The parody is the last refuge of the frustrated writer. Parodies are what you write when you are associate editor of the Harvard Lampoon. The greater the work of literature, the easier the parody. The step up from writing parodies is writing on the wall above the urinal.
Interpretation
Parody serves as an outlet for frustrated writers to express their creativity and critique literature.
In this quote, Hemingway suggests that parody is a form of writing that emerges when a writer feels constrained or frustrated, often poking fun at greater works of literature. He humorously implies that successful parodies reveal an ineffable truth about the original work, and that the act of parodying can be somewhat trivial compared to more serious writing endeavors.
In practice
Using this quote in a creative writing workshop to encourage students to find humor in their frustrations.
He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife. He only dreamed of places now and the lions on the beach. They played like young cats in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy. He never dreamed about the boy. He simply woke, looked out the open door at the moon and unrolled his trousers and put them on.
How did you go bankrupt?" Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.
When you have shot one bird flying you have shot all birds flying. They are all different and they fly in different ways but the sensation is the same and the last one is as good as the first.
There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease, it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it. But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy.
Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.
There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly; sometimes it's like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.
RIBALDRY, n. Censorious language by another concerning oneself.
PALM, n. A species of tree . . . of which the familiar "itching palm" ("Palma hominis") is most widely distributed . . . . This noble vegetable exudes a kind of invisible gum, which may be detected by applying to the bark a piece of gold or silver.
She is laughing up her sleeve at you.
The English are busy folk; they have no time in which to be polite.
Comedy has to be based on truth. You take the truth and you put a little curlicue at the end.
I wouldn't trust you with a bucket of water if my knickers were on fire!
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