It makes sense to me but I know what I'm trying to convey. "That's Lord Morl," Crowther said pointing to a slender man watering plants near the entrance. "Most tolerant man I've ever met. He could teach patience to an oak tree." My question is about the oak tree, would something else be more self-explanatory? Or does this make enough sense to leave it? Or is it just a bad comparison?
My question is, wouldn't an oak tree already have patience? I mean, it's a tree, one that I believe is very slow growing at that. Unless there's something I'm missing, I don't understand.
I think that's the point. Awz's character is joking that this character is more patient than an object that literally does not move for, like, a hundred years (I think it's something like that, too lazy to check on the lifespan of trees). It's meant to be hyperbolic, I think. I think it works, Awz.
I think it's pretty self-explanatory just by its phrasing, but I don't know that I'd describe an oak tree as patient, myself. I'm guessing by the fact that this guy is watering plants that he has some sort of affinity for / connection with plants, though (maybe that's a long reach I'm making), so it probably makes more sense than anything else in the context of his character. It's clear. I get what you're going for.
I think it works just fine. There are other objects/people you could use, but that just depends on your personal aesthetic. Oak tree, mountain, redwood, toddler, monk, etc., etc. are all viable options.
Thank you guys. Always finding help here. To be clear, yes it's meant to be hyperbolic; the man is irritatingly calm and collected.
I like the allusion, but you're remarking on tolerance and patience in the same breath, and that doesn't necessarily work. Tolerance and patience aren't one and the same. In that Lord Morl seems to have a special fondness for gardening, you need to make that more poignant. If not, the comparison you have in mind will likely fall flat. You need to have him doing something more than watering plants; something that speaks to the man's tolerance.
The oak tree works for me. I get it. Oaks are very slow growing and grow for a very long time. Nothing gets their ire up as they're not exactly Whomping Willows (to borrow from HP).
Nevertheless... I got confused in metaphor So...'he could teach slowness to something that is slow,' or 'he could teach slowness to something fast.' ... y'know...he was as clever as a teacher/he was as clever as a brick... Ahh, he could give speed lessons to a Cheetah, but actually he managed the snail jog squad. ... I think oak is best, unless somebody discovers I was right and then I will agree with myself.
Slowness to something already slow is more along the lines. If something is already steadily patient, and you have the ability teach it to be more patient is what I'd like to convey. Coal to Newcastle is obviously an England thing. Sadly I went to the wrong one, Newcaslte-Under-Lyme. Loved the pottery stuff there. I may have to try that in a story anyway.
I do think it works and it’s a great line. Interestingly, I didn’t even notice the difference between tolerance and patience. It kind of makes me wonder if I need to read more books . My ex used to say there’s no such thing as synonyms. I think she may have been right.
Actually, depending on the species, they can live between 200 and 500 years. But I'd understand that reference if I saw it in a story, especially if, in context, you understood that Awz was joking.
