Don’t be a Simple Simon, nor be Aunt Sally.

Today’s English
July 28th, 2017

Man is a prisoner of circumstances, isn’t it?  A prisoner here refers to a person who has fallen a victim to certain unavoidable circumstances which force him to do something against his wish, interest, need and nature.  He is destined and so helpless that he is left with no alternatives.  How to express your feelings and experiences in such situations is a matter of concern today.

If you are tricked and deceived easily by someone, you are then “easy game" and if you are criticized by someone against whom you cannot do anything, you are fair game.  Here game means a victim of circumstances.

1. He is so innocent that he doesn’t even know that he has turned an easy game for others.
2. Politicians and celebrities are but fair game for press people.

If you are a normal human being with your own limits, weaknesses, etc. and you couldn’t fight against Destiny or circumstances, in English, it is said that you are “only flesh and flood.”
1. What do you want me to do? I’m only flesh and flood and utterly helpless now.
2. Don’t just be flesh and flood and be the master of your own destiny.

If you trick and deceive somebody, you “make a fool of them".   If you do something that makes others think that you are silly and not to be respected, it is said, “you make a fool of yourself.”  But you are “nobody’s fool" if you are aware and don’t allow others to deceive you.

1. She made a fool of me by selling that worthless product to me.
2. Why are you making a fool of yourself by behaving like this?
3. When I didn’t fall victim to the sales representative, my heart filled with pride that I was nobody’s fool.

Have you heard about the phrase “Simple Simon" and “Aunt Sally"?  If a person can be easily deceived by others, he is a “Simple Simon" and if he is an easy target for criticism by others, he is “Aunt Sally". 
1. He’s a Simple Simon and I feel very sorry for him.
2. Every husband is a roaring lion in office but Aunt Sally at home.

“Life ... is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
- William Shakespeare, “Macbeth”