Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck, summary of Class 11 opt English

A matter of husbands Ferenc Molnar class 12 one act play

Unit : four – One act Plays (notes)

A matter of husbands

Ferenc Molnar

Ferenc Molnar is a Hungarian playwright. His primary aim was to entertain people by transforming his personal experiences into literary works of art. His well-known plays are The Devil, Lilion and The Swan, etc.  A Matter of Husband was originally written in Hungarian Language but later translated into English by Benjamin Glazer.

Characters

 1. Earnest Young Woman: Innocent woman who suspects that her husband has an affair with a famous actress. She has visited her to plead with her husband to get him back.  

2. Famous Actress:  she assures the young woman that she doesn't have any relationship with her husband but finally she explores the reality.

3. Alfred: Husband of Earnest

The setting of the play

The setting of the play is very simple; in a dressing room of a famous actress. The room is very attractively decorated with good furniture like sofa and chairs. It is about afternoon when the curtain rises the Earnest young woman is discovered. She is sitting on the edge of a golden chair nervously. It looks, she was waiting for someone there. At last, a famous actress enters through the curtained door at the right which leads to her boudoir (dressing room).

Summary of the play

The young woman is a very simple and non-fashioned woman who has got married to a lawyer whose name is Alfred. She feels many changes in her husband's behavior. He doesn't give her proper attention, love, affection, and care to her.  She is worried about the behavior of her husband. She knows the fact from a florist's that he sends flowers to an actress twice a week. And she gets a love letter written to an actress which she has found on a desk. This thing makes her sure that the actress and her husband have affair.

The young woman is very angry and she asks the actress to give her husband back. The actress performs as nothing knowing about her. She says that she has seen her husband two or three times after their contract was over. She is not sure whether he wears spectacles or not. The young woman accuses her of getting her husband and she has to return him back. The actress calmly says that she hasn't any relationship with her husband. But the young woman says that she has some proof that he sends flowers to her and his letter addresses the actress. The actress gets surprised by her insists. The actress tries to assure that she doesn't have any relation with him. She explains to her that her husband might be playing a comedy trick to make her jealous and regain her love again. The actress gives many examples of men getting impressed with the actress that has created dispute in their family relationships. Finally, she says that she has not any relation with him and neither getting any flowers nor getting any letter. It might be her husband's trick to order a rose from the home and cancel the order from the office, writing a letter and deliberately leaving the letter on the desk so that his wife could see and become jealous.  The actress says that if they have an affair she might find a letter written to her husband.  Earnest young woman believes in her words and apologizes for her suspicion and rude behavior. She promises not to care his any activities which are done to make her jealous. She returns to her home. Earnest the young woman thanks to the actress and takes her journey. At this time,  the actress calls Alfred to come out because his wife has gone outside. 

 

The Three Knights Davies Gilbert Poem, class 12 opt English

 

The Three Knights

Davies Gilbert

Davies Gilbert was born on 6 March 1767. He was the second of three children. He was a Cornish engineer, author, and politician. He worked as the president of the Royal Society. The poem "the Three Knights" was written in the appendix of his work Christmas Carols. In the poem, he had missed something after the 8^th stanza. The Three Knights was a popular narrative poem and a ballade. It has some refrain (repetition of some lines in the verse) in the poem.

The three knights were coming from the west. They saw a beautiful lady on the way. She was as beautiful as the rose which was sweetly blown. The first knight who was in white dress proposed to her to give her delight in her life.  The second knight who was in green dress also proposed her to be his queen. And the third knight who was in red dress asked her if she would wed.

Then, the Lady asked the soldiers if they had asked her father, mother, brother, and sister about their proposal to her. it was not clear that who was going to marry her. They answered that they had asked her father, mother, and sister. They ware agreed to their proposal. But they didn't ask John her brother. It was because they have seen her brother far on the road where his daughter stooped (bent) low to kiss him at that time he had pierced (to make a wound) to her heart and it was started bleeding. Her servant noticed that there was bleeding on her dress and cried to the soldiers that their wife was looking pale and weak.  The wounded lady had lost her hope of life and wished to remain so far distance in the hill where she could fulfill her will. The soldiers asked her about her wishes. She answered that she would give a gallant (brave horse) steed to her father, a wedding dress to her mother, and a gold ring to her sister Anne. It was needed to wash her wedding dress because there were bloodstains in each part of that cloth. Finally, she wished to give a rope and a gallows to her brother which might be used to hang him on. And she wished to give a widower's dress and quiet life to her brother's wife.

