which way was up The whole paragraph is: " Sometimes I got my majors mixed up. A number of my fellow religious-studies students-muddled agnostics who didn't know which way was up, who were in the thra

cathy

which way was up The whole paragraph is: " Sometimes I got my majors mixed up. A number of my fellow religious-studies students-muddled agnostics who didn't know which way was up, who were in the thrall of reason, that fool's gold for the bright-reminded me of the three-toed sloth; and three-toed sloth, such a beautiful example of the miracle of life, reminded me of God." My question is: 1 what does "which way was up" mean? Does that means "which way was right"? 2 why did author say that reason was "fool's gold" for the bright? Best wishes Thanks very much!

May 7, 2014 7:26 AM

Answers · 8

[1] which way was up may mean two things: [a] which way was right or good, just like what you said; or which way to God [2] fool's gold is an english idiom. It is something that you are very attracted to but is really worthless. So, the phrase "fool's gold for the bright" may mean something worthless for bright or great people.

May 7, 2014

"To not know which way is/was up" means that person is completely confused. This is a fairly common expression. It has nothing to do with being right or important. "The bright" means intelligent people. "Fools gold" (literally, iron pyrite) looks like gold but is common and not very valuable. So the writer means that reason seems valuable but, in that situation, it doesn't help much.

May 7, 2014