ICSE

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 9 Notes My Greatest Olympic Prize

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Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 9 Notes My Greatest Olympic Prize – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

About the Author

James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens (September 12, 1913-March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump and was recognized in his lifetime as “perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history”. His achievement of setting three world records and tying another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been called “the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport” and has never been equalled. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin,Germany, Owens won international fame with four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 * 100 meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the games and as such has been credited with “single-handedly crushing Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy.”

The Jesse Owens Award is USA Track and Field’s highest accolade for the year’s best track and field athlete. Owens was ranked by ESPN as the sixth greatest North American athlete of the twentieth century and the highest-ranked in his sport.

About the Story

“My Greatest Olympic Prize” is the heart-touching experience of Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens. Adolf Hitler believed in the Aryan Superiority theory. He thought that his German athletes belonged to a master’s race and they would perform better than other participants in the 1936 Olympics, Berlin. So nationalistic feelings were running high. The American Negro athlete Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice, purposely to break the theory of Hitler. He had already made a world record in long jump just the previous year. So he expected to win the gold medal easily.

Owens’ “My Greatest Olympic Prize” deals with friendship he had with Luz Long. While sharing his Olympic experience he also brings out the friendship he develops with Luz Long. Owens mind is filled with Olympic gold. Nothing could shake the spirit of Owens. He is not bothered about hostile feeling among the Germans. Hitler’s men believed in his theory of master race. In this backdrop Owens happens to meet Luz Long. Luz Long is a German. But he is friendly with Owens.

When Owen’s anger is pointed towards Hitler his performance suffers. Out of three qualifying jumps he faults in two. At this crucial moment Luz Long gives a solution. Long asks him to draw a line few inches behind the take off board. Owens follows his advice and qualifies for the final. On the same evening Owens meets Luz Long. They speak for

long. They speak about sports. They talk on world affairs. They also talk on several issues. Finally Owens departs. The next day Owens wins gold in long jump. He sets a new Olympic record of 26 feet 5 and 5/16 inches. Long is the first one to congratulate him. Hitler watched from a distance. At that moment Owens feels that all the gold medals he has won cannot equal his friendship with Luz Long. Long embodies the Olympic spirit of taking part and fighting well.

Plot

  1. Introduction: Jesse Owens an American Negro athlete participates in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany.
  2. Jesse’ s Poor Performance: An angry athlete will commit mistakes. Jesse Owens was no exception to this. He was hot under the collar (angry) with Hitler’s childish Aryan theory. So he committed mistakes. His performance in trial was very poor. He kicked the pit in disgust. But the German Luz Long performed well. He was qualified for the final. This disturbed Jesse Owens very much.
  3. The Help by Luz Long: Luz Long is a tall German long jumper. Though he is trained by Hitler, he does not believe in Hitler’s theory. Jesse Owens is his opponent player but he is friendly with him and even helps him to get qualified for final. He suggests to draw a line behind take off board and then to jump. He is not as emotional as Jesse.
  4. The win: Luz Long broke his past record in long jump. However it is Jesse Owens who won the gold medal by jumping 26 feet 5, 5/16 inches. Luz Long congratulated him by shaking his hand. Hitler glared at both of them.
  5. Jesse’s Greatest Olympic Prize: Coubert in is the founder of modern Olympic games. According to him, the true spirit of Olympic is not winning but taking part. It is not winning but fighting well that matters. Luz Long did not win. But he was a good example of Olympic spirit. To Jesse Owens, the greatest Olympic prize is not the gold medal but his new and noble friendship with Luz Long.

Theme

The story My Greatest Olympic Prize enunciates that the true spirit of Olympic is not winning but taking part. It is not winning but fighting well that matters. Luz Long did not win. But he was a good example of Olympic spirit. To Jesse Owens, the greatest Olympic prize is not the gold medal but his new and noble friendship with Luz Long.

The story shows that true friendship cannot be slave to racism or ideology and it is a meeting of minds and hearts.Adolf Hitler believed in the Aryan Superiority theory. He thought that his German athletes belonged to a master’s race and they would perform better than other participants in the 1936 Olympics, Berlin. Luz Long though trained by Hitler, he did not believe in Hitler’s theory. Luz Long believed that it is not winning but taking part that is significant. It is not winning but fighting well that matters. Luz Long did not win. But he was a good example of true friend. He motivated Jesse to show his best and win. To Jesse Owens, the greatest Olympic prize is not the gold medal but his new and noble friendship with Luz Long.

Highlights of Speech/or Summary

It is 1936. American Jesse Owens seemed sure to win the long jump competition in the Olympic games. The previous year he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches, a record that would stand for 25 years.

As he walked to the long-jump pit, however, Owens saw a tall, blue eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis desire to prove Aryan superiority. And as a black son of a share cropper, he knew what it was like to feel inferior.

On his first jump, Owens inadvertently leapt from several inches beyond the takeoff board. Rattled, he fouled on his second attempt, too. One more foul and he would be eliminated.

At that point, the tall German introduced himself as Luz Long. ‘You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!’ he said to Owens, referring to his upcoming two jumps.

For the next few moments, the African American and the white model of Nazi manhood chatted together. Then Long made a suggestion. Since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, he suggested that Owen make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there, just to play it safe. Owens did that and qualified easily.

In the finals, Owen sets an Olympic record and earned the second of his four gold medals. The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long in full view of Adolf Hitler. Owen never again saw Long, who was later killed in World War II.

You could melt down all the medals and cups I have,’ Owens later wrote, and they wouldn’t be a platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.’

Characters

Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was an American Negro athlete who participated in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice, purposely to break the theory of Hitler. Fie had already made a world record in long jump just the previous year. So he expected to win the gold medal easily. Owens mind was filled with the Olympic gold. Nothing could shake the spirit of Owens. He is not bothered about hostile feeling among the Germans. Hitler’s men believed in his theory of master race. Owen is disheartened to see that Long wins one. Owens felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis desire to prove Aryan superiority.’ And as a black son of a share cropper, he knew what it was like to feel inferior. On his first jump, Owens inadvertently leapt from several inches beyond the takeoff board. Rattled, he fouled on his second attempt, too. One more foul and he would be eliminated.

But He makes a friend who motivates him. In this backdrop Owens happens to meet Luz Long. Luz Long was a German. But he was friendly with Owens. When Owen’s anger was pointed towards Hitler his performance suffered. An angry athlete commits mistakes and Jesse Owens was no exception to this. He was hot under the collar (angry) with Hitler’s childish Aryan theory. So he committed mistakes. His performance in trial was very poor. He kicked the pit in disgust. But the German Luz Long performed well. He. was qualified for the final. This disturbed Jesse Owens very much. Out of the three qualifying jumps he faulted in two. At that crucial moment Luz Long gave a solution. Long asked him to draw a line few inches behind the take off board. Owens followed his advice and qualified for the final. The friendship Jesse shared with Long was invaluable and beyond borders and race. On the same evening Owens met Luz Long. They spoke about sports. They talked on world affairs. They also talked on several issues. The next day Owens won gold in long jump. He set a new Olympic record of 26 feet 5 and 5/16 inches. Long was the first one to congratulate him. Owens later wrote, ‘You could melt down all the medals and cups 1 have,’ and they wouldn’t be a platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.’

Jesse Owens was a great athlete. Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump and was recognized in his lifetime as “perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history”. He has been called “the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport” and has never been equaled. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Owens won international fame with four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 x 100 meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the games and as such has been credited with “single-handy crushing Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy.”

The Jesse Owens Award is USA Track and Field’s highest accolade for the year’s best track and field athlete. Owens was ranked by ESPN as the sixth greatest North American athlete of the twentieth century and the highest-ranked in his sport.

Luz Long

Luz Long is a tall, blue eyed, blond German long jumper. He was an inch taller than Jesse, and had a lean, muscular frame, clear blue eyes, blond hair and a strikingly handsome, chiseled face. Though he was trained by Hitler, he did not believe in Hitler’s theory.

Luz Long embodied the true spirit of Olympic that it is not winning but taking part that is significant. It is not winning but fighting well that matters. Luz Long did not win. But he was a good example of the Olympic spirit. To Jesse Owens, the greatest Olympic prize is not the gold medal but his new and noble friendship with Luz Long.

‘You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!’ he said to Owens. Jesse Owens is his opponent player but he is friendly with him and even helps him to get qualified for final. He suggests to draw a line behind take off board and then to jump.

He is not as emotional as Jesse. He practiced well and did not get angry or disheartened at his performance. He did his best and did not let anything effect his game.

Long was a good athlete and had a sporting spirit . He became Owen’s friend and motivated him. He took pains to reassure Jesse. Although he’d been schooled in the Nazi youth movement, he didn’t believe in the Aryan-supremacy business.

Title

The title My Greatest Olympic Prize is apt. Jesse Owens was an American Negro athlete who participated in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice, purposely to break the theory of Hitler. He had already made a world record in long jump just the previous year. So he expected to win the gold medal easily. Owens mind was filled with the Olympic gold. Nothing could shake the spirit of Owens. When Owens’ anger was pointed towards Hitler his performance suffered. An angry athlete commits mistakes and Jesse Owens was no exception to this. He was hot under the collar (angry) with Hitler’s childish Aryan theory. So he committed mistakes. His performance in trial was very poor. He kicked the pit in disgust. But the German Luz Long performed well. He was qualified for the final. This disturbed Jesse Owens very much. Out of the three qualifying jumps he faulted in two. Owens happened to meet Luz Long. Luz Long was a German. But he was friendly with Owens. At that crucial moment Luz Long gave a solution. Long asked him to draw a line few inches behind the take off board. Owens followed his advice and qualified for the final. Long was the first to congratulate him.

