CHAPTER 6: THE BROWNING VERSION

%%Written by: Terence Rattigan%%

Table of contents:

• Summary
• Glossary
• Textbook Questions and answers

Summary:

• This play is an extract from the play "The Browning Version' written by Terence Rattigan.
• Taplow is a student. He has been asked to stay behind by Mr Crocker-Harris, one of the teachers in a school.
• That day was the last day of the school before the holidays.
• Since the student had been ill for a day during the week and missed his class, Mr Crocker-Harris had given him some extra work and so he was still in school.
• The had told Taplow that he would be back by 6:30 before he left.
• Till then Taplow had to remain in school. It is now 6:40. But Mr Crocker-Harris had not returned.
• Another teacher Mr Frank came there and saw Taplow waiting for Mr Crocker-Harris. Mr Frank tells Taplow to go as Mr. Crocker had not arrived then.
• But Taplow refuses to do that as he is afraid of Mr Crocker.
• Mr Frank envies Mr Crocker Harris for the fear the students had developed for Mr Crocker.
• He also encourages Taplow to make fun of Mr Crocker-Harris.
• At that time Mrs Crocker-Harris arrives at the scene.
• She informs Taplow that her husband had gone somewhereand would take some time to be back.
• She also tells Taplow to go and play untill Mr Crocker. Harris came back. But Taplow was afraid to leave
• That instance Mrs Crocker assures Taplow that she would take the blame on her if he would to the chemist and buy some medicines for her.
• She actually intended to send Taplow from there.
• She was not urgently in need of the medicines.
• She only had a strong urge to help the poor boy to enjoy his freedom.
• Mr Crocker would not mind because the prescription given by the doctor was for him and not Mrs Millie Crocker-Harris.
• Taplow's marks are to be given by Mr Crocker. He was yet to declare marks for Taplow.
• If Mr Crocker would not find Taplow on his arrival then he would not give him (results) the required division.
• In such a case Taplow would not be promoted.
• It was for this reason that Taplow did not want to take a chance of leaving the school before the arrival of Mr Crocker-Harris.
• When he comes to know that the medicines are for Mr Crocker he is convinced to go to the chemist and leaves the school.

Glossary:

1. I gather-I understand
2. I believe - I understand, I take for granted
3. to know your fate-to know the things that will happen to someone
4. to be good deal more exciting-to be exciting in a large way
5. to have a considered view- that one thinks is right
6. words strung together words put together, joined together
7. to sound a little bitter- to express dislike for something
8. to ask outright - to ask in a direct way and without trying to hide anything
9. to have a throaty voice - a voice sounding low and rough
   10. to mark someone down-to reduce the marks given to someone in the examination
   11. to look severe - not having the look of kindness or sympathy
   12. not in the least like him- not at all like him
   13. before lock up-before the school is shut down for the day
   14. to be scared to death- to be very scared

Textbook Questions and answers:

^^1) Comment on the attitude shown by Taplow towards Crocker-Harris.^^

Ans.

• Crocker-Harris is Taplow's teacher. According to Taplow and me also; Mr Crocker Harris is a strict disciplinarian.
• He was a hard working teacher and fully devoted to his duty as he called Taplow even on the last day of school to make up for his missed class.
• No student in his entire career has a courage to 'cut' Mr Crocker-Harris.
• He is neither partial nor biased; he will give Taplow whatever he deserves.
• He tries to maintain an appropriate distance from his students.
• He never responds the feelings shown by his students and remains shrivel.
• He is a man of principals and keeps the rules of the school.
• His students like him even after his strict behaviour.
• His colleagues, even Frank, envy him for the effect he has on the students.
• He is strict but not a sadist that he seems to be.

^^2) Does Frank seem to encourage Taplow's comments on Crocker-Harris?^^

Ans.

• Frank encourages Taplow to comment on Mr Crocker-Harris by cleverly asking Taplow several questions.
• He appreciated Taplow's imitation of Mr Crocker-Harris and also asks him to repeat it.

^^3) What do you gather about Crocker Harris from the play?^^

Ans.

• Mr Harris is a teacher who would not compromise on the rules and regulations to suffice the sentiments of students.
• He believes in fair assessment of his students and is not swayed by emotions, as the man is hardly human.
• He is not a sadist, but strict in performance of his duties.
• Even on his last day at school, when he is over busy in own affairs he does not neglect his duty towards students.

^^4) Where did Taplow meet Frank?^^

Ans.

