"Europe's the mayonnaise, but America supplies the good old lobster"
- David Herbert Lawrence
About this Quote
This quote by David Herbert Lawrence is a metaphor comparing Europe to mayonnaise and America to lobster. The metaphor suggests that Europe is the foundation or base of something, while America is the main component or the star of the program. This might be interpreted to indicate that Europe is the foundation of culture, history, and tradition, while America is the source of innovation, progress, and modernity. The quote indicates that Europe supplies the needed background and context for America to grow and succeed. It likewise suggests that Europe and America are complementary, and that both are needed for the world to progress. Simply put, Europe offers the needed structure for America to build on and develop something brand-new and exciting.