The friendship Jesse shared with Long was invaluable and beyond borders and race. On the same evening Owens met Luz Long. They spoke about sports. They talked on world affairs. They also talked on several issues. The next day Owens won a gold in long jump. Owens later wrote, ‘You could melt down all the medals and cups I have, and they wouldn’t be a platting on the 24-carat friendship 1 felt for Luz Long.

Thus as the story highlights the invaluable friendship of these two athletes from the opposing sides the title is indeed appropriate.

Setting

The setting of the story is in Berlin , Germany when the Olympics were being held in the year 1936.
Jesse Owens was an American Negro athlete who participated in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice, purposely to break the theory of Hitler. He had already made a world record in long jump just the previous year. So he expected to win the gold medal easily. Owens mind was filled with the Olympic gold.

It was a time when Germany was ruled by Adolf Hitler who believed in the Aryan Superiority theory. He thought that his German athletes belonged to a master’s race and they would perform better than other participants in the 1936 Olympics, Berlin. So nationalistic feelings were running high. The American Negro athlete Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice, purposely to break the theory of Hitler. He had already made a world record in long jump just the previous year. So he expected to win the gold medal easily.

Style

The style, adopted by Jesse Owens to narrate the events at the Olympics in Berlin and his friendship and bonding with Luz Long, is lucid, simple and straightforward. The vocabulary used is not ambiguous or difficult to understand. The conversation between the two friends is simple and genuine and nothing jars or seems artificial or contrived.

Critical Appreciation

In My greatest Olympic prize the narrator Jesse Jones gives a first account of his experience at the Olympics in Berlin in 1936.

The author uses simple and straightforward language to describe his friendship with a German athlete. It was a time when Germany was ruled by Adolf Hitler who believed in the Aryan Superiority theory. He thought that his German athletes belonged to a master’s race and they would perform better than other participants in the 1936 Olympics, Berlin. So nationalistic feelings were running high. The American Negro athlete Jesse Owens took six years of painful practice, purposely to break the theory of Hitler. He had already made a world record in long jump just the previous year. So he expected to win the gold medal easily. The friendship Jesse shared with Long was invaluable and beyond borders and race. On the same evening Owens met Luz Long. They spoke about sports. They talked on world affairs. They also talked on several issues. The next day Owens won a gold in long jump. Owens later wrote, ‘You could melt down all the medals and cups I have,’ and they wouldn’t be a platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.’The author uses simple conversation and dialogues to convey the genuine friendship they shared.

The author also conveys the spirit of sportsmanship through the example of the character Luz Long. ‘You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!’ he said to Owens. Jesse Owens is his opponent player but he is friendly with him and even helps him to get qualified for final. He suggests Jesse to draw a line behind take off board and then to jump.

Long was a good athlete and had a sporting spirit. He became Owen’s friend and motivated him. He took pains to reassure Jesse. Although he’d been schooled in the Nazi youth movement, he didn’t believe in the Aryan-supremacy business.

Coubertin had declared that taking part in Olympics was more important than winning. The author uses simple language and characterization to show that Luz Long, being a true sportsman and an amazing human being, helped his fellow sportsman to qualify in his jump that made him win. This shows that Long believed in participating rather than winning. His rival’s winning did not make him jealous. On the contrary, he congratulated him with all his heart. This clearly exemplifies that Long believed in Coubertin’s words and passed the thought to Owens.

Thus the simple description by Jesse Owens gives valuable insights into true friendship and human values that transcend race and bias.

Glossary

  1. Sophomore: a student in the second year of college.
  2. Startled: surprised.
  3. Wraps: covers.
  4. Nervousness: anxiety.
  5. Chiselled: clear and strong features of a person.
  6. Tension: feeling of anxiety.
  7. Glared: looked at angrily.
  8. Epitome: embodiment.

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Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 8 Notes The Blue Bead

by

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 8 Notes The Blue Bead  – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

About the Author

Norah (Aileen) Burke born on 2nd August 1907 in Bedford, England and was a well known novelist and non-fiction writer famous for her descriptions of life in India during the early 20th century.

Her father, Redmond St. George Burke, was a Forest Officer in India and her early childhood was spent travelling through the Indian forests, often on elephant back. The Indian jungle and her interactions with its wild animals inspired her autobiographical travel books Jungle Child (1956), Eleven Leopards (1965), and Midnight Forests (1966). She also wrote a short story “Journey by Night”.

Constantly changing camps, carrying their belongings by elephant, made education difficult, but she learned to write at the age of eight, and started writing stories straight away. She also read as much as she could, including bound volumes of Chums and Boy’s Own Paper, and even wrote and edited her own little magazine entitled The Monthly Dorrit.

She returned to England in 1919 to attend a school in Devonshire, and lived at her family home at The Auberies, Buhner, in Suffolk. Her first novel, Dark Road, was published in 1933,. After a second novel dealing with a European dictator (The Scarlet Vampire), she wrote Merry England, which was set in historical Suffolk.

By 1950, she had published 11 novels and her short stories and articles had appeared in more than 100 periodicals. Her work was published in France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Irish Free State, Holland, Australia, America and Canada. In 1954, she was the winner of the New York Herald Tribune World Short Story Contest.

As well as fiction, Norah Burke was also an enthusiastic travel writer, relating many of her early adventures in autobiographical travel books Jungle Child (1956), Tiger Country (1965) and Eleven Leopards (1965). She also wrote about wildlife in King Todd (1963), Fire in the Forest and The Midnight Forest (1966) and numerous short stories. She collaborated with her father on his book of big game hunting and camp life in the Indian jungles, Jungle Days (1935).

She married Henry Humphrey R. Metlnvold Walrond (1904-1987), a lawyer, and had two sons. She lived for many years at Thorne Court., in Cockfield, near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffollk. She died in 1976.

About the Story

This is the heroic story of a twelve year old Indian girl who saved a gujjar woman from being devoured by a crocodile. There was a mugger crocodile laying in the water. A little 12-year-old girl name Sibia lived in a small village and she was marked for work from a very young age. She had never owned anything in her life In the village the woman would get paper grass from above the river. When they had enough they would take it to the bullock and sell it for money. One day when they were crossing the river on their way home, Sibia decided to rest. One of the Gujjar women went down to fill her two gurrahs with water. Things took a turn for the worst and all of a sudden a crocodile attacked the woman, biting on the woman’s leg. At that moment Sibia got up, sprinted, grabbed the hay fork and stabbed the crocodile in the eye with all her power. Immediately the crocodile let go and went away. Sibia saw a small blue bead lying by the river, she grabbed it. Since she was poor she didn’t have a necklace. She’d always wanted one like the other women, now she could make one with the blue bead. After that she went home and told her mother all about it.

Plot

  1. Introduction: The mention of the crocodile. Sibia’s day starts with a small breakfast, then she leaves to work in the fields with her mother.
  2. Climax: Women were travelling to the cliff to collect grass paper. On the way back Sibia gets left behind because she was day-dreaming. Sibia has to cross a river in order to get home and when she arrives at the river she sees a women being attacked by a crocodile “She was within a yard of the crocodile when it lunged at her.” Marks the beginning of climax.
  3. Rising Action: Sibia rushes in to save the woman and stabs the crocodile in the eye with her hay-fork. She helped the woman back home to camp ground. Sibia saves the women and cleans her wounds, then returns to the river to get her hayfork
  4. Tailing action: When Sibia bends down to retrieve her hay-fork she finds a blue bead. She excitedly went to her mother and told her about her blue bead.
  5. Conclusion: Sibia then returns home to her mother where she explains of her day’s events . She excitedly went to her mother and told her about her blue bead.“Beside him in the shoals where he lay waiting, glimmered a blue gem.”

Theme

The theme of the story “The Blue Bead” is that people often don’t realize that risk taking can lead to unforeseen achievements. This story is about a young girl named Sibia who one day goes to the fields with her mom to work. After working she gets left behind because she was daydreaming or she was lost in her own thoughts. In order to get home Sibia has to cross a river. While she’s doing that she sees a woman getting attacked by a crocodile. Sibia rushes to help the woman and she stabs the crocodile in the eye with a pitchfork. Sibia takes the injured woman back into the village where a group of people take her to get treated. When she returns to the river to get her pitchfork she finds a blue bead. In the end Sibia doesn’t tell her mother about helping the lady because she is more excited about finding the blue bead for her necklace.

The blue bead symbolizes that even the little things can make Sibia happy. We take many things for granted and don’t realize the little things that make us happy.

Crocodiles often attack humans in India and surrounding countries.It’s very unlikely that one would survive an attack, luckily, Sibia was there to save that woman. What goes around comes around. The crocodile attacks the Gujjar woman. Then the crocodile gets attacked by Sibia. Sibia saves the Gujjar woman and in return gets the blue bead. Sibia never gave up on getting jewellery and always tries her best to find solutions. Eventually she gets what she always wanted.