In the poem, the soldier who is wearing red clothes was going to marry her. It means he might be involved in the act of helping her therefore his clothes are red due to her blood. He knows that her brother has made her wound. So he doesn't ask to get an agreement with her brother. Finally, she wished to give a gallant horse to her father which has saved her. The horse might be the horse of that soldier. From the story, John was not happy with the decision of his sister to marry the soldier. So he is trying to kill his own sister in his rage. The ballad tries to show the theme of family relationships, love affairs, rejection of family members, etc. 

Of Mice and men novella Plot Summary by John Steinbeck class 11 opt English

Plot Summary of the Novella

Chapter One

George Milton and Lennie Small are the two main characters of the novella. They are displaced and migrated ranch workers who move from place to place in California in search of new job opportunities. The setting of the story happened a few miles south of Soledad (a coastal California city south of San Francisco) the Salinas River flows deep in close to the hillside bank of rocky Gabilan Mountain. On the sandy bank, rabbits come to the brush to sit on and drink water at night. There was a path through the forest made by the boys coming down the ranches to swim in the pool.

Two boys appeared in that silent jungle. They were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. They were wearing black shapeless hats and they are carrying tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders.  The first man was small and quick, dark of face with restless eyes, and sharp strong features. His every part is defined: small, strong hand, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him waking his opposite a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders and he walked heavily; dragging his feet a little as a bear drags his paws. His arm didn't swing at his sides but hung loosely.

Lennie wipes his sweat hand with his forefingers and snapped the moisture off. He reached to the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps, snoring into the water like a horse. George stepped nervously beside him and said to Lennie not to drink so much unsafe water. Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splash rings widened across the pool to the other side, which he watches them go. George knelt beside the pol and drank from his hand with quick scoops. It was good to taste but he warns Lennie not to drink any water that doesn't run. They are walking in search of a good job on a ranch. George remembers that he would be at the gate of the ranch if the bus driver knew what George was talking about. Lennie asks George where they are going. Lennie forgets things very easily although he doesn't want to do that. He behaves like an innocent baby. George reminds him where they are going. George has to tell the same thing again and again to remind him. George tells him that they are going to Murray and Ready's who would give them work cards and a bus ticket. Lennie puts his hand into his side pocket and takes out a dead mouse. Lennie likes to touch soft things but he doesn't care about their softness. While touching that mouse he might have killed it. George took the mouse and throws to the other side among the bush. He adds that they are going to work on a ranch like the one, which they have done earlier.

The ranch where they are going to is right down there about a quarter-mile. They are going to see the boss. They will give them a work ticket and start working there. He warns Lennie not to speak any word to the boss. George threatens Lennie not to repeat the same thing that he has done in ranch weed. Lennie easily forgets things and do the same mistake again and again. It always leads George to great trouble. So George used to think that he would be happy and might have a beautiful girl with him if he didn't have a fellow like Lennie.

They can't reach their workplace and plans to stay a night in the jungle. Lennie collects some dead willow sticks to cook supper. They heat the beans and have supper there. While collecting dead sticks Lennie finds the same mouse and brings it. George becomes angry, snaps on his finger, and throws that mouse very far. Lennie starts to weep and George promises to give him a fresh mouse for a while. Lennie remembers a lady giving him the mouse. She was his aunt Clara who was died. She stopped giving them to him because he always kills them. Lennie pinched on their head with love and they dies. Lennie wishes to get the rabbit, which is not small.

George imagines his own free life if there is not Lennie with him. He could live so easy, could get a job, could do whatever he wishes, could stay in any place and would eat anything and could get a gallon of whisky, could get married and live happily. George expresses his disappointment to Lennie. Lennie gets serious and says that he would go to the hills and search for a cave to live in if George doesn't want him.  George doesn't allow him to go away because he has promised Aunt Clara that he would take care of him. In this time Lennie says politely George tells them about their plan. George tells the plan that they will work on a ranch, they will earn a lot and buy their own land, have some horses, a cow, a big vegetable patch, and rabbit hunch and chicken.

