Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
typo fixing
Changed line(s) 16 (click to see context) from:
* ExactWords: It is untrue that fifty feeders are imprisoned in the highest of highs to starve. It is untrues that fourty-nine feeders are imprisoned. [[spoiler: At the time of asking it's fourty-eight feeders.]]
to:
* ExactWords: It is untrue that fifty feeders are imprisoned in the highest of highs to starve. It is untrues untrue that fourty-nine feeders are imprisoned. [[spoiler: At the time of asking it's fourty-eight feeders.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 13 (click to see context) from:
* CannibalismSuperpower: Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
to:
* CannibalismSuperpower: [[IngestingKnowledge Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge.knowledge]]. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
* ExactWords: It is untrue that fifty feeders are imprisoned in the highest of highs to starve. It is untrues that fourty-nine feeders are imprisoned. [[spoiler: At the time of asking it's fourty-eight feeders.]]
Changed line(s) 23 (click to see context) from:
* IngestingKnowledge: Termites can eat human documents and writing, mentally noting the layout of ink and thus "reading" them.
to:
* IngestingKnowledge: Termites can eat human documents and writing, mentally noting the layout of ink and thus "reading" them. They also eat other thermites' associative substance to aquire their memories.
Changed line(s) 35 (click to see context) from:
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]].
to:
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]]. Also, the queen is named Gertrude and the ant ambassador - Fortinbrass.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 35 (click to see context) from:
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[{{Hamlet}} Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]].
to:
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[{{Hamlet}} [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 36 (click to see context) from:
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]], a sympathetic depiction of a psychiatrist.[[note]][[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].[[/note]]
to:
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud [[UsefulNotes/SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]], a sympathetic depiction of a psychiatrist.[[note]][[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].[[/note]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 9 (click to see context) from:
A quite amusing and interesting novel, satirizing numerous absurdities of human society while also providing some nice {{xenofiction}}. Apparently, the bilingual author wrote both the English and Polish versions, which do seem to differ a bit. (Note that this trope list is based on the Polish version, and thus might be inaccurate for the English one.)
to:
A quite amusing and interesting novel, satirizing numerous absurdities of human society while also providing some nice {{xenofiction}}.novel. Apparently, the bilingual author wrote both the English and Polish versions, which do seem to differ a bit. (Note that this trope list is based on the Polish version, and thus might be inaccurate for the English one.)
Changed line(s) 12,13 (click to see context) from:
* AntWar: Wars between termites and ants are talked about frequently. [[spoiler:And one indeed erupts at the end.]]
* BrainFood / CannibalismSuperpower: Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
* BrainFood / CannibalismSuperpower: Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
to:
* AntWar: Wars between termites and ants are talked about mentioned frequently. [[spoiler:And one indeed erupts at the end.]]
*BrainFood / CannibalismSuperpower: Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
*
Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Dr. Arsene's Private Detective; Professor Soul's two Assistants.
to:
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Dr. Arsene's Private Detective; Professor Soul's two First and Second Assistants.
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The student Nonobody wonders if an earthquake or some other cataclysm could happen before prof. Mmaa asks him for his homework.]] Guess what happens near the end.
to:
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The student Nonobody wonders if what are the chances an earthquake or some other opportune cataclysm could happen of some kind would occur before prof. Mmaa asks him for his homework.]] Guess what happens near the end.
Deleted line(s) 21 (click to see context) :
* HumanHardDrive: Libraries are simply assemblies of termites whose purpose in life is to remember specific texts and recite them verbatim when requested.
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
* LooseLips: Professor Soul's Second Assistant, a born snitch. He's got auditory organs all over his body and registers so much input at all times that he feels a physical need to dump this baggage out of his memory onto a number of [=VIPs=].
to:
* LooseLips: Professor Soul's Second Assistant, a born snitch. He's got Born with auditory organs all over his body and body, he registers so much input at all times that he feels a physical need to dump this baggage out of his memory onto a number of [=VIPs=].
Deleted line(s) 35 (click to see context) :
* RuleOfSymbolism: A lot of it, none of it very subtle.
Changed line(s) 37,40 (click to see context) from:
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[{{Hamlet}} Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern]].
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]].[[note]][[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].[[/note]]
* StutterStop: Dr. Brillat-Beetonin, afflicted with a [[SpeechImpediment stutter]], suddenly loses it apparently by sheer force of will and becomes a charismatic rebellious leader.
* TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre to the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]].[[note]][[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].[[/note]]
* StutterStop: Dr. Brillat-Beetonin, afflicted with a [[SpeechImpediment stutter]], suddenly loses it apparently by sheer force of will and becomes a charismatic rebellious leader.
* TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre to the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.
to:
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[{{Hamlet}} Rosenkrantz Rosencrantz and Guildenstern]].
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud SigismundKraft-Durchfreud]].Kraft-Durchfreud]], a sympathetic depiction of a psychiatrist.[[note]][[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].[[/note]]
* StutterStop: The reserved Dr. Brillat-Beetonin, afflicted with a [[SpeechImpediment stutter]], suddenly loses it apparently by sheer force of will and becomes a charismatic rebellious leader. [[spoiler:Until an actual crisis occurs, at which point he panics and reverts back to his old self.]]
* TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre into the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.
*TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister [[HumanHardDrive Termite Hard Drive]]: Libraries are simply assemblies of termites whose purpose in life is to remember specific texts and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre to the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.recite them verbatim when requested.
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund
* StutterStop: The reserved Dr. Brillat-Beetonin, afflicted with a [[SpeechImpediment stutter]], suddenly loses it apparently by sheer force of will and becomes a charismatic rebellious leader. [[spoiler:Until an actual crisis occurs, at which point he panics and reverts back to his old self.]]
* TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre into the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.
*
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 29,31 (click to see context) from:
* {{Narrator}}: An "impartial chronicler" who supposedly has witnessed all events first-hand, though it doesn't explain how could he know the characters' private thoughts, or what happened in places where the characters were explicitly alone.
* OrganicTechnology: Pretty much all of termiate "technology" is made up of genetically engineered termites that function like machines.
* PhotographicMemory: The termites' "associative substance" (their brain equivalent) gives them a near-perfect memory. Termite libraries consist of termites reciting entire volumes recorded in their memory.
* OrganicTechnology: Pretty much all of termiate "technology" is made up of genetically engineered termites that function like machines.
* PhotographicMemory: The termites' "associative substance" (their brain equivalent) gives them a near-perfect memory. Termite libraries consist of termites reciting entire volumes recorded in their memory.
to:
* {{Narrator}}: An "impartial chronicler" who supposedly has witnessed all events first-hand, though it doesn't explain how could he know the characters' private thoughts, or know what happened in places where the characters were explicitly alone.
* OrganicTechnology: Pretty much all oftermiate termite "technology" is made up of genetically engineered termites that function like machines.
* PhotographicMemory: The termites' "associative substance" (their brain equivalent) gives them a near-perfect memory. Termite libraries consist of termites reciting entire volumes recorded in their memory.
* OrganicTechnology: Pretty much all of
* PhotographicMemory: The termites' "associative substance" (their brain equivalent) gives them a near-perfect memory.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
\"many input\". ye gods
Changed line(s) 28 (click to see context) from:
* LooseLips: Professor Soul's Second Assistant, a born snitch. He's got auditory organs all over his body and registers so many input at all times that he feels a physical need to dump this baggage out of his memory onto a number of [=VIPs=].
to:
* LooseLips: Professor Soul's Second Assistant, a born snitch. He's got auditory organs all over his body and registers so many much input at all times that he feels a physical need to dump this baggage out of his memory onto a number of [=VIPs=].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* GulliverTieDown: A horde of termites catching a drunk human in a ditch and promptly tying him down ForScience, using miniature cement strings (presumably made with their advanced OrganicTechnology). This includes tying down every single of the man's hairs separately.
Changed line(s) 20 (click to see context) from:
* HumanityIsYoung
to:
* HumanityIsYoungHumanHardDrive: Libraries are simply assemblies of termites whose purpose in life is to remember specific texts and recite them verbatim when requested.
* HumanityIsYoung: "As young as a nymph" (termite young).
* HumanityIsYoung: "As young as a nymph" (termite young).
Changed line(s) 34 (click to see context) from:
* {{Satire}}
to:
* {{Satire}}{{Satire}}: On many aspects of humanity at once.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
I kept using that trope. turns out it doesn\'t mean what I thought it means
Deleted line(s) 13 (click to see context) :
* BilingualBonus: There are some quotes in French and Latin.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 37 (click to see context) from:
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]].[[hottip:*:[[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].]]
to:
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]].[[hottip:*:[[GeniusBonus [[note]][[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].]] [[/note]]
Changed line(s) 40 (click to see context) from:
* {{Xenofiction}}
to:
* {{Xenofiction}}{{Xenofiction}}: Sort of, as the entire termite culture is still very much mappable onto human culture.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
removing my lame caption
Changed line(s) 2 (click to see context) from:
[[caption-width-right:300:[[BlatantLies The entire book is a treatise on the dangers of smoking.]]]]
