Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Which character best exemplifies tarof?

Calling all readers who know enough about tarof (taroof) and popular culture to suggest an appropriate mascot!

Tao has Winnie the Pooh, but which character from pop culture best exemplifies tarof?

I'm thinking Eddie Haskell, but that is just my first reaction. Anyone else have a suggestion? I will collect a few and then add a poll to the site for a vote.

Hope to see your comments!


(Read about tarof here and at The Iranian.

5 comments:

SERENDIP said...

You're right about Eddie Haskel. However, there are two kinds of tarofs: Tarofs used by shysters and crooks. And the other Tarof, which is rooted in the feudal/patron relationship in the rural areas. The only way to detect/distinguis the difference is by observing the body language and the vocabulaies used.

Anonymous said...

Andy Griffith

The Continental(?) as portrayed by Christopher Walkin on Saturday Night Live

Anonymous said...

Foghorn Leghorn

Anonymous said...

Ok two more,

Scarlett O'Hara and Melanie Wilkes (Ashley's wife). Both are aspects of tarof.

Because tarof both encompasses deceit and gracious hospitality and culture.

Southerners exhibit tarof imo because they have an intricate high context culture. So it's being bound to a specific cultural rules combined with in "inner/outer" personality.

Next on the list are Englishmen (Edwardian era or before). Several Jane Austin characters exhibit tarof.
Emma, for example.

Next is Charles Dickens, several to choose from but names escape me.

Proust describes tarof--maybe Madame Verdurin (but it's been a while).

Characters from Shakespeare--he is an encyclopedia of human nature--but I am way out of my depth here and I can't think of anybody.

Unknown said...

Great suggestions!

All of this explains why tarof will never have its Winnie the Pooh... it's just too complicated... but i do like the suggestions: particularly foghorn leghorn...

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