Explanation of the themes
Cosmologicon on 2011/03/27 04:44
— edited on 2011/03/27 06:57
Coughlin Brothers Mortuary is a random, fake company that Cameron invents as part of an elaborate scheme. A mortuary can refer to a morgue (where human bodies are stored before being buried, cremated, autopsied, or identified) or a funeral home (where bodies are visited prior to being buried). Morgues are thought of as cold, clinical places, whereas funeral homes are more solemn like churches. Coughlin Brothers suggests a small, local, family-owned business like Mario Brothers Plumbing, but these companies can become big like Warner Brothers Entertainment or Parker Brothers games. Brother can refer to a close male friend as well as a biological brother. Coughlin is a typical last name, but I don't know any celebrities with that name. Apparently Father Coughlin was an American radio personality in the 1930s and Tom Coughlin is head coach of the New York Giants.
A Fry Cook on Venus is what Cameron says Ferris will become when he finishes school. A fry cook is someone who operates a deep fryer, usually at a fast food restaurant, and it's a stereotypical low-paying job for people without education or ambition. Fries are french fried potatoes. Bigger fish to fry means more important work to be done. Broken electronics is fried. A small fry is someone unimportant. Frying monsters means killing them with fire. Cooked records are fraudulently altered. If your goose is cooked, you're in trouble. The on Venus is because Cameron thinks Ferris is crazy. Venus is the Roman goddess of love and the second planet from the sun. A Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant.
Warm and Soft food can either be very appetizing, like bread straight from the oven, or very disgusting, like a cheese sandwich left in the sun all day. Warm-hearted means kind and soft-hearted means empathetic. A warm welcome is friendly. You prepare for exercise or intense activity by warming up. Warming to an idea means beginning to accept it. A soft voice is quiet. Soft drinks are non-alcoholic. Soft sciences are less quantitative than hard sciences. Soft in the head means dumb. If you have a soft spot for something, you care about it.
Ferris impersonates the Sausage King of Chicago to get into a fancy restaurant. In this case the Sausage King is a well-known, successful businessman who sells sausage. Sausage is mushed-up meat sealed in a tube made from intestines. Learning how the sausage is made means learning something you wish you didn't. Kings are found in many games, including chess, checkers, and cards. Something fit for a king is especially high quality. An outstanding person among a small group is king of the hill. A king-sized bed is large. To disrespect someone claiming authority, say who died and made you king?
Ferris has skipped school Nine Times in one semester, which is a lot. If you're on cloud nine you're very happy. Cats have a reputation for resilience, and are said to have nine lives. Dressed to the nines is elaborately dressed. The whole nine yards is all the way. There are nine players on a baseball team, nine mythological Muses, and nine circles of hell in The Divine Comedy. Times can mean an era, as in medieval times or modern times, or a period in your life, like hard times or good times. It can mean multiplication, as in nine times six. The Times is a venerable London-based newspaper. Times Square is a major commercial area in New York City.
Good luck!
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Comments
superjoe on
2011/03/27 12:57:
gizmo_thunder on
2011/03/28 08:37:
mauve on
2011/03/28 21:20:
phoe6 on
2011/03/29 11:18:
Mat on
2011/03/29 18:06:
richard on
2011/03/27 05:00:
Awesome as always, thanks Cosmo :-)BTW, "warm and soft" is part of a quote from right at the end of the film where a student attempts to console the downtrodden principle by offering him a "Gummi bear? It's been in my pocket; they're real warm and soft."
Mmm. Gummi bear.