How to Tell the Birds from the Flowers and Other Woodcuts · Chapter
The Gnu; The Newt explained
This chapter contrasts the Gnu, who proudly wears a coat of bristling hairs, with the Newt, who is nude and hides beneath the brook's surface, only emerging for a necessary breath of air.
What happens
This chapter contrasts the Gnu, who proudly wears a coat of bristling hairs, with the Newt, who is nude and hides beneath the brook's surface, only emerging for a necessary breath of air. The text plays on words like 'gnu' and 'newt' to create humorous and absurd distinctions.
Themes in this chapter
Wordplay and Homophones
The chapter uses puns such as 'gnumerous' (numerous) and 'entre gnu' (entre nous), and plays on the homophones 'gnu' and 'newt' to create a humorous comparison.
Humor and Absurdity
The absurd contrast between the hairy Gnu and the nude Newt, along with the playful language and the revelation that the Newt is a 'pneu-t' (newt), exemplifies the chapter's humorous tone.
Characters to notice
- The Gnu, the Newt
The Gnu is described as conspicuously wearing a coat of 'gnumerous' bristling hairs, while the Newt is nude and hides in a secluded 'gnook' beneath the brook.
Key passages
“The Gnu conspicuously wears His coat of gnumerous bristling hairs, While, as we see, the modest Newt Of such a coat is destitute.”
The Gnu is noticeable because of his many bristly hairs, but the humble Newt lacks any such coat.
Highlights the central contrast between the two creatures.
“In point of fact the Newt is nude, And therefore he does not obtrude, But hides in some secluded gnook, Beneath the surface of the brook.”
Actually, the Newt is naked, so he stays hidden in a secluded nook under the brook's surface.
Explains the Newt's behavior due to his lack of a coat.
“It’s almost more than he can bear, To issue slyly from his lair, And snatch a hasty breath of air, His need of which is absolute, Because, you see, he is a pneu‑t.”
He can barely stand to sneak out of his hiding place for a quick breath, which he absolutely needs because he is a newt (pneu-t).
Reveals the Newt's necessity to breathe air, with a pun on 'newt' and 'pneu-t'.