Mark
Dashing toward the trenches “It was easy to tell who at Ortolan was once an actor and was now a career waiter. The careerists were older, for one, and precise and fussy about enforcing Findlay’s rules.it was considered polite to at least try to go—and you certainly didn’t discuss auditions, or agents, or anything of the sort with them. Acting was like war, and they were veterans: they didn’t want to think about the war, and they certainly didn’t want to talk about it with naïfs who were still eagerly dashing toward the trenches, who were still excited to be in-country. Ortolan is a restaurant, Findlays, the restaurant manager. Question: 『naïfs who were still eagerly dashing toward the trenches, who were still excited to be in-country.』 how to understand [dashing toward the trenches] and [in-country]?
Feb 11, 2016 3:02 AM
Answers · 2
1
Trenches - long ditches, in the case it refers to trenches dug in wars (notably World War One). "Dashing towards the trenches" implies a soldier running towards the enemy lines, it suggests recklessness. "In-country" - a term used to describe soldiers who are overseas in the country they are fighting in. For instance, American soldiers were 'in-country' when they were in Vietnam during the war, but not when they were at home. Overall, the paragraph is contrasting the older actors and the younger, newer actors who are still excited about everything.
February 11, 2016
These are references to war, being used as metaphors. The "trenches" are literal trenches dug for battles, where soldiers would take cover from enemy fire. "Dashing toward the trenches" means something like, 'eagerly volunteering,' or 'still enthusiastic.' If the "careerists" are the veteran (experienced) soldiers, the new restaurant staffers are the new army recruits. While the careerists have seen it all and probably given up their acting dreams for a career in food service, the new kids are still hopeful, still enthusiastic about their acting dreams. "In-country" means 'outdoors' or 'out of the city' and it also refers to the new recruits' excitement. They're all excited about the prospect of volunteering for war, they are even excited just to be outside doing something.
February 11, 2016
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