fortune-teller who reads palms Here 'reader' means someone who reads palms, not someone reading a book.
Look at this palm reader. She's interesting-looking, no?before-sunrise-1995 · 1995 — Chapter 1 of 4 · 4'07" · B2
Palm Reading in Vienna, Explained: resign yourself to
A street palm reader pulls one of them into a reading: a journey, a stranger in town, a woman's strength, and the line that everything is stardust. The reply is the most deflating comparison available: "some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper."
What happens
Two travelers are walking through Vienna when one spots a palm reader and makes eye contact by accident. The reader comes over, charges fifty, and delivers a reading full of journeys, inner strength and stardust. One of them is delighted; the other answers with a horoscope comparison and a line about paying to feel good about yourself.
Listen for
condescendingopportunistseedyresign yourself to
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Now
Phrase of the scene
resign yourself to
accept something you cannot change
The prophecy turns into a solemn bit of advice: stop fighting the awkward parts of life and resign yourself to them.
You can't change the traffic, so resign yourself to a slow ride.
Also in this scene
- condescending
patronizing; talking down to people
- opportunist
someone who exploits situations for personal gain
- seedy
sleazy; disreputable
- very nice and all
sounds nice, but...
- bullshit
nonsense; crap
Everything marked in this scene
23 notes across 57 lines
look directly into someone's eyes
- I just made eye contact. - She's not coming over?oh no; damn — Said when startled or annoyed; avoid in formal settings.
- Yeah, she is. - Oh, shit.be traveling or on a long trip
So you have been on a journey and you are a stranger to this place.not familiar with a place
So you have been on a journey and you are a stranger to this place.accept something you cannot change
The prophecy turns into a solemn bit of advice: stop fighting the awkward parts of life and resign yourself to them.
But you need to resign yourself to the awkwardness of life.become calm and settled inside
Only if you find peace within yourself will you find true connection with others.real closeness to other people
Only if you find peace within yourself will you find true connection with others.Only-inversion: Fronting 'Only if' forces the main clause into question order: will you.
Only if you find peace within yourself will you find true connection with others.Put the stress on 'Only if' and pause slightly before 'will you'.
Only if you find peace within yourself will you find true connection with others.Let 'you're' blur; land on 'both' and 'stars'.
You're both stars.relative clause: The clause defines 'everything': all the matter that makes up this world.
When the stars exploded billions of years ago, they formed everything that is this world.treat something as serious or true
But I hope you don't take that any more seriously than some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper.comparative phrase: The comparison says the prophecy deserves no more belief than a horoscope.
But I hope you don't take that any more seriously than some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper.In fast speech, let 'take that any' run together and tap the t lightly.
But I hope you don't take that any more seriously than some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper.nonsense; crap — Use with friends when complaining; not in formal settings.
But what was that "I am learning" bullshit?far too patronizing 'Way' here means 'far' or 'much', not a road.
That's way condescending, you know?make someone's business fail
Someone imagines that if fortune-tellers told the brutal truth, they would be put out of business.
it would put their asses out of business.people; butts — Vulgar plural for people here; avoid in polite company.
it would put their asses out of business.put money aside over time
Just once I'd love to see some little old lady save up all her moneyvery eager about something
to go to the fortune-teller, she'd get there all excited about hearing her future and the woman would say, "Uh-huh... Tomorrow and all your remaining days will be exactly like today,feel pleased with yourself
Someone sums up why the fortune-telling works: you pay, and you hear something that makes you feel good about yourself.
You pay your money, you hear something that makes you feel good about yourself.a run-down or disreputable part of town 'Seedy' here describes a disreputable district, not seeds.
If you want, there's a seedy section of Vienna we can buy a hit of crack.Palm Reading in Vienna, explained
What's really going on
The reading is flattering, and one reply goes straight at that: "You pay your money, you hear something that makes you feel good about yourself." Before that, the reader has called one of them a seeker and said she is "becoming this woman," then closed with "Everything we know is stardust." The skeptical answer is not a denial of the stars; it points to the transaction behind the comfort. What also stings is the aside "He's learning," which is heard as "way condescending." The scene holds two responses to the reading side by side: take the pleasant story, or name what it is selling.
Theme
PhilosophyA flattering street reading turns into a small argument about what to believe: cosmic comfort or the price of feeling good.
Listen for
- Only if you — Put the stress on 'Only if' and pause slightly before 'will you'.
- You're both — Let 'you're' blur; land on 'both' and 'stars'.
- take that any — In fast speech, let 'take that any' run together and tap the t lightly.
Only if you find peace within yourself will you find true connection with others.Inner peace comes first: only then can you have a real connection with other people.
Everything we know is stardust.A cosmic way of saying that everything in the world, including the two of them, came from the same exploded stars.
But I hope you don't take that any more seriously than some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper.Treat the reading as entertainment, not as a forecast — the same way you would treat a horoscope printed in a paper.
And when you die, you'll be completely forgotten."The punchline of the imagined bleak fortune: a life with nothing new ends in being forgotten.
Questions about this scene
Why does someone compare the reading to a horoscope?
The line asks not to take it "any more seriously than some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper." The reply then lists what the reader claimed to know: that one of them was on vacation, that they did not know each other, and that one of them would become "this great woman."
Why does the reader talk about stars exploding?
The reader says that when stars exploded billions of years ago, they formed everything in this world. So everything people know is stardust, and the two of them are stardust as well.
Do the two of them agree about the reading?
No. One line calls the reading no more serious than "some horoscope in a daily syndicated newspaper," and the reply is "What are you talking about?" Later, after "I really love what she said," someone says that people pay to hear something that makes them feel good about themselves.
What does the line about paying money suggest?
One line says, "You pay your money, you hear something that makes you feel good about yourself." It frames the reading as something bought that leaves the customer feeling good.
before-sunrise-1995 · 4 chapters
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