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ProfessorMmaasLecture_2364.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[BlatantLies The entire book is a treatise on the dangers of smoking.]]]]
A 1943 novel by Stefan Themerson (first published 1953), ''Professor Mmaa's Lecture'' is a satire set within a termite colony.
It follows two plots: one, that of termite academics, studying the physiology and social organization of a particularly fascinating mammal--a bipedal, bald primate known as ''homo''.
But while the insectoid scientists are busy conducting research on living ''homo'' specimens and spinning it into university lectures, the termite colony's society--eerily similar to that of humans--is being shaken by social dissent and political games. Mound-shaking events are coming...
A quite amusing and interesting novel, satirizing numerous absurdities of human society while also providing some nice {{xenofiction}}. Apparently, the bilingual author wrote both the English and Polish versions, which do seem to differ a bit. (Note that this trope list is based on the Polish version, and thus might be inaccurate for the English one.)
----
!!This novel contains examples of:
* AntWar: Wars between termites and ants are talked about frequently. [[spoiler:And one indeed erupts at the end.]]
* BilingualBonus: There are some quotes in French and Latin.
* BrainFood / CannibalismSuperpower: Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
* DisabilitySuperpower: While the termites are all blind (not that there's a whole lotta light deep inside the mound...), they 'see' with their acute sense of smell. Their language even reflects this ("unforesmelled"), and their "disguises" and "masks" involve solely altering one's smell.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Dr. Arsene's Private Detective; Professor Soul's two Assistants.
* ExpospeakGag: A lot of times with the termite scientists.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The student Nonobody wonders if an earthquake or some other cataclysm could happen before prof. Mmaa asks him for his homework.]] Guess what happens near the end.
* GagNose: The termite Queen is very sensitive about her nose.
* HoldYourHippogriffs: Several of termite sayings and expressions are variants of our own.
* HumanityIsYoung
* [[HumansThroughAlienEyes Humans Through Termite Eyes]]: What the book is most remembered for.
* IngestingKnowledge: Termites can eat human documents and writing, mentally noting the layout of ink and thus "reading" them.
* InnocentInaccurate: The termites thoroughly research a house which has been the site of a murder, then, in their report, off-handedly mention finding a horizontal homo in the ground and a piece of metal within its heart.
* InWhichATropeIsDescribed: Some of the chapter titles.
* LaserGuidedKarma: The termites [[spoiler:unwittingly deliver the karmic punishment to the wicked monsieur D'la G'and Ch'pelle, first causing his mansion to crumble and then turning him into their mind-controlled war machine]].
* LooseLips: Professor Soul's Second Assistant, a born snitch. He's got auditory organs all over his body and registers so many input at all times that he feels a physical need to dump this baggage out of his memory onto a number of [=VIPs=].
* {{Narrator}}: An "impartial chronicler" who supposedly has witnessed all events first-hand, though it doesn't explain how could he know the characters' private thoughts, or what happened in places where the characters were explicitly alone.
* OrganicTechnology: Pretty much all of termiate "technology" is made up of genetically engineered termites that function like machines.
* PhotographicMemory: The termites' "associative substance" (their brain equivalent) gives them a near-perfect memory. Termite libraries consist of termites reciting entire volumes recorded in their memory.
* PromotedToScapegoat: Dr. Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud receives the honor of providing therapy for the Queen herself. He stops being happy when he learns that the higher-ups have done so in order to put the blame on him (and shift the termite society's attentions away from valid concerns) in case the Queen goes ill or infertile.
* [[spoiler:PuppeteerParasite: Several termites acts as this in the ending, directly controlling a human's brain to turn him into a mindless WeaponOfMassDestruction. Though really, the guy deserved it.]]
* TheRashomon: [[spoiler:The ending depicts the events of the novel from the perspective of humans living near the termite mound]].
* RuleOfSymbolism: A lot of it, none of it very subtle.
* {{Satire}}
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[{{Hamlet}} Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern]].
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]].[[hottip:*:[[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].]]
* StutterStop: Dr. Brillat-Beetonin, afflicted with a [[SpeechImpediment stutter]], suddenly loses it apparently by sheer force of will and becomes a charismatic rebellious leader.
* TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre to the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.
* {{Xenofiction}}
----
[[caption-width-right:300:[[BlatantLies The entire book is a treatise on the dangers of smoking.]]]]
