The Car We Had To Push Flashcards
What was the only car Thurber had any interest in?
the Get-Ready Man’s car: a big Red Devil with a door in the back
What was the major problem the family had with their old Reo?
trouble starting the car; “it wouldn’t go unless you pushed it and let your clutch out.”
What modern inventions were considered dangerous by Thurber’s mother and grandmother?
- mother was most afraid of the Victrola; was suspicious of the telephone; thought it dangerous to drive a car without gasoline
- grandmother was horribly suspicious of electricity; thought it “dripped invisibly all over the house;” was convinced that it leaked out of empty wall sockets and light fixtures
How did the old Reo meet an untimely and accidental end?
streetcar crushed it beyond repair
What did Thurber’s grandfather conclude from all the talk, excitement, and crying in the family?
He thought someone had died. His dementia caused him great confusion, and he assumed the death was of his brother Zenas. (who had died in 1866 of a tree disease)
How does Thurber make the transition from the description of the old Reo to the Get-Ready Man?
From his ignorance of cars to boys at school identifying all cars to his interest in Get-Ready Man’s car.
How does he tie in the eccentricities of his mother and grandmother with the family car?
Father knows difference between car parts and kitchen tools, but mother and grandmother do not.
How is the entire incident of grandfather’s delusion connected to the old Reo?
when family weeps for the car, grandfather thinks someone has died
What are some examples of incongruity, the joining of things that normally do not go together or are not appropriate, that can be found in the selection?
kitchen equipment under the car; streetcar connecting with car; Zenas’ catching chestnut tree blight
What is Thurber’s attitude toward the characters in his narrative?
affectionate and good-natured
What insight do you gain into Thurber’s personality after reading this memoir?
appreciates humor in life; can laugh at himself; loves his family and cherishes his memories
Thurber’s essay is not really about a car. What are his topic and purpose?
Thurber’s essay is an account of his family life as a child, written to entertain.