Highlights of Speech/or Summary

A mugger crocodile was laying motionless waiting for food, armored with his thick hide. Beside him lay a small blue bead. There was a village above the river. This was the home to a little girl, named Sibia. In all her life, she had never owned anything but a rag. From the moment Sibia was born she was marked for work. Today, she was going with her mother and the other women to get paper grass from above the river. When the women had enough, they would take it down to the bullock cart and sell it to the agent who would arrange for it to be sent to the paper mills. The women toiled all day at this work. On the way back, the woman passed the Gujjar people’s grass huts where some nomadic graziers would live until their animals finished grazing in that spot. The women were crossing the river and stepping on the ghats trying to avoid an attack from a crocodile. They all crossed safely and were on their way back home. Sibia was dawdling and the last to cross the stones, in the middle she decided to take a break. At that same moment, a Gujjar woman went down to the water to fill up her gurrahs. Out of the blue, a crocodile lunged at her. The crocodile’s jaws closed in on the Guljar woman’s leg, blood . spreading everywhere. Quickly, Sibia ran over and stabbed the crocodile in the eyes with her hay fork, the only weak part of that saurian. The crocodile reared up in convulsion, disappearing into the water. Sibia had saved the attacked woman. Sibia looked down near her hay fork, and noticed a small blue bead. She was ecstatic. Since she was poor she didn’t have a necklace. She’d always wanted one like the other women, now she could make one with the blue bead. Sibia picked it up, and went back home where her mother * awaited her.

Characters

The antagonist and protagonist in this short story are revealed through direct statements. The author (Norah Burke) tells us about Sibia and the crocodile.

Sibia

Sibia was a little girl, a thin starving child dressed in an earth—?coloured rag. straight white teeth. With her ebony hair and great eyes, and,her skin of oiled brown cream, she was a happy immature child—? woman about twelve years old. Bare foot, of course, and often goosey—? cold on a winter morning, and born to toil. In all her life, she had never owned anything but a rag. She had never owned even one anna—not a pice.

Sibia is the protagonist in this short story. Sibia’s character in this story is static, because she is simple throughout the whole story, and she does not change that characteristic of hers. Sibia is extremely observant and is quick to see the blue bead. She has lived a life of poverty and from the moment Sibia was born she was marked for work. She always dreams about jewellery and is happy to find the blue bead with which she can make a necklace. She appreciates the little things in life. She is only twelve years old but is ready to help others even at the cost of endangering her own life. When she lunges at the crocodile, not for a moment does she think of saving herself and running. Infact she behaves like a true soldier thinking of others before self. Yes, the woman would be dead if Sibia didn’t rescue her. In the end also she did not give importance to her act of bravery. Sibia didn’t tell her mother about how she saved the woman’s life because she was happy about finding the bead.

She was fearless and quick footed. When she saw the woman being attacked, Sibia leapt forward from boulder to boulder. She came leaping with the agility of a rock goat. Sometimes it had seemed difficult to cross these stones, especially the big gap in the middle where the river coursed through like a bulge of glass. But now she came on wings, choosing her footing in midair without even thinking about it, and in one moment she was beside the shrieking woman. She was adventurous and courageous. ‘With all the force in (Sibia’s) little body, she drove the hayfork at the eyes, and one prong went right in.’ Sibia shows that she is capable of disabling the crocodile, she demonstrates courage in an overwhelming, impressive manner Even after rescuing the woman from the crocodile she helped her and tended her wounds. “Sibia got her arms around the fainting woman…she stopped her wounds with sand, and bound them with a rag.” Sibia represents herself as a hero in this portion of the story, as she successfully defeated the crocodile in order to save a woman. Sibia is a 12 year old girl, and without hesitation or a second thought, she kills a crocodile. “With all the force in her little body, she drove the hayfork at the eyes, and with one prong went in -right in- while it’s pair scratched past on the horny cheek… He would die.” Therefore, along with Sibia’s young age, she simply attains courage to execute a vicious crocodile.

In the short story “The Blue Bead” by Norah Burke, courageous Sibia lives a simplistic life. To begin with, young Sibia creates commodities using simple utilities. She makes use of a single rag because, “[Sibia] [has] torn the rag in two to make skirt and sari.” She has made use of a simplistic object that we take for granted. She has found a way to make a simple object in life into a lot more and cherish it. In addition, Sibia attains courage to diminish the crocodile using a simple, sole implement.

Furthermore, events that occur in Sibia’s life are described as undetailed , unsophisticated events. For instance,Sibia goes through an adventurous battle with the crocodile and arrives home to her worried mother. Instead of stating (to her mother) about the colossal event that had occured, she simply says “I found a blue bead for my necklace, look!”, which is merely a miniscule detail from her adventure. Sibia experiences a life changing and life saving event, along with finding a blue bead, but she chooses to mention only the simplest event of her day to her mother. Conclusively, from the way Sibia lives, to the way she thinks and the way she speaks, Sibia’s courageous actions in life are very simplistic.

Crocodile

The author introduces the feisty crocodile simply foreshadowing what is to happen later. He ‘was twice the length of a tall man.’ It was vicious and it eating habits are described  eating habits
“Fed mostly on fish, but also deer and monkeys…and a duck or two…and a half-burned bodies of Indians…”

Title

The blue Bead was called that because of how the story ends. In the end of the story, Sibia finds a blue bead. After all the life changing and life saving events that happened, along with finding a blue bead, during the day she believes in putting aside the fact that she had saved the woman’s life, and feels happy because she had found a blue bead with which she could make a necklace. She had always wanted jewellery and now. she could have it. Thus for her the finding of the blue bead is the most significant.

Setting

The setting of the story took place somewhere in India, where deep in a wild forest flowed a great Indian river. The story took place during the day time when the sun shone brightly. As well as during the evening as the sun set, and Sibia could see the pink ultraviolet shadows as she came down to the stepping-stones.

Style

The Point of View used in this short story is Third Person Point of View. It is in oinniscient. The narrator repetitively uses the pronouns him, her, it, and them. The narrator knows the details of the girl, they and the crocodile. He says, She was within a yard of the crocodile when it lunged at her.’ The omniscient third person is where the narrator is talking about the crocodile, and on there when the Gujars are explained.

The story is narrated in the third person for hypothetical reasons. Perhaps the author had no option for a character who had an appropriate point of view for the story. If the author had chosen a subjective narrator only one point of view would be delivered to the reader. On the other hand an objective narrative point of view allowed the reader to comprehend a variety of point of views equally. Namely the narrator expresses the story without bias and states events as they occur without interpreting any person’s opinion or point of view.

Critical Appreciation

This story is about a young girl named Sibia who one day goes to the fields with her mom to work. After working she gets left behind because she was daydreaming or she was lost in her own thoughts. In order to get home Sibia has to cross a river. While she’s doing that she sees a woman getting attacked by a crocodile. Sibia rushes to help the woman and she stabs the crocodile in the eye with a pitchfork. Sibia takes the injured woman back into the village where a group of people take her to get treated. When she returns to the river to get her pitchfork she finds a blue bead. In the end Sibia doesn’t tell her mother about helping the lady because she is excited about finding the blue bead for her necklace.

The story, is about the bravery of a twelve year old Indian girl who saves a Gujjar woman from the jaws of a crocodile. When she sees the crocodile attacking the woman Sibia lunges with her hay fork and plunges it into the most vulnerable spot in the crocodiles body, its eye.

In the beginning the mood of the story expresses an aura of fascination and curiosity. As the story continues the mood transitions into unease and a sense of doubt because of the mention of the huge and vicious crocodile. One is left with a sense of foreboding. When Sibia witnesses the attack of the crocodile on the woman, she acted impetuously and with fearlessness to kill the beast. The author here introduces a sense suspense and hesitation for her survival.

Her brave act of lunging at the crocodile is an appropriate image because, it portrays an act of risk taking, or in other words taking a leap of faith. This was the act Sibia had taken as she gained the courage to rescue the woman from the ferocious crocodile.

As the story begins to express the array of sunshine, crystal water, golden shallows and forested hills, the atmosphere emitted a calm and serene vibe. When the crocodile was introduced the atmosphere became more tense and wary. As the story advanced to the climax, and Sibia rescued the women from the crocodile, the atmosphere changed from calm to erratic. The author uses the setting, atmosphere, and mood to help us understand the story’s theme by explaining and analyzing the basic structure of life as it is lived. There is conveyed a feeling of anxiety and calmness, while the author gives a visual description of various situations.

The author makes use of various literary devices to make the story interesting and * to forward his plot and theme. Metaphors like: “But now she came on wings, choosing her footing in midair” and “All her golden body decorated” are used to create word images. Similes are used to make unusual comparisons.’The sunset shuffled about it like gold dust”, “Where the river coursed through like a bulge of glass”, “She could look down over the river as if she was a bird” and “Heroism of the jungle is as common as a thorn tree”

Symbolism is extensively used to convey the point to be made. The blue bead represents Sibia’s happiness because she grew up in poverty. The blue bead is used as a symbol, it represents the riches and luxuries that she could never afford, and all she fought for in order to achieve it. It is also a symbol and reminder of her bravery and heroism on that day. The blue bead symbolizes even the little things can make them happy. Here where we take many things for granted and don’t realize the little things that make us happy.