They set by the fire and have beans. George warns Lennie not to speak a word to the boss tomorrow. If Lennie speaks badly to the boss they may not get a job. George reminds Lennie not to forget this place where they are staying at night and have some beans. If Lennie gets into y trouble and feels insecure, he is requested to remain in this place and hide in the bush until George arrived at him. Then they sleep on the sand. 

Chapter Two

They reached the bunkhouse, it was a long, rectangular building, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted. At about 10 o'clock in the morning a tall old man came in. the old man said that he was waiting them last night. They talked about the nature of the boss. The boss asks them about their late arrival, their name, and job experiences,  etc.  When boss asks some questions, Lennie but George answers them. Lennie remain silent as George told him. Boss wants to know if Lennie is dumb. George explains that they used to work together on a ranch, Lennie is a slow-minded person but he can follow the order and work perfectly. The boss admits them to work and sends them to the team of Slim. They get a room. There are some boxes to sit on and a table to play cards in their free time. Slim is a smart big tall skinner (skilled Mule driver) of the bunkhouse.

A young man enters the bunkhouse; a thin man with a brown face and head of tightly curled hair with brown eyes. His name is Curley – boss's son. He is pretty handy (fighting easily). He has done quite a bit in-ring and lightweight, and he is handy. He hates big guys like slim and Lennie. Therefore, everybody gets frightened of Curley. Curley knocks Lennie by his side pretending as walking. Curly wants him to dominate in the first meeting. He has married a couple of weeks ago. His wife lives in the boss's house. He has worn a glove because he wanted to make his hand soft for his wife. He doesn't have any faith in his wife. He suspects her when she talks to the men of the spaced bunkhouse. He is more suspicious to slim. After a moment Curley's wife appears in their room. She has full rouged lips and wide space eyes, red fingernails, her hair is hanging in little rolled clusters like sausage. She has worn a cotton housedress. George guesses that Curley has got married a tart woman (A prostitute woman). Curley comes to George and Lennie and scolds them not to see his wife. They don't like to work in this place but they didn't have any option. They think, to stay for few days for few dollars. George warns Lennie again not to make any trouble with Curly and his wife as he had done in a weed.

A tall man stands in the doorway. He hold a crushed Stetson hat under his arm while he combed his long, black, damp hair straight back. Like others, he wears blue jeans and a short denim jacket. He is a jerking skinner, the prince of the ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders. He looks gentle and all stops when he speaks. His authority is so great that his word is taken on any subject, be it politics or love. He is about thirty-five or fifty. His name is Slim. He introduces himself with Lennie and George. They are working in the team of Slim. His dog has got some puppies.

 

A big-stomached man enters the Bunkhouse. His name was Carlson. Slim introduces George and Lennie to Carlson. Slim's dog has got nine puppies that he wants to keep only five of because the bitch couldn't feed them all. In the bunkhouse, there is an old man whose name is Candy. Candy explains about Curley and his wife, and about the bunkhouse. Candy has an old dog.  Candy is old and handicapped. He has only one hand, he is not respected in that Bunkhouse. He has worked as a Swampier (sweep the ground). He likes his old dog that was his sheepdog at a young age. It frequently enters the room that Carlson doesn't like. This dog is so old which can't eat and walk properly. It doesn't have any teeth and Candy feeds only milk. It is blind and smells very bad that they can't stand. Carlson tells him to kill it but Candy doesn't get ready.

Chapter Three

Slim and George come into the darkening bunkhouse together. They go to the card table and sat on the box. Slim feels sorry for drowning four puppies. George thanks him for drowning them otherwise Lennie would sleep with them in the barn slim compares George as bright and brilliant and Lennie as a cuckoo very slow.

