Sometimes it can seem like proverbs are the creation of stern and disapprovingparents. Do this, don't do that, these proverbs always seem to be telling you how to live your life. But our proverb this week is a bit different. Basically it means smart people think in the same way, they have the same sorts of ideas and they reach similar conclusions.
I love this proverb. Often I'd be reading a book or a poem and I'd come across a passage or a line that I empathize with. "That's exactly what I think," I'd say to myself and then I'd quickly pat myself on the back and say, "Great minds think alike."
I used to work on a column called Poets' Corner in the ST together with a certain Mr. W. Each week we would introduce a new poem and never did a week go by without me saying, "This poet is expressing my thoughts exactly."
"Shakespeare's 15th sonnet is me," I would tell Mr. W one week. "It's like I am the reincarnation of John Donne," I said the following week. "I have Keats' brain inside my skull!" I declaredtriumphantly the week after. "I'm even more like Keats than you are," said Mr. W. "No, seriously, his blood runs in my veins," I continued. Mr. W. didn't look convinced. "Great minds think alike," I said. Mr. W laughed, "You're right there."
Here's another example. I like Picasso and I seize any chance to see his paintings. I know a lot of people prefer his early work to his later, more abstract paintings. But I love his scope, his versatility, his virtuosity. And the abstract images make sense to me in a way that has me saying, "Yeah, good work, Pablo. I'd have done the same." Again I feel cozy in the thought that great minds do think alike.
Obviously, I'm being silly here. But like the American poet Emily Dickinson said, "We wonder it was not Ourselves / Arrested it — before," a great artist makes us wonder why we weren't able to create those wonderful pieces of art ourselves. At the same time, to come up with something that makes us think that is — in itself — what makes a great artist.
Q1 Kana mentions that proverbs often seem to:
A1) Make people happy.
A2) Preach about life.
A3) Have a double meaning.
正解： A2) Preach about life.
Q2 Kana said she was like:
A1) The daughter of John Donne.
A2) John Donne reborn.
A3) John Donne's ancestor.
●英字新聞社ジャパンタイムズによる英語学習サイト。英語のニュース、よみもの、リスニングなどのコンテンツを無料で提供。無料見本紙はこちら