The author also gives us a vivid idea of the condition of third world country like India with its very hot weather and very poor people working for little money living in mud buildings and encountering dangers in daily life.

There are various conflicts in the story. Sibia wants jewellery but cannot afford it.Has to work much harder than any child should and struggles to survive. Everyday Sibia has to cross the Indian River which is full of crocodiles. The grown Gujjar woman is attacked by the crocodile and the twelve year old Sibia kills the crocodile and saves the women. She does a good deed and is rewarded.

Then there is the conflict of lack of wealth in Sibia’s family. The author states in the beginning of the story:”She was a happy immature child woman, about 12 years old. Bare foot, of course, and often goosey cold on a winter morning, and born to toil. In all her life, she had owned anything but a rag.”Another major conflict highlighted in the story is Human vs Nature. The conflict was that a woman was attacked by a crocodile and Sibia was there to save the woman. This conflict served the purpose of telling us how brave and courageous Sibia was and how she found the blue bead.

Irony of various types is used by the author. “And Sibia bursting with her story cried ‘Something did! I found a blue bead for my necklace, LOOK!”’ is an example of dramatic Irony because we know something that another character does not know.

Another example of irony in the story would be “With all the force of her little body, she drove the hay fork at the eyes and with one prong went in- right in- while it’s pair scratched past on the horny cheek… He would die.”This is an example of situational irony because it is something that was unexpected.

The antagonist and protagonist in this short stoiy are revealed through direct statements. The author (Norah Burke) tells us about Sibia and the crocodile. The protagonist in this story is a 12 year old girl named Sibia. The antagonist is the dearth of wealth in her family. There is suspense in the story and foreshadowing. Suspense is introduced when the crocodile rests in the swamp that Sibia is passing, but Sibia isn’t aware of this. The author uses foreshadowing from the beginning when the crocodile is introduced to hint at the later attack. Foreshadowing is also used when the bead is introduced, to show it will play a big  part in the story.

Glossary

  1. Juggernaut: any large, overpowering, destructive force of an object
  2. Putrid: in a state of foul decay or decomposition, as animal or vegetable matter; rotten
  3. Perforated: pierced with a hole or holes
  4. Graziers: a person who grazes cattle for the market
  5. Toiled: hard and continuous work; exhausting labour or effort
  6. Convulsion: violent agitation or disturbance; commotion.
  7. Jostled: pushed roughly.
  8. Sleepers: heavy pieces of wood.
  9. Cliffs: rocks.
  10. Trilling: make high sound.
  11. Ferocious: violent , savage
  12. Formidable: impressive, powerful.
  13. Parasites: small animals that get their food from others.
  14. Milling: people moving in large numbers.
  15. Lunged: moved forward, attacked.
  16. Dazzle: impress.
  17. Encampment: a group of tents.
  18. Clinking: making sharp sound.
  19. Pastoral: rural.
  20. Sickle: a tool with a curved blade.
  21. Dawdle: to take a long time to go.
  22. Clatter: to make a sound.
  23. Convulsion: fit, shaking movement of body.
  24. Dragged: pulled.
  25. Wobbling: moving from side to side in an unsteady manner.
  26. Smudged: smeared.
  27. Wriggle: twist or turn your body.
  28. Morose: sad.
  29. Scolding: rebuke.
  30. Bead: a small piece of glass.

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Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations

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Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Modern English Translation Meaning Annotations – ICSE Class 10 & 9 English

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Original Text
Act II Scene IX

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 1

Modern English Reading
Act II Scene IX

NERISSA : Quickly, quickly, please, draw the curtain right away; the Prince of Aragon has taken his oath, and comes to make his choice now.
Enter [the Prince of] Arragon, his train, and Portia. Flourish of cornets.

PORTIA : Behold, the chests stand there, noble Prince: If you choose the one that I am contained in, Our marriage vows will be solemnized right away; But if you fail, my lord, you must be gone from here immediately without any more talking.

ARRAGON : I am required by oath to observe three things: First, never to tell anyone which chest I chose; next, if I fail to choose the right chest, I will never Court a maid to marry for my whole life; Lastly, if I do fail in choosing the right chest, I will leave you immediately and be gone.

Word Meaning With Annotation

Straight : at once, election : “selection”, i.e. his choice between the three caskets. If you choose that wherein I am contain’d : the one which contains my portrait, nuptial rites : marriage ceremonies, which casket ’twas I chose : which casket it was that I did’ choose.

Original Text

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 2

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 3

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 4

Modern English Reading

PORTIA : Everyone swears to these conditions who come to take a chance for my worthless self.

ARRAGON : And I have prepared myself like that. Fortune now Lead me to my heart’s hope! Gold, silver, and base lead.” Who chooses me must give and gamble all he has.” You shall look more beautiful before I give or gamble. What says the golden chest? Ha! Let me see:” Who chooses me shall gain what many men desire.” What many men desire! that “many” may mean the foolish multitudes, that choose by outward appearance, not learning any more than their loving eyes teach, which doesn’t go to the inside but, like the marten, builds on the outside wall in any weather, even in the force of wind and on the road to ruin. I will not choose what many men desire, because I will not jump with common spirits and rank myself with the barbarous multitudes. Why, then to you, you silver treasure-house; tell me once more what title you bear:” Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves.” And it is said well too, because who shall go about to steal a fortune, and still be honorable without the stamp of deserving it? Let no one pretend to wear an undeserved dignity. Oh! that fortunes, degrees, and offices were not earned by corruption, and that clear honors were purchased by the merit of the wearer! How many then would be covered that stand naked; how many would be commanded that command; how much low peasantry would then be taken from from the true seed of honor; and how much honor picked from the garbage and ruin of the times to be newly painted! Well, to my choice:” Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves.” I will assume I am deserving. Give me a key for this, and instantly unlock my fortunes here.

Word Meaning With Annotation

And so have I address’d me : and I have prepared myself accordingly. Fortune now to my heart’s hope : he addresses the Goddess of fortune. Gold; silver; and base lead : the use of the word “base” reveals that Arragon starts in the same mistaken attitude that Morocco showed. Arragon is immediately prejudiced against the leaden casket, because the metal of which it is made is not so showy and attractive as silver or gold. Evidently the intention of Portia’s father, when he arranged the trial of the caskets, was that the inscriptions alone should be the proper test. The different metals would only serve to mislead men who paid too much attention to outward show and appearance. You shall look fairer, ere I give, or hazard : he falls into the same error as Morocco, and does not realise that the hazard is to be made for Portia, not as he says for lead, fond : foolish, which pries not to th’ interior : which does not search for the inner meaning of anything, martlet: let martin, a species of swallow, which builds a nest of mud against the outer walls of houses, even in the force and road of casualty : “open to disaster, and in the very path of danger.” for who shall go about : who shall attempt, cozen : “to cheat”, be honourable : “attain to honours.” estates : “positions of dignity”, degree : “high mark”, derived corruptly : granted from unworthy motives; sold, clear honour : unstained or innocent honour.purchased : obtained. There is no reference to buying in the usual sense, cover : keep their hats on. low peasantry : “base fellows”. This shows the habit which had crept in, during the middle ages, of thinking of two great classes, the upper classes or nobility who were men of honour, and the lower classes who were base cultivators of the soil. I will assume desert : I shall be content with what I deserve.

Original Text

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 5

Modern English Reading

PORTIA : That’s too long a pause over what you find there.

ARRAGON : What’s here? The portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a piece of paper! I will read it. This doesn’t look very much like Portia! This doesn’t look very much like what I deserve!” Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves.” Did I deserve no more than a fool’s head? Is that my prize? Is my deserving no better than that?

PORTIA : To insult and judge are different things, And of opposite natures.

Word Meaning With Annotation

Blinking idiot : stupid-eyed fool, schedule : the same as “scroll”, deservings : merits: deserves: to offend, and judge, are distinct offices, and of opposed natures : “Arragon may be regarded as having been on his trial, and a prisoner is not supposed to criticise the verdict”. Still it may be better to explain “You have been sentenced but not insulted; there is nothing personal in the decision!” distinct offices : separate things

Original Text

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 6

Modern English Reading

ARRAGON : What is this here?” The fire tried this seven times. The judgment that never chose wrong is tried seven times. There are some men that shadows kiss; Men like this have only a shadow’s bliss; there are fools alive, I know, that are silvered over, and so was this chest. Take whatever wife you want to bed, I will be your head forever: So be gone; you are finished.” I shall appear to be more foolish by the time I stay here; I came to court with one fool’s head, But I go away with two. Sweetheart, goodbye! I’ll keep my oath, Patiently to deal with my anger.
[Exit with his train]

PORTIA : In this way, the candle has burned the moth. Oh, these deliberate fools! When they choose, they have the wisdom to lose by their senses.

NERISSA : The ancient saying is no lie:” Hanging and getting a wife are up to Fate.”

