A. antagonist; she seems to care more about herself than about those around her

The Blanket

by Floyd Dell

1 Petey had thought that Dad was pulling his leg. He hadn’t really believed that Dad would

be doing it—sending Granddad away. “Away” was what they were calling it. Not until now

could he believe it of his father.

2 But here was the blanket that Dad had bought for Granddad, and in the morning he’d be

going away. This was the last evening they’d be having together. Dad was off seeing that

girl he was to marry. He would not be back till late, so Petey and Granddad could sit up

and talk.

3 It was a fine September night, with a silver moon riding high. They washed up the

supper dishes and then took their chairs out onto the porch. “I’ll get my fiddle,” said the

old man, “and play you some of the old tunes.”

4 But instead of the fiddle he brought out the blanket. It was a big polymorphous blanket,

red with black stripes.

5 “Now, isn’t that a fine blanket!” said the old man, smoothing it over his knees. “And isn’t

your father a kind man to be giving the old fellow a blanket like that to go away with? It

cost something, it did—look at the wool of it! There’ll be few blankets there the equal of

this one!”

6 It was like Granddad to be saying that. He was trying to make it easier. He had pretended

all along that he wanted to go away to the great brick building—the government place in

the megalopolis. There he’d be with so many other old fellows, having the best of

everything. . . . But Petey hadn’t believed Dad would really do it, not until this night when

he brought home the blanket.

7 “Oh, yes, it’s a fine blanket,” said Petey. He got up and went into the house. He wasn’t

the kind to cry and, besides, he was too old for that. He’d just gone in to fetch Granddad’s

fiddle.

8 The blanket slid to the floor as the old man took the fiddle and stood up. He tuned up for

a minute, and then said, “This is one you’ll like to remember.”

9 Petey sat and looked out over the gully. Dad would marry that girl. Yes, that girl who

had kissed Petey and fussed over him, saying she’d try to be a good mother to him, and

all. . . .

10 The tune stopped suddenly. Granddad said, “It’s a fine girl your father’s going to marry.

He’ll be feeling young again with a pretty wife like that. And what would an old fellow like

me be doing around their house, getting in the way? An old nuisance, what with my

talks of aches and pains. It’s best that I go away, like I’m doing. One more tune or two,

and then we’ll be going to sleep. I’ll pack up my blanket in the morning.”

11 They didn’t hear the duo coming down the path. Dad had one arm around the girl, whose

bright face was like a doll’s. But they heard her when she laughed, right close by the porch.

Dad didn’t say anything, but the girl came forward and spoke to Granddad prettily: “I won’t

be here when you leave in the morning, so I came over to say good-bye.”

12 “It’s kind of you,” said Granddad, with his eyes cast down. Then, seeing the blanket at

his feet, he stooped to pick it up. “And will you look at this,” he said. “The fine blanket

my son has given me to go away with.”

13 “Yes,” she said. “It’s a fine blanket.” She felt the wool and repeated in surprise, “A fine

blanket—I’ll say it is!” She turned to Dad and said to him coldly, “That blanket really cost

something.”

14 Dad cleared his throat and said, “I wanted him to have the best. . . .”

15 “It’s double, too,” she said, as if accusing Dad.

16 “Yes,” said Granddad, “it’s double—a fine blanket for an old fellow to be going away with.”

17 The boy went suddenly into the house. He was looking for something. He could hear

that girl scolding Dad. She realized how much of Dad’s money—her money, really—had

gone for the blanket. Dad became angry in his slow way. And now she was suddenly

going away in a huff. . . .

18 As Petey came out, she turned and called back, “All the same, he doesn’t need a

double blanket!” And she ran off up the path.

19 Dad was looking after her as if he wasn’t sure what he ought to do.

20 “Oh, she’s right,” Petey said. “Here, Dad”—and he held out a pair of scissors. “Cut the

blanket in two.”

21 Both of them stared at the boy, startled. “Cut it in two, I tell you, Dad!” he cried out. “And

keep the other half.”

22 “That’s not a bad idea,” said Granddad gently. “I don’t need so much of a blanket.”

23 “Yes!” The boy’s voice thundered with the wrath of Zeus, “a single blanket’s enough for an

old man when he’s sent away. We’ll save the other half, Dad. It’ll come in handy later.”

24 “Now what do you mean by that?” asked Dad.

25 “I mean,” said the boy slowly, “that I’ll give it to you, Dad—when you’re old and I’m

sending you—away.”

26 There was a silence. Then Dad went over to Granddad and stood before him, not

speaking. But Granddad understood. He put out a hand and laid it on Dad’s shoulder.

And he heard Granddad whisper, “It’s all right, son. I knew you didn’t mean it. . . .” And

then Petey cried.

27 But it didn’t matter—because they were all crying together.

		English 9 – Midterm Exam 2011-2012

PART 1: Reading Analysis – Select the best answer for each question. 1¼ pt ea.

1. Who gave the blanket to Granddad?[9.4m]

A. Petey’s dad B. Petey’s mom C. Dad’s girlfriend D. Petey

2. Dad’s girlfriend can be considered the ______ of this story in that she ______—[9.4e]

A. antagonist; she seems to care more about herself than about those around her

B. hero; she fusses over Petey and says that she wants to be a good mother to him

C. protagonist; she seems to want the blanket for herself

D. star; she tells Granddad she won’t be there when he leaves

3. In paragraph 6, the reader can infer that “the government place” is —[9.4l]

A. a hospital C. a home for the elderly

B. a military base D. an apartment building

4. In paragraph 11, the ______ “whose bright face was like a doll’s” tells the reader that the

girlfriend is ______—[9.4f]

A. personification; shy and modest C. metaphor; happy and cheerful

B. hyperbole; clever but cruel D. simile; pretty but artificial

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 806