Roger's Snail story
Roger's snail story from Training Day has got me thinking. I am not sure what it means, but I'll tell you what I think after.
The Story
At the end of this quote, Roger says "Figure that joke out and you'll figure the streets out."
One day this man walks out of his house to go to work. He sees this snail on his porch. So he picks it up and chucks it over his roof, into the back yard. Snail bounces off a rock, cracks its shell all to shit, and lands in the grass. Snail lies there dying
Roger checks his beeper
But it doesn't die. It eats some grass. Slowly heals. grows a new shell. And after a while it can crawl again. One day the snail up and heads back to the front of the house. Finally, after a year, the little guy crawls back on the porch. Right then, the man walks out to go to work and sees this snail again. So he says to it, "what the fuck's your problem?"
My interpretation:
Someone is going to hurt you. The reason why they will hurt you does not matter, just expect them to hurt you.
You will survive, and it will take time for you to heal.
But here is the kicker... Once you are healed, and you come back, don't expect the person that hurt you to care. They have moved on, and so should you.
posted by tedt @ 10:44 AM
32 comments
32 Comments:
actually it means something like, no matter how many times cops put crooks away, they always come back so don't take it personally. just do your job.
i liked both of ur answers
the first one got me thinking about something deep
nice bro thnx
Sorry, but both wrong. The moral of the story is about earning a bit of respect. The first time the guy leaves the house he just throws it over the house. Then when the snail comes back the guy ASKS him 'Whats your problem'. Its about earning the respect to come back for someone to realise that for example, you mean business, or youve got guts etc and is willing to give you the time to talk.
Everyone is over thinking the story. Right after Roger finished the story, Alanzo (Denzel) says: "that's just some sensless bullshit, don't listen to that". Roger even laughed in aggreement.
The Director of the movie was just trying to establish a relationship between Roger and Alanzo.
That way it's shocking when he shoots him
Its he wolf picking on the sheep mentality. Bullies picking on the weak. People taking out their anger and dumping it on the innocent and vulnerable.
Its the wolf picking on the sheep mentality. Bullies picking on the weak. People taking out their anger and shame dumping it on the innocent and vulnerable.
everyone is wrong. after some research i found out the director used this as an example of a "no soap radio" joke. look it up and it will all make sense
es increible la cantidad de estupideces que dicen... en realidad la historia como lo dice alonzo no tiene sentido son solo tonterias ... la moraleja es que ten cuidado con esos pandilleros por que cualquier idiota te viene con un cuento y tu te lo tragas y le busca y le buscas hasta que te das cuenta que eres un imbecil
uh. . what?
It means a couple of things. It does, as someone above asserted, establish a rapport between Roger and Alonzo. It also, because it's a jumbled version of a well-known joke (told, for example, by Dom Irrera), establishes Roger as something of a loser. A well-off loser, but a loser nonetheless. His joke-bungling establishes Roger as a sheep and foreshadows Alonzo-as-wolf taking him out.
I like the person's idea about the joke meaning "earning a bit of respect". That one makes the most sence. You have to think about the joke in the context of the movie, what Alonzo represents and what the people he abuses represents.
the man is the system: cops feds judges lawyers. the snail is your schemes to get rich on the streets. to the man youre a pest, everytime you meet him he sees you and throws you away.
sooner or later youre gonna get your dome popped fucking around in the streets.
in order to understand this riddel not a joke..you have to know the streets. the lesson to be learned is, kill ur (enemy)victim the 1st time our they willcome back and kill you.
He was just using anti-humor (no soap radio) to mess around with Hoyt cos he was high.
All of you are wrong ...when Roger finished the joke the rookie laughs when it ain't a funny joke..which represents don't be fake even if ur trying to be nice
Ok I'm gonna clear this one up once I worked on the set of this movie. The point or messege is Alonzo represents the guy in the house and the rookie represents the snail. Roger was trying to warn the rookie and that's why Alonzo brushed off the joke right after roger said it. Anyways to make it clear in the movie rookie nearly gets killed by the miexicans after alonzo sells him out representing the guy of the house throwing the snail on the back porch. Then rookie escapes and lives and goes back to Alonzo representing the snail not dying after cracking it's shel. Then rookie finally standing up and going toe to toe with Alonzo represents the snail going back to the porch and confronting the guy of the house the end
No ur all stupid n wrong. It means no matter how many times u lock up a criminal, he will grow a new shell and come bak a criminal an do the same shit. N that's how the streets r.
Accordinf to the reply from the onset worker, its a foreshadowing. After almost being killed, hoyt comes to alonzo's porch and confronts him like the snail coming back from the brink of death and back into the guys porch.
I believe that the joke is universal and can mean anything the viewers want it to mean, you just gotta use your imagination. Maybe THATS what the streets are.
fuck fuck fuck
pussy fuck
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Basically and he was explaining to him that.. Him and alonzo are Not friends but Alanzo is a Crooked COP he Should of Finished instead of letting him "wander in his backyard" after throwing him there because now he's back on his Porch and he wants that money under the Floor Board 😉
48 Laws of Power.. don't wound your enemy.. KILL HIM!
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Rogar was telling him about his relationship with Alanzo and The Moral of the Streets...
he was explaining to him that.. Him and alonzo are Not friends but Alanzo is a Crooked COP he Should of Finished instead of letting him "wander in his backyard" after throwing him there because now he's back on his Porch and he wants that money under the Floor Board 😉
48 Laws of Power.. don't wound your enemy.. KILL HIM!
I don't believe you worked on the set of that movie but I like your answer. So they really just threw the joke in cause that what was going to happen
I like your answer man
I like your answer man
That's what I thought, being that Alonzo and roger used to be partners lol. Best response I've seen
My interpretation is that everyone has their own agenda. The snail has its own agenda as well as the person.No matter how big or small everyone has their own motives and dreams. The snail's was to get up onto that porch and he did, but only to get tossed aside for he is only a snail, and I'm sure the person has his motives aside from the snail being so inconsequential, but the person himslef is also inconsequential in the big span of things.The difference is Big and Small. And how this relates to the streets is that there are Big people with power and also small people with none but they all still have their own motives.
All of you guys are wrong Rodger already knows what's up Alonzo hasn't come to see him for years something happened between the both of them. Alonzo thought he would just fade away but he didn't he actually grew stronger and after a year Alonzo came back onto his porch and the man looked at him and said what the fuck is your problem but he does it by giving him a drink and playing out the scene because he knows something's up that's why he has the guns in his newspapers when they come to visit him the next time.
You’re all so so so wrong wow. Don’t you watch the movie? Hoyt had it figured out and Roger commended him. Remember it’s about smiles and cry’s Just think about everyone in the room and remember the movie plot and it’s a NO BRAINER! They gave us the answer right there. Wow I read this and laughed at all your insane comments
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