Word Meaning With Annotation

The fire seven times tried this : “this” refers to the silver. The line refers to the words from the Bible, some there be that shadows kiss : “shadow” is here used generally as being the reverse of “substance” i.e., some people neglect the sound and substantial things of life to pursue empty shows, shadow’s bliss : “unreal happiness.” I wis : Certainly, silvered o’er : “whose folly is concealed by their silvery hairs.” you are sped : your business is completed, by the time I linger here : the longer I remain here, with one fool’s head I came to woo, But I go away with two : I came here a fool, and I depart a double fool, wroth : misfortune. Not the usual sense of “anger”, thus hath the candle sing’d the moth : Arragon is here compared to a foolish insect that has fluttered around a bright light, and has been burnt, deliberate fools : deliberating fools, in the sense that they calculated too much. The right choice depended not on skilful reasoning, but on love, which should have been prepared to “hazard all he hath”, they have the wisdom by their wit to lose : “They have enough sense, at any rate, to allow their small minds to lead than astray”, heresy : falsehood, hanging and wiving goes by destiny : “Wedding is destiny, and hanging like wise”

Original Text

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 7

Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 9 Translation Meaning Annotations 8

Modern English Reading

PORTIA : Come, close the curtain, Nerissa.
Enter Messenger.

MESSENGER : Where is my lady?

PORTIA : I’m here; what do you want?

MESSENGER : Madam, at your gate, a young Venetian has just arrived, one that comes ahead of his lord to tell us he is coming; He brings sensible apologies from him; As noted,—besides greetings and courteous sayings,— Gifts of rich value. Yet I haven’t seen such an ambassador of love. A day in April never came so sweetly to show how expensive summer was coming,, as this forerunner comes so urgently before his lord.

PORTIA : No more, please; I am half afraid you will now say he is related to you, You spend such so many words in praising him.Come, come, Nerissa, because I long to see quick Cupid’s messenger that comes so politely.

NERISSA : Bassanio, lord Love, if it is your will!
Exeunts.

Word Meaning With Annotation

Sensible regrets : salutations which are not merely words, but are sincerely felt, to wit, (besides commends and courteous breath) : namely in addition to compliments and courteous words, etc. likely : prepossessing; of good promise, ambassador of love : the messenger who now comes as the representative of Bassanio, to announce that his lord is coming on an errand of love, and to prepare his reception. He is compared to an agent who represents his country, costly summer : summer which is the rich and goregeous season of the year, fore – spurrer : the one who comes squrring (riding) on before, to prepare for the coming of his master, high-day wit : “high-day” is the same as “holiday”, so we might translate this by “holiday humour,” the fine speeches and prepared words that one might use only on a holiday or special occasion. Quick Cupid’s post that comes so mannerly : the swift messenger of Love, who comes in such a courteous manner. Bassanio, lord Love, if thy will it be : “lord Love” still refers to Cupid as the presiding deity, and Portia means, “I hope it is thy will that this is Bassanio, O God of Love.”

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Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 7 Notes The Little Match Girl

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Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 7 Notes The Little Match Girl – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

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About the Author

Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark, on April 2, 1805. Andersen achieved worldwide fame for writing innovative and influential fairy tales. Many of his stories, including “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Princess and the Pea,” remain classics of the genre. He died in Copenhagen on August 4, 1875.

While the Andersen family was not wealthy, young Hans Christian was educated in boarding schools for the privileged. The circumstances of Andersen’s education have fuelled speculation that he was an illegitimate member of the Danish royal family. These rumours have never been substantiated.

In 1819, Andersen traveled to Copenhagen to work as an actor. He returned to school after a short time, supported by a patron named Jonas Collin. He began writing during this period, at Collin’s urging, but was discouraged from continuing by his teachers.

Andersen’s work first gained recognition in 1829, with the publication of a short story entitled “A Journey on Foot from Holmen’s Canal to the East Point of Amager.” He followed this with the publication of a play, a book of poetry and a travelogue. The promising young author won a grant from the king, allowing him to travel across Europe and further develop his body of work. A novel based on his time in Italy, The Improvisatore, was published in 1835. The same year, Andersen began producing fairy tales.

Despite his success as a writer up to this point, Andersen did not initially attract attention for his writing for children. His next novels, O.T. and Only a Fiddler, remained critical favorites. Over the following decades, he continued to write for both children and adults, penning several autobiographies, travel narratives and poetry extolling the virtues of the Scandinavian people. Meanwhile, critics and consumers overlooked volumes including the now-classic stories “The Little Mermaid” and “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” In 1845, English translations of Andersen’s folktales and stories began to gain the attention of foreign audiences. Andersen forged a friendship with acclaimed British novelist Charles Dickens, whom he visited in England in 1847 and again a decade later. His stories became English-language classics and had a strong influence on subsequent British children’s authors, including A.A. Milne and Beatrix Potter. Over time, Scandinavian audiences discovered Andersen’s stories, as did audiences in the United States, Asia and across the globe. In 2006, an amusement park based on his work opened in Shanghai. His stories have been adapted for stage and screen, including a popular animated version of “The Little Mermaid.”

Andersen sustained a serious injury in 1872 after falling from bed in his Copenhagen home. His final publication, a collection of stories, appeared the same year.

Around this time, he started to show signs of the liver cancer that would take his life. The Danish government began commemorating Andersen’s life and work before his death. Andersen died on August 4, 1875, in Copenhagen.

About the Story

‘The Little Match Girl’ or ‘The little girl with the matchsticks’ is a short story by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen. The story, about a dying child’s dreams and hope, was first published in 1845. It has been adapted to various media, including an animated short film, a television musical, and an animated virtual reality story called “Allumette”.

‘The Little Match Girl’ is possibly one of the saddest holiday stories ever told. This story, by Hans Christian Andersen, is about a little girl who was sent out to sell matches on New Year’s Eve. No one has bought any of her matches, and so she is afraid her father will beat her if she goes home empty handed. She ends up huddled in a corner lighting match after match. With each match she imagines a beautiful scene. In one match she sees her recently deceased grandmother who takes the little girl to heaven with her. In the morning, the little girl is found frozen to death.

On a cold New Year’s Eve, a poor young girl tries to sell matches in the street. She is already shivering from cold and early hypothermia, and she is walking barefoot having lost her shoes. Still, she is too afraid to go home, because her father will beat her for not selling any matches, and also as the cracks in the house can’t keep out the cold wind. The girl takes shelter in a nook or alley and sits down.

The girl lights the matches to warm herself. In their glow she sees several lovely visions, including a Christmas tree and a holiday feast. The girl looks skyward and sees a shooting star, she then remembers her dead grandmother saying that such a falling star means someone is dying and is going to Heaven. As she lights the next match, she sees a vision of her grandmother, the only person to have treated her with love and kindness. She strikes one match after another to keep the vision of her grandmother alive for as long as she can.

After running out of matches the child dies and her grandmother carries her soul to Heaven. The next morning, passers-by find the girl dead in the nook, frozen with a smile on her face, and guess the reason for the burnt-out matches beside her. They feel pity for her, although they had not shown kindness to her before her death. They have no way of knowing about the wonderful visions she saw before her death or how gloriously she and her grandmother are now celebrating the New Year in Heaven

Plot

  1. Exposition: The exposition of the story is that the Little Maiden is left out on the streets, on a cold New Years Eve while every one is at home celebrating.
  2. Rising Action: The Rising action of the story is that the Little Maiden can’t return home because she hasn’t sold any matches. She doesn’t have anything to warm her up so she uses the matches to warm her up.
  3. Climax: When the little maiden lights up the matches to warm her up she notices that when she brings the matches close to the wall of one of the houses that it becomes transparent. Then she notices that there is an old sweet lady on the wall. She comes closer and then sees that the lady is her grandmother(who is dead and that is the only person that loved her). When she sees that the old lady is her grandmother she begs her to take her with her because she is suffering to much.
  4. Resolution: At the end of the story the little maiden is found dead by the wall that she found her grandmother and she is also found with a smile on her face. The little maiden leaves with her grandmother(which just means she dies at the end).

Theme

The story is a gentle reminder of the value of compassion and charity.
The theme of the story is that this little girl is trying to sell some matches so she can get money to bring back to her family, and it all depends on those matches but then at the end those matches help her to keep warm. The theme of this story has a lot to do with faith and her hope.Her hope is to get out of the cold for a little girl stranded in the cold she has a lot of faith and hope and that is what the author is trying to put out. to never give up hope or faith no matter what your situation bad or good keep thinking positive and never give up.

This story is about man vs. Nature. In the story the girl has to fight the weather but it is so cold. But in the corner, at the cold hour of dawn, sat the poor girl, with rosy cheeks and with a smiling mouth, leaning against the wall—frozen to death on the last evening of the old year.” And then again we are told,”In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet.” ..’’She crept along trembling with cold and hunger—a very picture of sorrow, the poor little thing!”

Highlights of Speech/or Summary

“The Little Match Girl” is a sad story about a miserable young girl that touched the heart of many readers. The story begins on a cold winter night in which the snow never  stopped. It was a real, rough and cold dinner.

This small poor girl is trying to sell matches because she was ordered to do so by a strict father. He didn’t allow her to come home until it would not be done, otherwise she would get a beating. She was distracted by appetizing smells spreading from a house where a family was getting ready for New Year. She couldn’t resist the smell of freshly made turkey. The low temperature made it hard for her to be on the outside and she pressed herself against a corner, between two buildings and tucked her feet underneath herself to try to keep warm. The coldness was growing stronger and she couldn’t go home since she didn’t sell any matches. To get warm she decided to light up one match.When she lit each one of them, it pointed to those events that she always dreamed of.

