A Is For Apple

Day One of the A-Z Blog Challenge. And what else could A stand for but Apple?

Ever since Eve got Adam to take a bite of that apple, “A is for Apple” has been the standard. Not “A is for Alligator,” “A is for Ant,” or even “A is for Aardvark,” which might make sense in an alphabetic sort of way. No, it’s always “A is for Apple.” But what else does A stand for?

Well, that apple Eve picked is the forbidden fruit, that caused Adam and Eve to be evicted from the Garden of Eden. [Note: If you want to see an interesting interpretation of the Garden of Eden, check this out: http://www.garden-of-eden-lucas-kansas.com/ And be sure to check out what Wikipedia has to say about this, and the final resting place of the sculptor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_P._Dinsmoor]

Also, the witch/wicked stepmother gave Snow White a poisoned apple. Not a poisoned banana or a poisoned tomato, but a poisoned apple. Tomatoes were called “love apples,” and when introduced into North America, were thought to be poison.

Yet we also say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Unless we mean the apple will kill you, thus negating the reason for a doctor to visit, this would seem to be in direct opposition to the forbidden fruit/poisoned apple idea.

Confused yet?

Where else do we see the lowly apple? Well, it features in a number of sayings and expressions:

You are the apple of my eye. [Not, You are the pear of my eye.]

Don’t upset the applecart. [Not, Don’t upset the lemoncart.]

That’s like comparing apples and oranges. [Not, That’s like comparing grapes and oranges.]

As easy as apple pie. [Not, As easy as banana cream pie.]

Then there are the places apples appear in everyday life, such as bringing an apple to the teacher, or bobbing for apples at a Halloween party. And there are apples in folklore, such as William Tell shooting an apple off his son’s head with an arrow, and Johnny Appleseed wandering the United States, planting apples. And although it may not be true, it sure seems there are more varieties of apple than any other fruit.

And what about “The Big Apple” representing New York City? [And “The Little Apple” representing Manhattan, Kansas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan,_Kansas] How would “The Big Kumquat” sound?

Finally, there’s my favorite use of an apple. A little explanation is needed, especially for those younger than me. Back in 1973, the OPEC countries and several more proclaimed an “oil embargo,” mostly aimed to hurt the US, who supported Israel. Panic drove oil prices to rise astronomically, causing long lines at gas stations and even fistfights over what was incorrectly perceived as a shortage of oil.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter passed a law setting 55 mph as the national speed limit, in an effort to ease the oil shortage by producing better gas mileage. An advertising campaign was aimed at getting the consumer to accept this. Most memorable was: “55. It isn’t just a good idea. It’s the law.”

And way back in 1667 or so, Sir Isaac Newton postulated the law of gravity, supposedly after seeing an apple fall to the ground,

Combine 55 and an apple and Newton, and what do you get?

Never fails to make me laugh.

For more info on the artist who created this hilarious cartoon, go here: http://www.thegravityposter.com/historyof_04.html

Thus endeth A. See you tomorrow for B!