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:45 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Hi,

Could you please help me with the passage below?

Quote:
Boland's breadvan delivering with trays our daily but she prefers yesterday's loaves turnovers crisp crowns hot. Makes you feel young. Somewhere in the east: early morning: set off at dawn. Travel round in front of the sun, steal a day's march on him. Keep it up for ever never grow a day older technically.(Chapter 4, Ulysses)


1. Does the first underlined part mean: she prefers yesterday's loaves, whose bottoms are baked crisp and ends hot?

2. Does 'yesterday' simply mean 'yesterday' or 'one-day-old'?

3. Does 'him' in the second part mean 'the sun'? If so, could it be 'from'?

Thank you!

Haihao
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #2 (permalink) Tue Aug 21, 2007 17:29 pm   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Hi Haihao

This appears to be a bunch of rambling (rather than completely coherent) thoughts and images.

1. The word 'loaves' suggests 'bread' to me, but the word 'turnovers' suggests something smaller than a loaf of bread -- i.e. individual pastries. The crown would be the top. It seems that she prefers to warm up yesterday's bread or pastry as opposed to buying something fresh.

2. Yes, I'd say so.

3. Yes, "him" seems to refer to the sun.
.
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #3 (permalink) Wed Aug 22, 2007 0:00 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Many thanks again, Amy. They really help. Oh, the Google images were excellent too and helpful.

Haihao
Haihao
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Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #4 (permalink) Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:36 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

.
1-- Bloom is thinking of the breadvan's wares. He first remembers that Molly likes yesterday's loaves, but then is reminded of what he likes better-- the fresh turnovers with their hot, crisp crowns.
.
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #5 (permalink) Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:07 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Many thanks, MM. 'he likes better-- the fresh turnovers with their hot, crisp crowns.' gave me a thorough kick. :)

By the way, I googled across today a site with many "Ulysses images":

http://www.joyceimages.com/browse.php?chapter=4

in case you might be interested.

HH
Haihao
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Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

Expression: steal a day's march on him #6 (permalink) Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:11 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

A very nice site indeed, Haihao-- I've bookmarked it for my own reference.

I guess you won't be needing me anymore.
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #7 (permalink) Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:49 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Oh, sure I will, very much as ever, Mister Micawber. Actually the most difficult but interesting part to me is Mr Joyce's acclaimed-as-the-peak-of-perfection words and phrases and expressions... and the way of them all... However, they all remain big puzzles to me. Could you please not leave and help me out with this part? I would make all the possible research on the historical one myself.

By the way, Mr Joyce's allusion or multiple allusion, vertical and horizontal, behind his magical letters or words is really beyond expression...

Haihao
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Joined: 26 Oct 2006
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #8 (permalink) Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:27 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

.
Yes, I agree, but 'insinuation' has a negative connotation; 'allusion'?
.
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Expression: steal a day's march on him #9 (permalink) Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:17 am   Expression: steal a day's march on him
 

Oh, I am sorry... and thank you, MM, I didn't realize that. It should have been absolutely 'allusion'. Especially to describe the most favorite author of mine! Please allow me to correct it. -HH
Haihao
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Joined: 26 Oct 2006
Posts: 2471
Location: Japan

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