Vocabulary: Define the units below and illustrate their use in the text of the story.

THE HEROISM OF THOMAS CHADWICK

Shrewd; jolly; simple; subservient; portly; deferential; august; stupendous; common; to accept a snub from (no man); automaton; to deign to do…; the rag, tag and bob-tail of the town; to take something amiss; a turnstile man at matches; a chucker-out; a chamberlain; to smile with effulgence; a beatific smile; rogue; a rapt expression; (to speak) in one’s best unctuous voice; a martyr to (the cause); to be a character; to sail close to the wind; to outvie smb; to go short; into the bargain; to bring influence to bear in high quarters; to bear malice; to be a sublime fool in one’s idle folly; impertinent; to be dignified in smth/doing smth; to remain unimpaired; to be one’s somewhat spectacular-self; to board the car; gossip (n)/(v); imperial attitude; to feel oneself avenged; to do solemnly and meticulously; to be fully authorized; the unique (singular) conductor; to cherish one’s ideas; to be heroically loyal to one’s ideal; constitution; cf.: to glare/ to stare/ to glower/ to gaze; to wax on misfortune

COMMENTARY

· Bursley — one of the Five Towns (see the biography note on Arnold Bennett)

· a man who conscientiously objected to night duly. A humorous allusion to "conscientious objector", a person who refuses to do something (esp. to serve in the army) because his conscience tells him that it is wrong.

· how do — how do you elo (rapid coll.)

· behind'em — behind them (rapid coll.)

· m'm — madam (rapid coll.)

· yes'm — yes madam (rapid coll.)

· ye — you (dial.)

· don't know as it's any business of yours. Here and in other places note the dialectal use of "as" instead of "that".

· pecooniary — the dialect pronunciation of "pecuniary"

· it don't cost much — it doesn't cost much (ungramm., dial.)

· she give me a sovereign apiece for my grandsons — she gave me a sovereign for each of my two- grandsons (ungramm., dial)

A. TEXT EXERCISES

I. Translate into Russian.

• Pages 7-8. Begin with the words "Thomas Chadwick was a ‘character’ in the Five Towns." End with the words "and even went short himself with dignity."
• Page 9. Begin with the words "Further, he was ever a pillar and aid of the powers." End with the words "and he would quietly accept a snub from no man."

II. Explain the meaning of the italicized word-groups in the following sentences and supply their Russian equivalents. Use them in sentences of your own.

1. He saw his wife and children go hungry with dignity, and even went short himself with dignity. 2. Employers had no par­ticular objection to portliness, majesty and incorruptibility, but as a rule they demanded something else into the bargain. 3. Some said that Chadwick's natural tendency to sleep at night had been taken amiss by his master. 4. That Cnadwick had been able to obtain conductorship was proof that he could bring influences to bear in high quarters. 5. The driver held the power, but he'could not uso it until Tommy Chadwick gave him per­mission. 6. They all three wore the Federationist rosette, which was red to the bull in Thomas Chadwick. 7. But Thomas Chadwick felt that, having once been a policeman, he was at liberty to interpret the law to suit his own convenience. 8. Paul Ford was a man who never bore malice when the bearing of-malice might interfere with the gratification of his sense of humour. 9. "I'll tell ye what she did do. She give me a sovereign apiece for my grandsons. Ye can put that in your pipe and smoke it!"

A. Comment on the stylistic devices used in the following fragments. Point out cases of metaphor, simile, contrast, repetition, irony, and, if possible, explain the effect produced by the device.

1. "Characters" in the Five Towns are generally eitir.r very grim or very jolly, either exceptionally shrewd or exceptionally simple. 2. He had the constitution of a she-ass, and the calm, terrific appetite of an elephant. 3. He abandoned the uniform with dignity. He did everything with dignity. He looked for a situation with dignity, saw his wife and children go hungry with dignity, and even went short himself with dignity. 4. Thence forward he went through transformation after transformation, outvying the legendary chameleon. 5. The chances were just one to two that persons who travelled by car from or to Moorthorne did so under the majestic wing of Thomas Chadwick. His manner of starting a car was unique and stupendous. HeTnight have been signalling "full speed ahead" from the bridge of an Atlantic liner. 6. Rosettes of different colours flowered thicker and thicker in the streets, until nothing but a strong sense of politeness prevented members of the opposing parties from breaking each other's noses in St Luke's Square.

B. Study the syntax of the following extracts and comment on it in reference to style (Note the rhythm achieved by the syntactical structure of the extracts.)

1. He was a tobacconist, a park-keeper, a rent collector, a commission agent, a clerk, another clerk, still another clerk, a sweetstuff seller, a fried fish merchant, a coal agent, a book agent, a pawnbroker's assistant, a dog-breeder, a door-keeper, a board-school keeper, a chapel-keeper, a turnstile man at foot­ball matches, a coachman, a carter, a warehouseman, and a cliucker-out at the Empire Music Hall at Hanbridge. But he was nothing long.

