Last Straw on the Camel's Back

Dear all,

Yesterday I was reading “Alphabet Weekends” by Elizabeth Noble (those who read all the comments here on this blog are going to remember me) when I came across the idiom that ended up being my idea for this post: LAST STRAW ON THE CAMEL’S BACK.

Well… Initially, the great attractiveness of it was the mental picture of a camel; I’m crazy about them, my car key ring – imagine! – IS a camel and HIS name is André! (This manic appreciation for animals also involves giraffes, but I’ve never heard of any idiom related to those poor babies).

Anyway, after having tons of fun imagining a camel doing whatever cute camel-like thing in the middle of the desert, I decided being a responsible learner and that was when I opened my favorite dictionary.

What I learned, though, was very sad. Suddenly, all the magic was over and I saw my beautiful camel with this horribly aching back, tired of working, breathless and cursing whoever dared to find it cute (me).

The idea of this idiom is almost something like I can’t put up with. In my friend’s case, he just can’t put up with any more straws (that yellow long grass used as bedding and food for animals or used to produce baskets or hats).
Here is something that I read on GoEnglish.com:

There is a limit to how much straw (long yellow grass) a camel can carry on its back. If you keep putting more straw on top, it will finally break the camel's back.

…. BREAK THE CAMEL’S BACK?? That is VERY mean. VERY mean. For crying out loud, people! I can even hear my André crying (out loud)!

Sad as it is, the idiom makes a lot of sense. When you are at your last straw, you are so furious that you simply won’t take any more of anything. Like my mother bothering me (I love her) when she wants me to eat more and more when I’m not hungry. It just feels like saying: “Please, give me a break! Next time you mention food in your speech, I’m gonna EXPLODE! It’s gonna be the last straw on the camel’s back!” (the idiom part, obviously, is something that I’m gonna include from now on, spicing up my protest)

Finally and quoting from Cavalcante, Higor, reading is all we need. (Beatles? All we need is love? Bullshit! What is love, anyway?). By reading, we will learn massive vocabulary and I do know that this is the only way if we wanna pass the frightening CPE with an impressive A (A?).

So, next time you get REALLY pissed, instead of adding more troubles to your André’s back, just go for a read (HA HA HA! What a pun! I’m such a great comedian!). After all… you don’t wanna hurt the camel inside you, do you?

By Débora Benedetto, CPE 1, mornings.