Lennie has gone outside with puppies. George and Slim start to talk about Lennie. George explains that he is together with Lennie when his aunt Clara died. She told George to take care of him. George explains to Slim that he enjoys Lennie because he is dumb and it is very funny to make a joke over him. George told an event about Lennie- they were standing at the Sacramento River and told him to jump in, Lennie immediately jumped into the river and nearly drowned but later he forgot what was told him to do. George told Slim about weed. Lennie saw a girl in a red dress. He wanted to touch her dress and tries to touch her dress. She started to cry and, everybody came and accused him of trying to rape her. In fact Lennie didn't have any motive to rape her but just wanted to touch that clothes.

Lennie enters the room and George asks him about the pup. Lennie explains that they are brown and white which he likes most. Lennie is keeping the pup inside his clothes so George scolds him not to bring that pup in the room and tells him to send that pub in its nest with his mother.

It was almost dark outside old Candy the swampier has entered and his old dog follows him. Carlson also enters the bunk and tells Candy to keep the old dog outside. It doesn't have any teeth and can't walk properly. Carlson tells Candy to shoot that dog, it will be better for the dog and all. Firstly Candy doesn't like to shoot it because he loves it much and keeping it from it was a puppy. This dog was a , good shepherd or sheepdog but now suffering itself. Therefore it is better to shoot it for its relief. Finally Candy gets ready and tells someone to shoot the dog. Carlson tells that he would shoot the dog from its back and the dog even doesn't feel any pain and suffering. Slim's bitch has got puppies and he would give any of them in the place of an old dog. Carlson takes out a Luger Pistol and takes that old dog away and shoots. The sound of shooting comes into the room when Candy was in deep thought and staring at the ceiling. Candy satirically says that there should be somebody to shoot him if he gets old and crippled.

Whit enters the bunkhouse and asks slim to read the magazine in which a worker has written an editorial who used to work in the same bunk. His name was Bill Termer. Whit talks about Curley's wife and relates it with old Susy's place. She cracks' jokes. She got five girls there.

Curley comes and asked the guys if they had seen his wife.  Curly doesn't see Slim in the room and suspects that they might be together. They don't have an affair but Curley suspects them. Carlson cleans his gun and puts it into his bag. Whit and Carlson go out to see her but Lennie and George remain in the room. They want to make a fuss between them and have enjoyment. George doesn't want to mix up in anything and warns Lennie not to care about them. 

Lennie enquire to George, "How long it is going to be till we get that little place and live on the fatta' the lan' and rabbit?" George doesn't pay attention to his question but candy is listening to them attentively. George explains that their land will be ten acres and they will have got a windmill, chicken would run, will have got kitchen, orchard, cherries, apples, peaches, nuts, and a few berries. They would kill the pig and smoke the bacon and hams and make sausage and all like. They would have caught a hundred salmons (fish) and smoked them. When the fruits will come they could can them. Every Sunday they will kill a chicken or a rabbit. They would have some cow or goat from they would make cream and have with a spoon. They would have vegetables in the garden and have little whisky. They would have a little house with a little fat iron stove, and in the winter they would keep a fire going in it. They would have plenty of rabbits to eat and sell. They would keep a few pigeons to go flying around the windmill. They would have a setter dog and it couples of stripe cats.

Candy likes their plan and wishes to invest three hundred and fifty bucks in their project. They believed it costs about six hundred bucks. They can manage by their own salary. Candy is the old man who has lost his one hand on this ranch and has no relatives. He is alone in his old age and wants to stay with them in his own investment. If he invested he will be secure in his old age. He knows that they may shoot him in the bunkhouse in his old age as his dog. He doesn't do hard labor but can do cooking, cleaning, and looking after the chicken and to care for the garden, etc. George gets happy because their dream is going to be true. They try to keep secret their plan and promise not to tell anyone.

Slim, Curly, Carlson, and Whit enter the room where Candy, George, and Lennie talk about their plan. Slim and Curly argue about Curly's wife. Slim threatens Curly not to follow and bother him rather keep his wife with him all the time. Slim doesn't have any interest in Atone's wife. In this time Lennie remembers about his dream plan and accidentally laughs. Curley's rage explodes upon Lennie. Curly attacks upon innocent Lennie. Lennie waits for George's response. Curly punched over his nose and it starts bleeding. One of Lennie's eyes is also cut and blood runs over his face. Lennie got furious and garbs his fist with his big paws tightly and crushed his hand. Lennie is strong enough when Curly couldn't escape from him. Curly starts to cry and George Slaps Lennie and Lennie lets him free.