A 1943 novel by Stefan Themerson (first published 1953), ''Professor Mmaa's Lecture'' is a satire set within a termite colony.
It follows two plots: one, that of termite academics, studying the physiology and social organization of a particularly fascinating mammal--a bipedal, bald primate known as ''homo''.
But while the insectoid scientists are busy conducting research on living ''homo'' specimens and spinning it into university lectures, the termite colony's society--eerily similar to that of humans--is being shaken by social dissent and political games. Mound-shaking events are coming...
A quite amusing and interesting novel, satirizing numerous absurdities of human society while also providing some nice {{xenofiction}}. Apparently, the bilingual author wrote both the English and Polish versions, which do seem to differ a bit. (Note that this trope list is based on the Polish version, and thus might be inaccurate for the English one.)
----
!!This novel contains examples of:
* AntWar: Wars between termites and ants are talked about frequently. [[spoiler:And one indeed erupts at the end.]]
* BilingualBonus: There are some quotes in French and Latin.
* BrainFood / CannibalismSuperpower: Eating other termites' "associative substance" is a way of transferring memories and knowledge. Of course, it's done after the donor's natural death.
* DisabilitySuperpower: While the termites are all blind (not that there's a whole lotta light deep inside the mound...), they 'see' with their acute sense of smell. Their language even reflects this ("unforesmelled"), and their "disguises" and "masks" involve solely altering one's smell.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Dr. Arsene's Private Detective; Professor Soul's two Assistants.
* ExpospeakGag: A lot of times with the termite scientists.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler:The student Nonobody wonders if an earthquake or some other cataclysm could happen before prof. Mmaa asks him for his homework.]] Guess what happens near the end.
* GagNose: The termite Queen is very sensitive about her nose.
* HoldYourHippogriffs: Several of termite sayings and expressions are variants of our own.
* HumanityIsYoung
* [[HumansThroughAlienEyes Humans Through Termite Eyes]]: What the book is most remembered for.
* IngestingKnowledge: Termites can eat human documents and writing, mentally noting the layout of ink and thus "reading" them.
* InnocentInaccurate: The termites thoroughly research a house which has been the site of a murder, then, in their report, off-handedly mention finding a horizontal homo in the ground and a piece of metal within its heart.
* InWhichATropeIsDescribed: Some of the chapter titles.
* LaserGuidedKarma: The termites [[spoiler:unwittingly deliver the karmic punishment to the wicked monsieur D'la G'and Ch'pelle, first causing his mansion to crumble and then turning him into their mind-controlled war machine]].
* LooseLips: Professor Soul's Second Assistant, a born snitch. He's got auditory organs all over his body and registers so many input at all times that he feels a physical need to dump this baggage out of his memory onto a number of [=VIPs=].
* {{Narrator}}: An "impartial chronicler" who supposedly has witnessed all events first-hand, though it doesn't explain how could he know the characters' private thoughts, or what happened in places where the characters were explicitly alone.
* OrganicTechnology: Pretty much all of termiate "technology" is made up of genetically engineered termites that function like machines.
* PhotographicMemory: The termites' "associative substance" (their brain equivalent) gives them a near-perfect memory. Termite libraries consist of termites reciting entire volumes recorded in their memory.
* PromotedToScapegoat: Dr. Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud receives the honor of providing therapy for the Queen herself. He stops being happy when he learns that the higher-ups have done so in order to put the blame on him (and shift the termite society's attentions away from valid concerns) in case the Queen goes ill or infertile.
* [[spoiler:PuppeteerParasite: Several termites acts as this in the ending, directly controlling a human's brain to turn him into a mindless WeaponOfMassDestruction. Though really, the guy deserved it.]]
* TheRashomon: [[spoiler:The ending depicts the events of the novel from the perspective of humans living near the termite mound]].
* RuleOfSymbolism: A lot of it, none of it very subtle.
* {{Satire}}
* ShoutOutToShakespeare: The termites [[{{Hamlet}} Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern]].
* TheShrink: Dr. [[SigmundFreud Sigismund Kraft-Durchfreud]].[[hottip:*:[[GeniusBonus See also:]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_Through_Joy Kraft durch Freude]].]]
* StutterStop: Dr. Brillat-Beetonin, afflicted with a [[SpeechImpediment stutter]], suddenly loses it apparently by sheer force of will and becomes a charismatic rebellious leader.
* TactfulTranslation: The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre to the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.
* {{Xenofiction}}
----