After she light he match it reminded her of a fireplace. After the match burned out the cold came back. She lit up another match and then saw a beautiful set table with a lot of food. The turkey on the table started moving and went towards her but she never came to the girl because the match burned out. She decided to light up another one and saw a decorated Christmas tree and many candles around it. When she reached her hands to touch it the light went out. All of the candles started to rise towards the sky and one star fell down, leaving behind a mark. The girl thought that it meant somebody died and that it was their soul. In that moment she saw her grandma and in order to keep her near she lit up all of the matches. Her grandma took her with her to a place where hunger and coldness were gone. The next morning she was found frozen with a smile on her face. Everybody commented on her attempts to keep herself warm but nobody knew she waited for New Year with the prettiest pictures in her mind.

This is probably one of the saddest Andersen’s fairy tales set in the 19th century describing the unfortunate fate of a young child who is going through difficult times and dying of cold and hunger.

Characters

The little Match Girl

The little match girl is a main character. She is a major character in the story because the story is about her. She is also dynamic because she went from being alive to freezing to death. The little maiden at first had a pair of slippers but she lost them when two carriages were rolling down the street dreadfully fast. Then she was bear footed and dirty. “ When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but they were of no use.They were very large slippers, which her mother had hitherto worn; so large were they; and the poop little thing lost them as she scuffled away across the street, because of two carriages that rolled by dreadfully fast.”

The little Match Girl has barely anything to keep her warm and is bare-foot. As she walks, she finds herself in a corner between two houses. Unable to continue and afraid to go home for fear of her father, she curls up there in the corner. The girl lights a match to keep her hands warm. When she does, she sees many things that make her feel better. On the last bundle of matches, she sees her grandmother. The girls dies and goes to heaven with her grandmother.

The young girl selling matches is a very determined child. She keeps going even after it’s made clear that she’ll never sell any matches. She’s also very innocent, wandering around without faltering. She doesn’t give up and remains innocent till the end.

Father

Her dad is a minor character in the story. He is static because he doesn’t change. He is in the story because he kicked the girl out and said she could not come back until she sells matches.

Grandmother

The grandmother is a minor character. She is also static. She is there when the girl is dying.

Setting

The setting in manly in one spot. She’s is in the city. This story is typically pictured occurring in a large, busy city such as Copenhagen. The main setting of this story is the corner between two houses where this little girl sits huddled together so she can try and stay warm. It is very cold out side. It is like the coldest part of the winter. The story takes place on a late night, the last night of the year. It is snowy and cold, and most families were inside enjoying their meals. The setting clearly reflects the author’s intent on the story. He wanted to create a calm world that was comparable to the girl’s feelings after she settled on the ground in the corner of two houses.” Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening— the last evening of the year” More important are the places that this little girl imagines seeing with each match.

Critical Appreciation

The Little Match Girl is a little girl who was selling matches to earn some money. She had an evil father who beat her when she didn’t earn enough, so she was afraid to go home empty-handed. She lived in a cold attic, full of holes and drafts. The girl was good but miserable. She was freezing because it was poorly dressed and barefoot, and was very very hungry. When she lit a match to warm her up a little bit, she saw the beautiful scenes. First, a warm stove, a delicious goose, and beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Finally, she saw her dead grandmother. Although she did not know, the girl already had died, and the grandmother came after her soul. She took her somewhere where she will always be fed and warm.

The Little Match Girl is told in metaphors and with poetic license. One of the tools the author has used in Match Girl is to contrast everything from class structure to the contrast of emotions. At this time it is hard to think of a child dying, but it is a reality that has been present for quite some time. Those who have it all usually ignore those who beg for just one penny. Anderson’s story serves a good purpose in “reminding people to be charitable and help the poor during the holidays, and hopefully year round, to keep young children from suffering with poverty and death.” This isn’t much of a fairytale, more so a “folk tale for adults. These tales were often told orally during the times when the peasants could not read.

Child abuse was also common during that time. The girl is cold and hungry, she is also abused at home, increasing the pathos and stark reality of the story. As the girl lights her first match, she sees a vision of a large warm iron stove. Hallucinations are one of the symptoms of severe hypothermia which indicates that the match girl is slowly drifting away This shows that before the little girl has reached her fate the signs of mourning are already presenting themselves.                               –

During the Second vision Hans Christian Anderson wrote of a magical New Years Eve Feast that any poor hungry child would be overjoyed to partake in. During that time the poor could only dream of partaking in such an extravagant meal. Salaries were small and for some, times were very hard. This vision addresses how hungry the small girl truly is, and if she doesn’t freeze she shall surely starve.

The Third Vision of the night, only to be seen after the striking of another match, is a magnificent Christmas tree. It is brightly light and beautifully decorated. It was the sort of tree only to be found in a very wealthy home .The little girl then sees a star fall and claims ‘Someone is just dead!’ A Creole superstition states: ‘Shooting-stars are souls escaping from purgatory.’ This is almost as if the three visions before were wishes, but it is also thought, as for the timing of the short story that it either be the young girl’s soul ascending into heaven, or yet the cause for the final vision.

The small girl drew another match, and there her loving grandmother stood before her in the dark of the night, with no reservations, only kindness. The little girl knew that if the match were to run out her grandmother would disappear just like all her other wonderful visions, so in turn she struck the entire rest of the bundle on the wall, we now realize how truly close the small child is to freezing to death. The little girl pleads with her grandmother to take her back to heaven so “she took the little maiden, on her arm, and both flew in brightness and in joy so high, so very high, and then above was neither cold, nor hunger, nor anxiety—they were with God” Hans Christian Anderson believed this was a happy ending in his book. To relinquish the suffering of a little girl only to be joined with her one true relative and God, but many people don’t understand why a fairy tale would have such a sad ending.

Figurative language is used to contribute to the tone and theme. The overall theme and tone is similar to solitude and dreaming of a better life. The little girl is in solitude when she is lighting the matches and the figurative language directly contributes to this. It is also used to help readers comprehend the characters. Similes and metaphors are used to help you understand the character’s thoughts and actions.Example: “How it blazed, how it burnt! It was a warm, bright flame, like a candle.” “Where the light fell on the wall, there the wall became transparent like a veil.” “ And the matches gave such a brilliant light that it was brighter than at noon-day.” The author uses imagery to provide insight to the little girl and what she is experiencing on that cold night. The reasoning for this is most likely because she is the only character in the story and the story focuses around her actions. The author wanted us to feel what she felt and see what she saw.He clearly shows this by using the senses of sight and feel. Example: “She crept along trembling with cold and hunger…”

There are two symbols in this story. The first is the match, which symbolize warmth and hope. This symbolism is proven by how the child uses the matches to try and keep her hands warm. The second symbol is the cold itself. The cold is a symbol of sheer desperation and pure hopelessness. The cold freezes her feet and ends up killing the girl.

The conflict in the story is Human vs. Nature. Some examples are: “Cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bared headed, and with naked feet.” “The little maiden walked on with her tiny naked feet, that were quite red and blue from cold.” The short story was written from the Third Person Omniscient limited point of view. This is justified because we only know the thoughts, actions, and feelings of one character. The narrator does not interact in any events in the story and knows every aspect of the little girl and her only. “… and she held a bundle of them in her hand.” The story takes place on a late night, the last night of the year. It is snowy and cold, and most families were inside enjoying their meals. The setting clearly reflects the author’s intent on the story. He wanted to create a calm world that was comparable to the girl’s feelings after she settled on the ground in the corner of two houses. “Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening— the last evening of the year” The author has used situational irony. This is because the little girl sells matches, which are meant to start fires and keep people warm. However, this girl has no shoes or gloves and is practically freezing to death. There is irony in the fact that the people find the girl and they find her with a smile on her face. This is weird because when people die they don’ die with a smile on their face. They don’t know why she had a smile on her face when she is found dead but we do. The author uses a flashback in the story to clarify the actions that the little girl sees when lighting a match. This essentially helps advance the plot. “ ‘Someone is just dead!’ said the little girl; for her old grandmother, the only person who had loved her, and who was now no more, had told her, that when a star falls, a soul ascends to God. She drew another match against the wall: it was again light, and in the lustre there stood the old grandmother, so bright and radiant, so mild, and with such an expression of love” The short story is about hope and belief in the future, belief that things will get better. In conclusion, Anderson’s short tale is not only a sad holiday story reminding us to give during the season, but a reality check. We all wish for things during the holidays, but for those that have nothing it is more of an actuality. Times may get hard but in remembrance of this small tale, you must be grateful for what you have.

Glossary

  1. Bitterly: strong and sharp in taste
  2. Apron: protective garment tied over clothes to keep them clean while cooking
  3. Perishing: to disappear, or to die because of harsh conditions or an accident
  4. Misery: great unhappiness
  5. Fancied: not plain, intricate and of high quality *6. polished : to make smooth or glossy
  6. Brass: a yellow alloy, metallic element, used to make items
  7. Vanished: to disappear suddenly
  8. Gauze: finely woven fabric, thin and almost transparent
  9. Halo: circle of light around the head or a religious painting, an aura of glory

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Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 6 Notes An Angel in Disguise 

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Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Short Stories Workbook Answers Chapter 6 Notes An Angel in Disguise  – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

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About the Author

Timothy Shay Arthur was born in New burgh, New York on June 6, 1809. He had a very distinguished writing career, during which he wrote more than 150 novels and was an editor or the managing editor at over a dozen magazines. Being born to highly religious parents, many of T. S. Arthur’s works are moralistic in nature. He was also a strong proponent of temperance, and his most famous work is his essay, ‘The Nights in a Bar ­Room and What I Saw There’ (1854). His short story, ‘‘An Angel in Disguise’ features both his characteristic moral message, and his strong views on the consumption of alcohol.