• Taplow had been asked to do some extra work by Mr Crocker-Harris.
• He was waiting for the master in the school. Frank also came there and meet Taplow.

^^5) What subjects does Taplow want to opt for? Why?^^

Ans.

• Taplow feels if his grades are good, he would opt for science.
• He feels science is more interesting than the study of classics.

^^6) What does Mr Frank suggest Taplow to do because Mr Crocker-Harris is ten minutes late?^^

Ans.

• Frank asked Taplow not to wait for Mr Crocker-Harris and play golf but Taplow is really shocked and is afraid that Mr Crocker-Harris may follow him home or do something else.

POEM 4: CHILDHOOD

%%Written by: Markus Natten%%

Table of contents:

• Summary
• Glossary
• Textbook Questions and answers.

Summary:

• In the first stanza the poet becomes pensive and want to know when he had lost his childhood.
• He feels that it may be the day when he had entered the twelfth year of his life. His parents must have given him the idea of Heaven and Hell.
• He had conceived this idea in his early days.
• But as he gained understanding he was unable to trace these anywhere and so he doubted their existance.
• All the same he is unsure if he had lost his childhood on that particular day.
• His parents often told him to follow certain modes of behaviour.
• The adults in his neighbourhood also instructed him to follow a set path of life.
• But he observed that they themselves did not pursue the same objectives.
• They were far from what they preached. They preached love but did not practise it.
• The poet questions himself if itwas the day when this realization dawned a grown up.
• The poet wants to know if he had own him that he ceased to be a child and became lost his childhood when he began to take his decisions and practise his own thinking and not depend on the thinking of others.
• It was perhaps on this day that he lost his childhood.
• The poet has now changed his mode of questioning.
• Now he wants to know where he has lost his childhood.
• The answer is easy. He says that it has gone hiding into some infant's face.
• Towards the end of the poem the poet expresses that the childhood is a lost memory.
• The fantacies and the moments associated with the childhood are recalled by us.
• All the same the innocence of the childhood is irrevocably lost.
• We can conclude that childhood has gone into oblivion.

Glossary:

1. Go: (here) leave , depart, disappear
2. Cease: discontinue to live, stop happening
3. Realise: understand, to become aware of
4. Seemed: appeared to be
5. Preached: told something is good or necessary.

Textbook Questions and answers:

^^1) What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?^^

Ans.

• According to the poem, the process of growing up involves the attainment of mental maturity.
• A person is said to be grown up when he has become logical, rational and is able to build his thoughts.
• A grown up has the power to distinguish between reality and fantasy.
• A grown up individual understands the actions of others just as the poet recognises the hiatus between the preaching and the practice of the adults.
• He realises the hypocrisy and the double standards maintained by the adults.
• A mature individual also asserts his thoughts and opinions.

^^2) What is the poet's feeling towards childhood?^^

Ans.

• The poet does not appear to feel sad or upset at the loss of his childhood.
• He only seems to be puzzled at the disappearance of childhood and the arrival of adulthood.
• He expresses his confusion when he asks the questions 'When and Where did my childhood go'?

^^3). Which do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?^^

Ans.

• The lines that seem to be the most poetic are: 'It went to some forgotten place, That's hidden in an infant's face; That's all I know.'
• These lines sum up beautifully the process of growth and the disappearance of a particular stage of life.
• These lines express metaphorically that an infant's innocent face hides many things behind its smiles.
• Perhaps the childhood also lies hidden somewhere in the child's consciousness.

^^4) How does the poem expose man and presents him in true colours?^^

Ans.

• Childhood symbolizes innocence, purity, softness and love.
• As a child grows, these qualities start receding.
• Man becomes impure, cunning, shrewd and hypocrite.
• Grown-ups become blatant liars. They talk of love but practice hatred.
• They preach brotherhood of mankind but perpetuate hatred and killing.
• Simplicity and honesty evaporate into thin air, the moment man crosses the threshold of innocent childhood.

^^5) What is the poet's feeling towards the childhood?^^

Ans.

• The poet regards childhood as a period of heavenly innocence.
• A child sincerely feels that there is god above.
• He is free from all earthly evils. He believes that there is really a Hell and a Heaven.
• He is truly religious in his soul. A child knows no hypocrisy. He always means what he says.
• There is no difference between his thoughts and actions.
• A child is free from any sense of ego.
• He does not think himself to be different from or superior to others.
• In short, childhood is a state of heavenly innocence and purity of heart.