Editing 1540: Hemingway
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | This comic is a reference to the six-word short story ''{{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}'', which has been commonly attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}} | + | This comic is a reference to the six-word short story ''{{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}'', which has been commonly attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}; however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. Whether Hemingway once wrote this story and called it his best work is a matter of urban legend. |
The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and makes up alternate versions that use various modern 'standards' that did not exist in Hemingway's time. In keeping with the original, each example remains six words long. The title text obeys this rule, too. Many of the drafts poke fun at the tragedy that the original story suggests. With the original ("For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn"), readers could infer that the baby who would have worn the shoes must have died. Randall tries to make the reader infer other, more absurd things instead. | The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and makes up alternate versions that use various modern 'standards' that did not exist in Hemingway's time. In keeping with the original, each example remains six words long. The title text obeys this rule, too. Many of the drafts poke fun at the tragedy that the original story suggests. With the original ("For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn"), readers could infer that the baby who would have worn the shoes must have died. Randall tries to make the reader infer other, more absurd things instead. | ||
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| <strike>Actually, there’s no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> | | <strike>Actually, there’s no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> | ||
| − | | A fragment of a preemptive rebuttal to the comic’s premise (or at least its title). This sentence was stopped at the sixth word, in keeping with the premise. | + | | A fragment of a preemptive rebuttal to the comic’s premise (or at least its title). This sentence was stopped at the sixth word, in keeping with the premise. Or it might suggest that Hemingway wasn't a writer at all, since the line on its own can express a valid sentence. |
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| Free shoes, provided you overpower baby | | Free shoes, provided you overpower baby | ||
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| For Sale: Weird baby's toe shoes | | For Sale: Weird baby's toe shoes | ||
| − | | Randall once again displays his distaste for [[1065: Shoes|weird toe shoes]], that is, shoes with individual toes. Rather than the tragedy implied by the original story, this instead implies that the baby | + | | Randall once again displays his distaste for [[1065: Shoes|weird toe shoes]], that is, shoes with individual toes. Rather than the tragedy implied by the original story, this instead implies that someone bought a pair of shoes for the baby that were entirely unwanted. |
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| For Sale: Baby shoes <span style="color: #f8991d;">✓</span><span style="color: #48a3c6; font-weight: 600; font-style: italic;">Prime</span> <span style="color: #727272;">Eligible</span> | | For Sale: Baby shoes <span style="color: #f8991d;">✓</span><span style="color: #48a3c6; font-weight: 600; font-style: italic;">Prime</span> <span style="color: #727272;">Eligible</span> | ||
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| This weird trick covers baby feet! | | This weird trick covers baby feet! | ||
| − | | This is modeled after common 'click bait' wording designed to get users to visit web pages, typically using words such as "this weird trick" or "secrets they don't want you to know" to artificially increase its apparent appeal. xkcd has previously parodied click bait in [[1283: Headlines | + | | This is modeled after common 'click bait' wording designed to get users to visit web pages, typically using words such as "this weird trick" or "secrets they don't want you to know" to artificially increase its apparent appeal. xkcd has previously parodied click bait in [[1283: Headlines]] and [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]. |
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| For Sale: Baby shoes, just hatched | | For Sale: Baby shoes, just hatched | ||
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| For Sale: Baby shoes (-1) [Cursed] | | For Sale: Baby shoes (-1) [Cursed] | ||
| This is written like a description of a virtual item typically found in Roguelike games or MMOs. "-1" typically means the item will reduce its wearer's stats (such as defense or speed rating) by one point. "Cursed" usually means the item cannot be taken off the wearer's body once it is put on. It might also reference the fact the original story suggests the baby died, perhaps because of the cursed shoes. | | This is written like a description of a virtual item typically found in Roguelike games or MMOs. "-1" typically means the item will reduce its wearer's stats (such as defense or speed rating) by one point. "Cursed" usually means the item cannot be taken off the wearer's body once it is put on. It might also reference the fact the original story suggests the baby died, perhaps because of the cursed shoes. | ||
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| <span style="color: #727272;"><blink><marquee></span>Baby shoes!<span style="color: #727272;"></marquee></blink></span> | | <span style="color: #727272;"><blink><marquee></span>Baby shoes!<span style="color: #727272;"></marquee></blink></span> | ||
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| This is written like a news headline where Hemingway supposedly wrote about shoes in order to perpetrate a scam. {{w|Craigslist}} is a website where users can advertise and seek goods and services. | | This is written like a news headline where Hemingway supposedly wrote about shoes in order to perpetrate a scam. {{w|Craigslist}} is a website where users can advertise and seek goods and services. | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | The title text continues the reference to [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]], but inverts the situation. Rather than unexpectedly receiving a bobcat by package, this time the package contains a regular item instead of the expected bobcat | + | The title text continues the reference to [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]], but inverts the situation. Rather than unexpectedly receiving a bobcat by package, this time the package contains a regular item instead of the expected bobcat. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