Due to poor health, Arthur had little formal education. He grew up hearing Bible stories and many tales about his grandfather who was an officer in the Revolutionary War, from his mother. Arthur educated himself through reading and became an apprentice for a Baltimore craftsman. Later on he became an editor for the Baltimore Athenaeum and Young Men’s Paper. Three years later he started the Baltimore Literary Monument. It was during this period that Arthur learned of the Washingtonian Temperance Society, which inspired him to write many novels on prohibition. His novels were such a success that during the decade after the civil war, the only author that outsold him in American fiction was Harriet Beecher Stowe with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. The older T.S Arthur got, the worse his eyesight became, his world narrowed during the early years of the 1880s, although he continued editorial work with the aid of amanuenses. By February 1885, he was unable to leave his home and died on March 6th, 1885. He was buried in Philadelphia’s old Chestnut Street Cemetery.

T.S. Arthur was often regarded as a litterateur of unrefined taste, and lack of brilliance, which was claimed to have been the reason why he was not as well known as most American authors, during the 19th century. However, despite the derogatory assessment, T.S. Arthur was also appraised for his realism, simplicity, and sentimental/ moral poignancy in his genre of nonfiction and fictional stories, that many found reassuring. All of these qualities mentioned are apparent in one of his more demure, yet enchanting works, An Angel in Disguise.

About the Story

“An Angel in Disguise” was written in 1851 by TS Arthur. This time period consisted of many historic happenings including: Failure of the Wilmot Provisio to pass in the US Senate, which could have prohibited slavery in all territories acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. The prohibition era of the United States, in which many Americans protested to ban alcohol completely. Children’s Labor laws began to be established. For example, children were forbidden to work for more than ten hours per day and many national institutions, such as the New England Association of Farmers, began to condemn child labour.

Plot

  1. Introduction: Three children: John, Kate and Maggie are left alone, when their mother dies in a drunken fit right in front of their eyes.
  2. Occasion: The occasion that causes this story to unfold is the death of a single mother of three children who are left alone as orphans. The mother’s cause of death is alcoholism, and her children are left with no where to go, since it was unexpected.
  3. Rising Action:After the funeral, John and Kate were taken separately by two villagers while nobody wants to take care of the sick Maggie; until Mr. Thompson takes her in for the night.
  4. Climax: Mr. Thompson arrives at his house carrying Maggie but his wife doesn’t like it and wants the child to be sent to the poorhouse.
  5. Falling Action: Mr. Thompson finds his wife talking to Maggie. After their supper he talks Maggie and then later on Mrs. Thompson arrives with the child’s food. Mrs. Thompson decides to let Maggie stay.
  6. Resolution: Mr. Thompson doesn’t see the Guardian of the Poor. They decides to let Maggie stay and live with them at their house.

Theme

This short story has an amazing message or theme. It tells of how three children were sadly orphaned with their mother dying. Their mother hated by the village, died leaving the children without any other family or friends because the mother had no friends. The first born child, a stout 12-year-old boy by the name of John, was taken in by Farmer Jones for the fact that he could work. Then the second born child, 10-year-old Kate, was a “bright, active girl”. She was taken in by Mrs. Ellis, who was looking for a bound girl (indentured servant). Then finally there was Maggie, the youngest. She had sustained serious injuries to her back/spine and had been rendered unable to move from her bed without her mother’s help. This being so no one in the village wanted the orphan sick child. Except for one sympathetic, compassionate wheelwright man. His name was Joe Thompson. He takes her to his home, to his bitter and cold wife not knowing what to expect. After establishing the fact that he plans on taking her to the poor house possibly the next day and tactical words from Joe,his wife settles down from her riled up state. Joe pleads with his dour wife, “Look at her kindly, Jane; speak to her kindly,’’Think of her dead mother, and the loneliness, the pain, the sorrow that must be on all her coming life.”After spending the day/night with the small child, Mrs. Thompson’s heart softened with every moment while she tended to the small orphan. Not having a child of her own or any interests or things to take care of had made her less compassionate. Caring for the orphaned child gives her a sense of purpose and meaning in her life. Thus, changing not only her attitude but also her life. The little girl brought light and joy into their home. Unveiled the theme shows that ‘Good comes to people who do good.’

Besides the above given theme the subject of this short story is also disease. The story begins by displaying the negative things that disease brings with it, like the mother’s death due to her addiction and Maggie being stuck alone because no one wants to adopt the child who cannot walk. Conversely, the end of the story demonstrates the happiness that accepting disease can bring, when the Thompsons take Maggie in and are finally happy.

Highlights of Speech/or Summary

Outside of her home, a woman drops dead of excessive alcoholism. Everyone saw it coming, and really, she wasn’t all that well liked in her community. But now what must the village do with her three children? Her two eldest are old and fit enough to be put to work in one way or another but the youngest, Maggie, is chronically ill and of no use to anyone for anything. The general consensus is that she must be taken to the poorhouse if she has no relations to take her in, and no charitable heart around her to fill the role of guardian. Everyone is quick to sentence poor Maggie to her fate, however, no one is willing to actually drop her off into a life of assured misery. A man named Joe Thompson finally goes to check on her, he is instantly charmed by her cherubic demeanour and innocent look. He decided to take her in for the night but planned on bringing her to the poor house the next morning, because he knew his wife would not approve of her. When Joe brought Maggie home in his arms, his wife Mrs. Thompson was enraged that he had brought that “sick brat” into her house. Joe convinces the dour Mrs. Thompson to take poor Maggie in for a short while. He says, Joe begged her to “Look at her kindly, Jane; speak to her kindly,”, “Think of her dead mother, and the loneliness, the pain, the sorrow that must be on all her coming life.” While Joe was out at work Mrs. Thompson spent the day with Maggie and grew very fond of her. The Thompsons ended up keeping Maggie, and she became a blessing, “It had been dark, and cold, and miserable there for a long time just because his wife had nothing to love and care for out of herself, and so became soar, irritable, ill-tempered, and self-afflicting in the desolation of her woman’s nature. Now the sweetness of that sick child, looking ever to her in love, patience, and gratitude, was as honey to her soul, and she carried her in her heart as well as in her arms, a precious burden” – Maggie was an angle in disguise.

Characters

The writer reveals all the characters by means of both direct and indirect characterisation. For example, at the very beginning of the story the author introduces us some characters by direct characterisation: ‘This woman had been despised, scoffed at, and angrily denounced by nearly every man, woman, and child in the village judging by these words, we may assume that the woman’s life was very hard, there was nobody to support her, to help her.

Maggie

Maggie is the youngest of her family, and is tragically crippled from falling from a window two years prior. She is unable to leave her bed unless carried in someone’s arms. Maggie symbolizes innocence and dependency, because she literally cannot survive without the love and care of someone else. This is seen as a burden at first glance, but Maggie turns out to be a blessing in the Thompson home because she gives Mrs. Thompson purpose. Maggie’s character illustrates the main theme of the short story,that humans cannot survive without other humans to love and care for them.

Maggie, is described as a weak person, but quite experienced. She didn’t talk a lot, the author pays special attention to her personality indirectly, but very masterfully. From the very beginning of the story one can feel how much Maggie was afraid to stay alone: ‘But no one said ‘[’11 take Maggie’. Pitying glances were cast on her wan and wasted form and thoughts were troubled on her account. Mothers brought cast-off garments and, removing her soiled and ragged clothes, dressed her in clean attire. The sad eyes and patient face of the little one touched many hearts, and even knocked at them for entrance’. She kept silent, her eyes told more. By all means, she understood that “But none opened to take her in. Who wanted a bed-ridden child?’, thus the author shows us a remarkable piece of realistic character drawing. The author renders the atmosphere of her loneliness very artfully.Usage of such words as ‘tearful’, ‘scarcely’, ‘a sobbing farewell’, ‘refraining from a look’, ‘alone’ evoke an emotional response and the reader gets the vivid notion of the situation described. ‘O, Mr. Thompson!’ she cried out, catching her suspended breath, ‘don’t leave me here all alone!’, it has a very specific emotional colouring and the author conveys much while saying little. The author gives a very bright indirect characterization of Maggie’s personality: ‘…somebody’s arms must carry her, and mine are strong enough for that task’. On the one hand, this example shows how weak and helpless Maggie is and, on the other hand, the example demonstrates Mr. Thompson’s responsibility, his strong character. Besides, the author uses speech characterization to reveal Maggie’s personality. There is a dialogue which shows the personality of a small child, who is in despair, who has just lost her family but now has other parents, who is happy and sad at the same time, who doesn’t know what to expect next. In the dialogue Maggie gives very short replies. For example: “Yes, sir’, ‘He used to come’, ‘No, sir’. She is very polite,always said ‘sir’.