2. But since the British Electric Traction Company had in: vaded the Five Towns, and formed a subsidiary local company, and constructed dozens of miles of new line, and electrified every­thing, and raised prices, and abolished season-tickets, and quick­ened services, and built hundreds of cars and engaged hundreds of conductors — since then a tram-conductor had been naught but an unhuman automaton in a vast machine-like organization. And passengers no longer had their favourite conductors.

C. Pick out from the story epithets characterizing Thomas Chadwicjt and comment on them. Pay a special attention to such attributes as"majestic","imperial", "august", etc., and explain the author's aim in using them.

III. Consult the following list of Chadwick's numerous jobs and give a-brief explanation of the duties each of them involves.

Model: A tobacconist is a person selling cigarettes, cigars and tobacco.

a night watchman; a park-keeper; a rent-collector; a clerk; a sweetstuff seller; a book agent; a pawnbroker's assistant; a dog- breeder; a door-keeper; a turnstile man at football matches; a coachman; a carter; a warehouseman; a chucker-out.

B. DISCUSSION

I. Answer the following questions.

1. What does the author mean when he says that Thomas Chadwick was a "character" in the Five Towns? 2.. How does the author describe Chadwick's appearance and manner? 3. Did these truly reflect his real nature? What was he like, really? 4. Why had he left the police force? Do you think it was true that "the •strain was beyond his strength" or was there some other reason? 5. Why was it so difficult for him to find a job after he had left the police force? 6. What jobs did he change? (Enumerate, at least, some of them.) 7. How does the author describe Chadwick's manner of performing the duties of a tram-conductor? 8. What were Chadwick's political activities? What does the word "anti- Federationist" imply in the story? Do you think it was accidental that Chadwick joined anti-Federationists or can it be easily explained by certain features of his character? 9. What did Mrs Clayton Vernon leave behind in the tram car? 10! What did Chad­wick do with the purse found in the car? What should he have done with it? Why didn't he hand over the purse to the police? 11. How did Mrs Clay ton Vernon receive him? Was it the kind of welcome he had anticipated? 12. What did she give him? Do you think it was a generous gift? How does the fact characterize the lady? 13."What kind of man was Paul Ford? Why was it that everything Chadwick said gaVe immense amusement to Paul Ford? 14. What did Chadwick answer when Paul Ford asked him how much money Mrs Clayton Vernon had given him? Why did he tell the lie? 15. How and when was his lie found out? 16. What was Chadwick's inward reaction to the ridiculous posi­tion in which he found himself? How did he behave outwardly? Why did he control his anger? 17. How does the story end?

II. Discuss the character of Thomas Chadwick.

1. Give a brief outline of Thomas Chadwick's provisional career. Point out the features of his character which made it impossible for him to retain any situation for a long time.

2. Describe Thomas Chadwick in the role of a tram-conductor. \Vas there any discrepancy between his mien and carriage, on the one hand, and his humble role, on the other? What wis the discrepancy? Did people travelling in his car notice it? Prove that they did (refer to certain episodes of the story). How did Chadwick treat his passengers? Do you think it was the proper way?

3. Speak on Chadwick's attitude to people in general and Mrs Clayton Vernon in particular. How can you explain his great admiration for the lady? Did he admire her for her personal qualities or were there any other reasons for his attitude? How does Chadwick's treatment of people of different social posi­tions characterize him?

4. Say a few words about Chadwick's political views. Es­pecially comment on the passage at p. 9 beginning with the words: "Further, he was ever a pillar and aid of the powers".

5. Speak on the author's attitude to Thomas Chadwick. Does, the author treat this character with humour, with irony, with touches of satire? Pick out from the text of the story those sentences and passages in which the author's attitude is es­pecially keenly felt.

6. Comment on the method used by the author in depicting the character of Thomas Chadwick. Is Chadwick characterized directly, through the author's descriptions, or indirectly, through his actions, behaviour and speech? (Give examples from the story.) Is the character presented statically or in development? Do you think that the author managed to create a vivid, true- to-life portrait in the character of Chadwick? Is Chadwick to be regarded as a typical figure or is he just an amusing exception?

III. Comment on the title of the story. Explain the word"heroism" in the title. Is it used ironically?

IV. Discuss the composition and language of the story.

1. Comment on the way the author opens his narration. What is the effect.achieved by beginning the story in this way? 2. Say a few words about the composition. Point, out the main parts into which the story can be divided and summarize the contents of each part in one or two sentences. 3. Say a few words about the plot of the story. Does it play an important role in this story? Outline the plot as briefly as you can. 4. Comment on the style and language of the story. Pick out at least fifteen sentences (or passages) which you consider especially, characteristic and comment on them! Does the author make a wide use of synonymy and, if so, for what purpose? (Give examples and comment on them.) Is his narration emotional? Is it humorous? (Find ex­amples.) How does he use syntax? Summarizing it all, do you like the language of the story or do you not? (Illustrate whatever you say by examples from the story.)

Date: 2015-12-18; view: 1184