I have a group called the Praetorians in my WIP novel. They quickly come to the scene after an reality altering event has taken place and investigate. More often than not, they can be found in groups of three. They drive old cars, primarily pre-seventies models. There are practical reasons for them doing all these things.
Later I thought they could serve as the origin of the “urban legend” about the Men In Black. Still later I decided to websearch it. I found the Men In Black are said, of course, investigate after strange happenings, travel in groups of three, to drive old fashion cars.
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Not so eerie when you consider how many tales and songs have to do with three of something.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Three Blind mice The Matrix had three agents together most of the time. The Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Three has been an important numerical symbol for ages. It doesn't surprise me that your idea has similarities elsewhere, or possibly identical.
And don't forget subconscious assimilation. You may not be aware of it fully at the time, but you do assimilate a great bit of things throughout the course of a day...
And there's always memory to consider. Sometimes were read something and then forgot we've ever read it. Years later, perhaps, we come up with an idea thinking it is our own and find out at some point that we only remembered it.
But don't let this stop you from writing your story...
Though when I thought about the groups of three, it came about for practical reasons. I didn't think, hmmm, it be interesting if they often are in groups of three. It'd just seemed like they didn't really have a choice.
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I think numbers often symbolize things to us. I suspect it's cultural. Some think it's innate, but I think the Orient uses numbers differently in literature and in dream analysis.
Posts: 2830 | Registered: Dec 2004
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quote:the number 4, said "shi" in Japanese has the cultural connotation of "death" to Japanese people.
never give a Japanese person four of anything, it's an insult. basically you are wishing death upon them and their home.
Interesting. Is it still thought of this strongly in modern Japan? The only correlation I can draw between that and European numerology (that most people would know about) is the belief that 13 is an "unlucky number".
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It may have more to do with a peculiar "double-pun" effect having to do with the Japanese word for "die" and the Chinese base character for "corpse" both being suggested by 四.
Posts: 8322 | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
it probably does, i'm not as much aware of the culture as i am of the language, and even my knowledge of the language is lacking.
another thing on four in Japan, for the same reason as above, they also prefer to use "yon" when talking about the number, because they think that it somehow decreases the bad connotations of the number. but you still, never, ever, give them four of anything.
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Does that still apply if there are, for example, four people eating a meal? That would require four sets of everything. Maybe it only applies when presented to an individual. But what about square tables and the like, objects with four sides; apparently that doesn't pose the same insult?
Posts: 818 | Registered: Aug 2004
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That's an interesting point. I'm sure that four sided objects aren't a problem, but the general idea sort of popped a notion I'd had.
In our culture, four table settings or whatever seems about right. Mom, Dad, two kids. I suspect in a Japanese context this notion would be regarded as implying that someone was a fifth wheel, so to speak. It would be interesting to see if the "gift set of four items"="extra person should just drop dead already" dates to the fifties, when consumer goods based on the American nuclear family model were starting to displace and supplant traditional Japanese domestic items.
"Sorry, Obachan. It came in a set of four, but I thought you'd be to old fashioned to like one anyway."
I wonder how many times this would have to happen before grannies all over the country would invent a new rule about bringing home a set of four.
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Do you restrict your Praetorians to American cars? If not, it seems to me they should drive a classic Ford Prefect or Vauxhall Senator. If they drive American cars the Buick Centurian, Corvair Corsa, and Studebaker Avanti come to mind.
Do these guys drive cars made before WWII? They would attract a lot more attention, but such cars had great names and wonderful ornamentation. The the name of the Ben Hur or the hood ornament on a Stutz Bearcat are examples.
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Any car prior to the incorporation of integrated circuitry. At first, I had them driving 57 Chevies and Oldsmobiles. But when I started to create the connection between the Praetorians and MIB I found a spot on the internet that said:
"MIB use large black old-fashioned cars, usually Cadillacs or Lincolns in the United States and Rolls Royce or Jaguars in England."
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While integrated circuits existed in the 60s, the cars of the era didn't use them. I think a '69 Buick Centurian would be the perfect ride for your heroes. Great name, technologically appropriate, better speed, safety, and handling than the '57 Chevy, and doesn't attract as much attention.
Use whatever you like, I'm just making a suggestion. If your book is illustrated, the '57 Chevy could look good. Of course, a '57 Studebaker Golden Hawk would look great, too.
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