Mrs. Thompson

Mrs.Thompson is first introduced as a very cruel harsh character with little compassion * for Maggie, calling her a “sick brat”. Mrs Thompson was a bitter and angry person before Maggie came into her life.She had nothing to love and care for out of herself, and so became sore, irritable, ill-tempered, and self-afflicting in the desolation of her woman’s nature. But after spending time with Maggie, Mrs. Thompson is transformed and decided she wanted to take care of Maggie for a few more days, which eventually turned into the rest of her life. Mrs Thompson ends up falling in love with Maggie, and finds purpose in taking care and looking after her. Maggie and her love changed Mrs Thompson. The sweetness of that sick child, looking ever to her in love, patience, and gratitude, was as honey to her soul, and she carried her in her heart as well as in her arms like a precious burden. Mrs. Thompson’s character illuminates the theme of caring, and how caring for and loving others can bring the best out of someone and give someone a purpose for living. T. S. Arthur tells,‘Joe Thompson’s wife, who happened to be childless, was not a woman of saintly temper, nor much given to self-denial for others’ good…’. As for this phrase we may predict that Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are likely two poles apart.

Mr Thompson

‘Though rough in exterior, Joe Thompson, the wheelwright, had a heart, and it was very tender in some places. He liked children, and was pleased to have them come to his shop… ’ judging by this phrase we get to know that Mr. Thompson is really a kind-hearted sort of person, who loves to spend his time with children. Mr. Thompson is a strong man, but the experience with Maggie touched him greatly, that’s why he cried a little bit. And what is more, those tears proved that he was happy that his wife changed.

Minor characters

Farmer Jones and Mrs. Ellis, are minor characters and presented in the story, so to say, just directly: ‘Farmer Jones, after the coffin was taken out, placed John in his wagon and drove away, satisfied that he had done his part.

Mrs. Ellis spoke to Kate with a hurried air, ‘Bid your sister good by,’ and drew the tearful children apart ere scarcely their lips had touched in a sobbing farewell’.

‘ However, we may imagine what kind of people they are. They weren’t interested in Maggie’s life, they took children as things. They left Maggie alone and no one cared about her future life, to send Maggie to the poorhouse was the easiest way out.

Title

The title of the story “An Angel in Disguise” is symbolic. Maggie is an angel in disguise. She has some problem with her health but she makes the life of other people more interesting, happier and fills of sense. She gives a speck of happiness for Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. She is as a honey to Mrs. Thompson’s soul. She is a little girl with a pure, clear and light soul. Maggie was the angel who came into their house. She came disguised as a sick, helpless, and miserable child, and filled all its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love. The author says she is disguised because her true self of love and beauty was hidden from the eyes of everyone and only when the Thompsons selflessly cared and loved her did the angel shower them with happiness in their lives.

Setting

The events of the story happen in the village, where every man or woman knows each other. The setting of the events is presented in a general way. The setting of the events is realistic. The author doesn’t describe the place, but we can imagine this place from the context. This village is dark and gloomy, because all descriptions in the story are in dark colors. But at the end of the story this description changes and the author uses in description words with positive semantic.

Style

The speaker in this story is a third person omniscient narrator (all-knowing). The story is in the third person narration, because the narrator is not an active participant of events and does not have any special insight into the characters’ perceptions. This technique is used when the author wants to make the narration more objective and free from any personal attitude, positive or negative.

The narrator has a bias toward the children, especially Maggie, due to her predicament of being an orphan whom everyone is reluctant to take in. The narrator demonstrates this bias when he describes Maggie as having “sad eyes and a patient face”, that once you’ve read it, it stays forever engraved in your heart.

Critical Appreciation

‘An Angel in Disguise’ is a story about love, kindness, human feelings and bereavement. This story is about an angel with open heart and pure soul. At the beginning this story is very sad, because three children: John, Kate and Maggie are left alone, when their mother dies in a drunken fit right in front of their eyes. Maggie is the youngest child. She is hopelessly diseased, because two years before her mother’s death, she had fallen out of a window and had injured her spine. No one wants to take her to their house; no one wants to bother with her, except Mr. Thompson.

The title of the story “An Angel in Disguise” is symbolic. Maggie is an angel in disguise. She has some problem with her health but she makes the life of other people more interesting and happier. She brings a spark of happiness for Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. She is as a honey to Mrs. Thompson’s soul. She is a little girl with a pure, clear and light soul.

The author’s message is to help other people, because we should be kind, sympathetic and tender, because there maybe an angel in disguise for us. The main theme of the story is that people can change and feel love for others.

The story is in the third person narration, because the narrator is not a participant of events. So the narrator is not an active participant in the story and does not have any special insight into the characters’ perceptions. This technique is used when the author wants to make the narration more objective and free from any personal attitude, positive or negative.

The author uses a neutral vocabulary but there are emotionally positive words (love, tender, sunshine of love etc.) and negative words (idles, vice, burial and others), high-flown words (farewell, chord, garments) and low word (brat). All these words make the story bright and interesting. There are some dialectal words: ‘tis, ‘ere, sha’n’t they help us to get to know about the character’s social status and occupation.

The author uses metaphors: ‘Though rough in exterior, Joe Thompson’ (the author uses it to make the description of Joe brighter, to show that he has a kind heart), ‘white face’ (to show Maggie’s inner condition, to show her paleness), ‘pity took the place of anger’ (to show the feelings of people to these children more vivid). One more example of the metaphor is ‘he wrapped her with the gentleness almost of a woman’ (it is used to describe the real feeling of Mr. Thompson.). ‘Her voice struck a chord that quivered in a low strain of music’ (it is used to show how the little girl is afraid). The author uses the metaphor to encourage us to draw a comparison between seemingly unrelated things.

The author masterly uses rich and vivid epithets, such as ‘a decent interment of the body’, ‘a bound girl’, ‘sobbing farewell’, ‘miserable work’, ‘pitying glances’, ‘a rough man’, ‘a sad place’. The epithets make the images described by the author more creative and interesting.

The author uses personifications ‘… love was springing into life’, ‘a few words came’ (they are used to help us understand the situation better), ‘a soft feeling crept into the heart’, ‘a weight lifted itself from his heart’. The personifications are used to make plain sentences more interesting.

There is one example of oxymoron: ‘death touches the spring’ (in most cases spring means that everything revives, come to life, but in this case it means death). The author uses it to create an ironic sense.

There are some examples of repetition: the end of the sentence is repeated: ‘Now, it is a small thing for us to keep this poor motherless little one for a single night; to be kind to her for a single night; to make her life comfortable for a single night’. It is used to make the story more interesting and pay attention to the last word.

The author uses elliptical sentences, such as: ‘Right soon’, ‘Yes, sir’, ‘But not lately?’, ‘Take her to the poorhouse’. They are used to avoid unnecessary words, be brief and draw our attention to more necessary words.

Exclamatory sentences are used: ‘She was alone!’, ‘O, Mr. Thompson’. ‘Women’s hearts are not half so hard as men’s!’, ‘How his heart swelled in his boson!’ They are used to put a great importance to these sentences and draw our attention to these sentences.

Rhetoric questions are used_not only to draw our attention, but to touch the soul of every reader.: ‘Who wanted a bed-ridden child?’.

Inversion is used to point out the most prominent part of a sentence: ‘On entering, Joe did not go immediately to the little chamber’.

This short story seems to target both an audience of alcoholics and those who discriminate against handicapped or disabled people. It targets alcoholics because it displays the tragedy that alcohol can inflict on a family. It also targets those who discriminate because the story illustrates the joy and love that disabled people can bring to ones life, and how valuable their life truly is.

The tone of the short story begins as a melancholy one, because a woman, who no one seemed to previously care about, has passed away and the townspeople suddenly act as if they are in mourning. This tone continues as the narrator reveals that the children are orphans, and especially when none of the townspeople are willing to take little Maggie in. Once Joe Thompson takes Maggie to his house, the tone shifts from melancholy to hopeful; although Mrs. Thompson wants to send Maggie to the poorhouse, her kindness toward the child foreshadows a possible change in mind. Finally, once Mrs. Thompson realizes that Maggie is bringing the couple happiness, the tone ultimately shifts to loving and optimistic for the future.

The recurring motif of disease or sickness which begins with the mother’s alcoholism and continues with Maggie’s injury and sickness demonstrates that a simple character flaw can cause positive and negative things to occur in one’s life. T. S. Arthur wrote this short story in order to illustrate the importance of caring and loving for others. Not only does Maggie need the care and love of another to survive, but Mrs. Thompson also needs Maggie as someone to care and love for to live a happy purposeful life. This displays that humans cannot survive without other humans to give them purpose and direction. T. S Arthur proves that love is essential for human survival.

Glossary

  1. Idleness: the state of being indolence; laziness
  2. Temperance: Moderation of passion; patience; calmness
  3. Scoffed: to jeer; laugh at with contempt and derision
  4. Poorhouse: a charitable institution where poor or homeless people are lodged
  5. Saintly: like a characteristic of a saint
  6. Mended: to repair
  7. Shrink: to become smaller
  8. Apt: suitable, appropriate; fit
  9. Errand: a trip to accomplish a small mission or to do some business
  10. Countenance: Appearance, esp. The feature and expression of the face

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