Slim plans to take him hospital. George is worried that they will get to be canned (fired from work) but Slim manages the things. If Curley tells the truth everybody laughs at him and Lennie will be canned. If he keeps this secret all will be safe. Slim tells him to say that he got his hand caught in a machine and Curly agrees. Lennie feels very sorry for his mistake, he is not willing to harm him but unexpectedly happens to him. Lennie is worried that George won't give him any rabbit.

Chapter Four

In chapter four we can see the description of Crooks' room and his feelings. Crooks is a Negro stable buck. He is living alone in a room. His room is not together with other white people. He is living in a separate room. In his room, we can see the repairing tools like broken harness (repairing piece) stripe of a few pieces of leather, curved knife, and needles, ball of lined thread, and small riveter. He is crippled and alone he possesses several pairs of shoes, a big alarm clock, a single-barreled shotgun, some books, and a tattered (torn) dictionary, and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. His room is very neatly swept and clean. Crooks is very old, his body is bent over to the left by his crooked spine, his eyes lay deep in his head.  His face is lined with deep black wrinkles. Lennie comes up to the Crooks' room. Crooks doesn't want him to enter the room. Lennie has gone to his room to search for his puppy. He is not living in bunkhouse other people don't want him to enter the bunkhouse and Crooks also doesn't want anybody to enter his room because he is black. In the bunkhouse, there were Lennie, Crooks, and Candy. Candy is sharpening the pencil and figuring their dream. Crooks told Lennie about his past. He was not a southern Negro, and he was born in California. His old man had a chicken ranch where white kids used to come to play but his man didn't like that. It was because of racial discrimination. Lennie is so possessive and dependent on George. Crooks asked Lennie what he would do if George didn't return back to the bunkhouse. Lennie is sure that George would certainly come back because they are living together long ago and nobody could hurt him. Crooks express his feelings of loneliness. Sometimes a lonely man thinking or reading a book at night, asleep,a  or something else. There is nobody to ask him what is happening to him. He remembers that he had two brothers they were always near him and used to sleep in the same room, in the same bed- all three. Lennie tells about their dram. Crooks criticizes Lennie as everybody walking in the road, hundred of them have a dream of having a piece of land in their head but they never get. Candy comes to Crooks and Crooks satirically tells him to come in the room if he wants because it is the room of black man. Crooks says that there were many guys willing to have their own land but nobody acquired any of them. Candy tries to assure Crooks that along with George they are planning to buy their own land soon.

Curley's wife comes there to search for her husband. She is an attractive and fashionable woman. She looks around the faces of these people. She left the weak faces of candy and Crook but looks at Lennie eagerly. These guys don't want her to remain there for long. They are scared because if Curley sees her talking with them he might be angry with them. However, Lennie is fascinated by her. She tells about her husband who suspects his own wife. Crooks said coldly she shouldn't stay long in a colored man's room. He shouts her to get out otherwise he would tell it about the boss. But she argued that he can't do anything to bunkhouse her. Nobody would listen about them, she adds. They hear somebody coming so Curley's wife goes away to the bunk house. Crooks want all these people to go away from his room because bunkhouse these people don't like people going to colored man's room. George comes and searches Lennie. Lennie is lying in Crooks' room he scolds Lennie for living in the Crooks' room. Candy comes and tells that he is figuring their plan. George got disappointed for not keeping their plan secret. Therefore, Candy tells Crooks that was not any plan only joking. They are not going to leave the place.

