To a man, ornithologists are tall, slender, and bearded so that they can stand motionless for hours, imitating kindly trees, as they watch for birds.
Interpretation
The quote humorously describes ornithologists as having tree-like qualities while observing birds.
Gore Vidal's quote offers a whimsical portrayal of ornithologists, characterizing them as tall, slender, and bearded individuals who blend in with nature, much like trees. This metaphor highlights both the patience and the observational skills required in the field of ornithology, as well as the deep connection between humans and the natural world.
In practice
This quote can be used in a nature class to emphasize the importance of patience in wildlife observation.
We must declare ourselves, become known; allow the world to discover this subterranean life of ours which connects kings and farm boys, artists and clerks. Let them see that the important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
American writers want to be not good but great; and so are neither.
Writing fiction has become a priestly business in countries that have lost their faith.
The important thing is not the object of love, but the emotion itself.
For the average American, freedom of speech is simply the freedom to repeat what everyone else is saying and no more.
Ayn Rand's 'philosophy' is nearly perfect in its immorality, which makes the size of her audience all the more ominous and symptomatic as we enter a curious new phase in our society.... To justify and extol human greed and egotism is to my mind not only immoral, but evil.
I am always more interested in people than plants. Nature doesn't make gardens, people make gardens. And the story of a garden is always the story of a person.
The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do.
As a child, I used to have a secret dread - and a recurring nightmare - of the whole world becoming city, being covered with cement and buildings and streets. No more country. No more woods.
Nature is a book, a letter, a fairy tale (in the philosophical sense) or whatever you want to call it.
It is good to realize that if love and peace can prevail on earth, and if we can teach our children to honor nature's gifts, the joys and beauties of the outdoors will be here forever.
Nature hides her secrets because of her essential loftiness, but not by means of ruse.
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