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army of harlot bottles

English translation: the choice of drinks (always/readily) available (at the bar?)

08:11 Apr 22, 2015
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature
English term or phrase: army of harlot bottles
He always has the same drink, his breakfast drink, but still it's like Christmas morning every time he walks in and sits down. Or it's like a candy store. It's like all the wonderful being-a-kid memories that he can recall, the good, the bad, and the easy. Make a wish, and your army of harlot bottles will respond. It is an unrestricted arena of choices;it makes what he gets,what he always gets,that much more attractive.
It is a text from Leaving Las Vegas and he is a drunk.
alice0205 (X)
China
Selected answer:the choice of drinks (always/readily) available (at the bar?)
Explanation:
The choice is always there, and readily available (provided he pays, presumably -- which enhances the 'harlot' analogy) -- he can get what he wants, every time, it's reliable and real, his needs (as he perceives them, being an alcoholic) can be fulfilled; just like a prostitute offers a straightforward satisfaction of sexual desires, so the booze offers a straightforward satisfaction of his craving for alcohol.
Selected response from:

magdadh
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:34
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +6the choice of drinks (always/readily) available (at the bar?)
magdadh


  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +6
the choice of drinks (always/readily) available (at the bar?)


Explanation:
The choice is always there, and readily available (provided he pays, presumably -- which enhances the 'harlot' analogy) -- he can get what he wants, every time, it's reliable and real, his needs (as he perceives them, being an alcoholic) can be fulfilled; just like a prostitute offers a straightforward satisfaction of sexual desires, so the booze offers a straightforward satisfaction of his craving for alcohol.

magdadh
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:34
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Terry Richards: Yes, the bottles, like the prostitutes, will do what he wants as long as he pays them.
3 mins
  -> Thank you, Terry. I do wonder why an army is more satisfying than one even if he always chooses the same, but on some irrational level it makes (delirious) sense.
agree  Yvonne Gallagher: it's like a candy store for a kid having this array to choose from
13 mins
agree  Charles Davis: I think the points to emphasise here, apart from what you've said, are that "army" suggests exhilarating multiplicity as well as strength in numbers, and "harlot" suggests seductive, meretricious garishness: cheap, bright colours, leading you astray.
41 mins
  -> Yes, this makes sense - I like the idea of exhilarating multiplicity.
agree  Carol Gullidge: good explanation for the metaphor!
59 mins
  -> thanks, Carol
agree  George Rabel
4 hrs
agree  Phong Le
6 days
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