Chapter Five

One end of the great barn is piled high with new hay and over the pile hung the four–taloned Jackson fork suspended from its pulley. The hay comes down like a mountain slope to the other end of the barn. It was Saturday afternoon only Lennie was in the barn sitting in the hay beside a packing case under a manager at the end of the barn that had not been filled with hay. He sat in the hay and looked at a little dead puppy that lay in front of him. The puppy tried to bite him so he killed it. This made him very sad because if George knows that he won't give him any rabbit. He know as that he didn't bounce it hard but it died. Therefore, Lennie started to lament and cry to the dead puppy. He cried, "Why do you got to get killed, you ain't so little as mice". He picked up the puppy and hide under the hay. At get this time Curley's wife appears when Lennie couldn't see that she was coming. She asked about Lennie and his puppy. Lennie doesn't want to talk to her because George had warned him not to talk to her. Lennie says, "I can't tend to no rabbit if I talk to you or anything". She laughs to his innocent behavior. She says, "If Curly scold you, you can break his other hand as it was caught in a machine". But Lennie doesn't want to talk to her. She knows his innocent behavior and tries to talk about a dead puppy that Lennie hiding. She is the very fashionable woman who likes to be a film star. She is wearing her bright cotton dress and the mules with the red ostrich feathers. She consoles him that he needn't be worried because she would give a mutt (mongrel dog). She moved close to him and speaks soothingly, "don't you worry about talking to me, the guys have gone to the tenement. But Lennie repeats the same thing that George wouldn't have given him any rabbit if he knows that he had talked to her".  It made her angry and said, "What's the matter with me? Ain't I got a right to talk to anybody? Whatta they think I am anyway? What kinda harm am I doing to you? None cares how I gotta live." She adds that she can't live like that an animal in a house. She was nearly selected as a movie star when she was only fifteen. Her lady didn't let her to do that. She explains that she went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He wanted her to put in movies and promised to write her a letter but he didn't write any letter then she married Curly. She hadn't told that secret to anyone before. She says that she doesn't like Curley and he is not a nice fellow. She told her story to Lenny in order to impress him. But nothing touches him. Lennie doesn't have any interest in her sayings and he is only worried about his own problem that George wouldn't give him any rabbit if he finds any wrong with him. Curley's wife said angrily, "Don't you think of nothing but rabbit?" At this time Lennie starts to tell her about their dream. When she starts to talk about the rabbit Lennie gets closer to her, till he was right against her. He says, "I like to pet nice things". He likes to touch soft things like silk and velvet. He remembers his Aunt Clara gave him a big piece of velvet. Which he has lost. Curley's wife laughs at him and tells, " You are a kinda nice fella, jus' a big baby". She says that her hair is very soft but Curley's hair is very hard as wire. She took Lennie's hand and put it on her head and told him to feel right around how soft it is. But warns him not to muss it up. Lennie's big fingers feel to stroking her hair and start to muss it up. It gives her pain and starts to cry. But Lennie's finger closed on her hair and hang on. She starts to cry Lennie frightens and tries to keep her silence by pressing her mouth with another hand. He said, "Please don't, Please don't do that, George will be mad". She struggles violently under his hands but can't escape from his hand. Lennie is strong enough if he catches something in his hand nobody gets to escape from him. Her hoarse cry comes out. Lennie got furious that George would scold him. So he pressed her hard and breaks her neck. He looks down at her and carefully removes his hand from over her mouth. She lays still and knows that she is dead.  Lennie cries, "I don't want to hurt you, but George will be mad if you yell". She doesn't answer and he realizes that he had done another bad thing. He pawed up the hay on her until it is partly covered.

From outside the barn comes a cry of men. The first time Lennie becomes conscious about the outside. He remembers about George's remark, "Hide in a bush till he will not come". Lennie observes a dead puppy and a pretty girl laying on bunkhouse the hay. He disappears from the bunkhouse. Bunkhouse gets silent. After some time Candy comes and calls Lennie to show the figure of their dream. He finds Curley's wife laying and touches her and finds that she has already died. He told George about it and they tries to search for Lennie but don't find him there. Candy says," you and me can get the little place, can't we George?" George doesn't answer him. He tells, "maybe they won't hurt him, they got to bring him in, I ain't gone let 'em hurt Lennie, now you listen! The guys might think I was on it. I'm gonna go in the bunkhouse, then in a minute you come out and tell the guys about her, and I'll come along and make like I have never seen her". Candy agrees.

Outside the noise of the game stops and voices of people raises near the bunkhouse the. Slim, Carlson, Whit, Curly, and Cooks enter, bunkhouse the bunk house, Candy comes after them and last of all comes George. They find Curley's wife dead. Curly gets sure that Lennie might have done all that. He goes to search for his shotgun to kill him. Slim and George talk about Lennie. Slim recalls what Lennie had done in Weed. They guess that he might have gone to the south. Curly blames that the bastard had stolen his luger shotgun. They leave to search for him.

