The Rest is History: Chronicles of Predictable Narratives ⏳
Have you ever narrated a tale so well known that you felt no need to spell out its climax? That’s when we turn to “The rest is history,” a cliché as familiar as the stories it bids us to bypass. This phrase conveniently wraps up a chronicle, saving us from lingering in narrative déjà vu. Often adopted in biographical or autobiographical contexts, it has graced our linguistic repertoire since the second half of the 20th century.
Nigel Rees, the lord of lively language analysis, spotted an amusing use of this cliché by Alan Bennett in 1988. Bennett humorously thwarted expectations by quipping, “The rest, one might say pompously, is history. Except that in my case the opposite was true,” as he recollected his transition from an academic life to the bright lights of Broadway. Ever the satire savant, Bennett juggled wit and irony, subverting a phrase meant to imply progressive success with his pivot from the blackboards of Oxford to the spotlights of the stage.
Related Terms, Proverbs, and Expressions
- Déjà vu: The eerie feeling that something has happened before. (Synonyms: already seen, familiarity)
- Old hat: Nodding to something that’s old news and overly familiar. (Similar to: been there, done that)
- Cut to the chase: Avoiding unnecessary details to get straightforwardly to the main point. (Compare with: get to the essence)
- Same old story: Having heard or experienced something so many times, it lacks excitement. (Analogous to: nothing new under the sun)
- Water under the bridge: Past events that are no longer significant or worthy of discussion. (Antonyms: continuing saga)
Synonyms
- Historical account
- Conclusively known
- Self-explanatory aftermath
Antonyms
- Unpredictable outcome
- Uncharted future
- Unforeseen conclusion
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” — Winston Churchill
- “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” — George Santayana
- “History is a set of lies agreed upon.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
Literature, Books, and Movies
- Books:
- The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester: A historical account blending linguistic and biographical narratives.
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari: A sweeping tour of human history.
- Movies:
- Forrest Gump: Forrest’s narrative frequently implies “the rest is history” as he stumbles through iconic events.
- Dead Poets Society: Stories within the story often culminate with foregone conclusions shaped by historical expectations.
Suggest a Read
Alan Bennett’s delightful play, The History Boys, where academia and personal histories collide, offering more insight into both literal and metaphorical histories.
Quizzes: Test Your Historical Wit!
As we wrap up our foray into the familiar terrain of foregone conclusions, remember that history lives both in what we recount and what we choose to omit. May your future words forge unforeseen paths and stir imaginations anew.
Yours in lexical leisure, Veronica Verset, October 2023
