I was sampling an Oyster Stout, I do enjoy a good stout, but I must admit, I’m not an oyster fan myself so I had some concerns. Ever get thinking while you’re drinking? Me too. Some days it seems like it’s all oysters and no pearls. I got thinking that it’s high time I was due for a pearl. But be careful what you wish for.
In Steinbeck’s “The Pearl” Kino finds the pearl of his dreams, but it turns into his worst nightmare.
Then I thought about Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”, similar theme, where Santiago catches the marlin of his dreams which becomes his worst nightmare. Although Hemingway didn’t have much good to say about Steinbeck (he didn’t have much good to say about anyone) he must have read “The Pearl” which was published 6 years before “The Old Man and the Sea”. Hemingway wasn’t plagiarizing but was definitely influenced although he would never admit it. He saw the younger Steinbeck as a competitor. *
Then I got thinking about The Flintstones, and then The Jetsons popping up two years later. But both were from Hanna-Barbera so it’s not plagiarism, just a formula cartoon sitcom, although some would say that The Jetsons are based more on the comic strip Blondie then the Flintstones.
But what about John Fogerty getting sued for self-plagiarism for copying one of his own CCR songs that Fantasy Records owned. ** Wilson Mizner once said “Stealing from one author is plagiarism, stealing from many is research” but ol’ Willy Mizner probably didn’t have an opinion on stealing from yourself. And there is some question as to whether that is an original Wizner quote or he “researched” that from someone else.
In Lewis Carroll’s “The Walrus and the Carpenter” the oysters are invited for a walk on the beach. The wise old oyster takes a pass but the young foolish ones join the Walrus and the Carpenter for lunch. “O Oysters said the Carpenter, we’ve had a pleasant run, shall we be trotting home again, but answer came there none, and this was scarcely odd because they’d eaten every one.”
It was Johnathan Swift who once said “It was a bold man who first ate an oyster.” I wonder if it was a pearl who once said “The world is my oyster.”***
Beer done, no pearls or pearls of wisdom here for that matter. But I get the feeling I’ve forgotten something. ****
*Editor’s Comment: Hemingway may have been influenced by Steinbeck, but Steinbeck’s story was based on a Mexican folktale he had heard in 1940 during a visit to La Paz. Although the basic premise of the two stories seems similar the styling and message of each is very different.
**Editor’s Comment: Saul Zaentz, owner of Fantasy Records, claimed that the song “The Old Man Down the Road” was a copy of the CCR song “Run Through the Jungle” which Fogerty wrote. Fogerty won the lawsuit but has been involved in a string of lawsuits since regarding Fantasy Records, and royalties. Finally in 2023 at the age of 77 he has been able to buy back the ownership of the songs he wrote more than 50 years ago by acquiring a majority interest in Concord Records which had bought the rights from Fantasy Records.
***Editor’s Comment: The saying “the world is my oyster” is paraphrased from the Shakespeare play “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Falstaff:“I will not lend thee a penny.” Pistol:“Why then the world’s mine oyster, which I with sword will open.”
****Editor’s Comment: With all this thinking going on did you ever think to review the beer?
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