Chapter Six

The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still in the late afternoon. Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan Mountains and the hilltops were rosy in the sun. But by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen. Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves. The heron pounded the air with its wings, jacked itself clear of the water and, flew off downriver. The little snake slid in among the reeds at the pool's side.

Lennie came quietly to the pool's edge. He knelt down and drank, barely touching his lips to the water. When a little bird skittered over the dry leaves behind him, his head jerked up and he strained toward the sound with eyes and ears until he saw the bird, and then he dropped his head and drank again. He sat down on the bank and said softly, "I didn't forget, you bet, God damn. Hide in the bush an' wait for George, George gonna give me hell". He said,  " George gonna wish he was alone an' not have me bothering' him". He looked up the mountain " I can go right off there an' find a cave" he continued sadly, " –an have no ketchup(tomato sauce)-but I won't care doesn't, if George  doesn't want me ..... I will go away"

There came an image of a fat woman scolding him for doing the bad thing again. She said," I tol' you an' tol' you 'Min' George because he's such a nice fella an' good to you; but you never take no care, you do the bad thing".  Lennie answers, "I tried, Aunt Clara, Ma'ma, I tried and tried but I couldn't help him." In this way, Lennie's Aunt Clara scolds him for giving trouble to George. George had been doing nice things to him, when he got a piece of pie always gave a half or more than to Lennie. He used to give all catchup to Lennie. George has cared much about Lennie but he always put him into trouble. Lennie also got frustrated and wished to climb the mountain and live in a cave so that he won't give any trouble. After sometimes there comes a rabbit in his imagination. The rabbit is also saying that George is going to beat the hell out, then go away and leave you. But Lennie doesn't believe and says that he knows George well and they had lived together for a long time.

At a silence,  with this time George arrives and sits down near him.  George was in a much-tensed mood and Lennie asks if George is going to live with him. George remains silent. George doesn't have any word to answer him. George imagines that if he was alone he would have firm and many more things.  Lennie asked, "Ain't y, you  gonna give me hell?" George patiently, "No, I want you to stay with me here".  There came a shout of men closer to them. George told Lennie to take off his hat and look across the river. Lennie honestly does as George said. George tells them their dream last time, very soon they will have a little land and chicken, pig, and a little piece of alfalfa for their rabbit. George is taking out his gun and removing off the safety, he is still hearing the noise of guys coming near and telling stories to Lennie. Lennie is excited about his dream and looks across the river.  George is explaining that Lennie is not going to give any trouble to anybody. Moreover, nobody is troubling him. George says that he is not mad at Lennie and he is doing all things very wisely. He tells Lennie to get that place just now. Lennie delights and George shoots him from the back to about the part of his head.  Lennie very slowly lays on the sand of a bank. George throws the gun from his hand. All the people hear the sound of bullets and come up there. George about A explains that he had done that with a gun of Carlson's. Slim and George leave the place and go to drink water. 

By Bishnu Sharma
 

Of Mice and Men by John Ernst Steinbeck novella background of the writer and story

Of Mice and men

John Ernst Steinbeck

About the novelist and the novel

John Steinbeck was born on 27^th February 1902 and died on 20 December1968. He was born in Salinas, California. He graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 and went on to study English literature at Stanford University, but he left in 1925 without taking a degree. He worked as a manual laborer before achieving success as a writer. His works often dealt with social and economic issues. His works often dealt with social and economic issues. His first novel, Cup of Gold (1929), Of Mice and Men (1937) The Grapes of Wrath (1919). The Grapes of Wrath won "The Pulitzer Prize" and it was considered as his masterpiece and part of American literary canon. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. His works mostly explored the theme of fate and injustice. Most of his work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley. He died due to the flu pandemic in 1968 because of a heart problem.

During the decades of 1930s, there was a great depression in the world when 'Of Mice and Men' was published. American people were out of work. Many factories reduced their work and people became jobless. It was a great disaster for the people. They have to work only for food. Earning money and having prosperous life was beyond imagination. Farmworkers and their works were replaced by a machine. Therefore, Steinbeck tries to present the picture of this time through this novel. This novella captures the culture of those workers realistically and provides a vehicle for his thoughts about the common man.

Of Mice and Men is a novella. The novella is shorter than a novel and longer than a short story. This novella is based on the story of two migrant workers in California who are wandering for a job with have a dream of getting their own land. It narrates the story of two leading characters George Milton and Lennie Small. They travel from place to place to search for job opportunities during the great depression in the United States. They are planning to earn enough money to buy their own ranch/farm. They strive for a better life and long for self-respect, independence, freedom, and life security. They have a shared dream of owning their own piece of land where they will work hard to earn money. There would nobody to order them they can make their own plan and work. They would have a house and they would get some chicken, rabbit, and so on. They struggle for their life. The novella starts with the jungle scene and ends with great tragedy.

While going through the novel nobody wants to stop reading it. Its language is so impressive. There are many dialogues and setting as in the drama. The dialogues are mostly between Lennie and George. The language of Lennie is so impressive but sometimes George uses strong scolding words to Lennie. Lennie doesn't mind any words of George. Both of them love each other, George enjoys the partnership with Lennie and Lennie feels secure with George. Some contracted form of standard language is used in this novella. You may not find a strong plot description in the story but may find a sequence of events happening one after another. The fate of the character or nature of the character creates fun for the reader. Especially Lennie's innocent childlike behavior fascinates the reader. Lennie is not a bad fellow but his fate or mental slowness leads him to trouble.  

 

King leir and his three daughters by George Wharton Edward summary of the poem class 12 opt English

Poetry

Chapter 1

King Leir and His Three Daughters

George Wharton Edward

George Wharton Edward was an American painter, illustrator, and writer. He showed an interest in art from a young age. From a young age, he was taken as a talented artist for his depictions of picturesque American and European scenes. This poem is a narrative ballade about the three daughters of King Lair. Three daughters were Ragan, Goneril, and Cordelia.

King Leir was a powerful king of England who had got three beautiful daughters. Once he wanted to examine which daughter would show him great love and respect. The king had a weakness that he believed in the flattery of the people. He asked his daughters who would love him much. The first daughter Goneril replied that she would love him very much. She promised to him that her blood shall render and she may cut her heart into two pieces for his happiness and never gave a chance to have any grief in his life. Similarly, the second daughter replied that she would love him very much. She vowed to take any sorrow and the worst thing of the world to provide him happiness. She would be ready to serve him day and night with love and affection. She would remove all the discomfort of the world for him. The turn went to his dearest daughter Cordelia who didn't like praise in flattery. She promised to provide him the love that could be shown to her father from a daughter. She would be responsible for the duty of a child to her father.

Her real love seemed very small to the king. He became angry with his young daughter Cordelia. Therefore he banished her from his country and divides his all property and kingdom to his two daughters. Poor Cordelia started wandering up and down.  At that time French king visited her in miserable condition.  Because of her beauty, he liked her and took her to France, and made her his wife. Then she became the queen of France.

The king started to live in his first daughter Regan's court. Her love for her father was declining. The king became a burden to her. She forgot her promise made before the king. Ragan was so clever and she took his all property but didn't provide him any sense of happiness. She reduced the number of people who worked for the king. She had given twenty and then reduced ten persons, and then three and finally she didn't give any worker for his comfort.  It was great grief for the king and wished to visit the second daughter Goneril. He told all the stories of his hatred to his second daughter. She patiently heard his morn but she didn't give any way to relieve him. She said him to stay there within her kitchen with her scullions.   

Then he returned to Regan's court again with full of tears in his eyes. He thought that he would be an example of the world. He got ready to live in her kitchen. But she commanded her worker to drive him away.  She became so cruel and didn't allow him to enter her gate. He regrets his decision. He thought whether it would be better to beg the property lately given to his daughter. It was his useless He remembered the words of his third daughter and realized his mistake. He became like a mad person. He looked like a street beggar- his hair was so white and there were bloodstains in his cheeks, ugly face, and dirty smell. By looking at his mourn the natural things like hills, woods, and watery fountains started to mourn. But his own daughter's heart didn't melt. He started to eat as beggar did, and became a homeless man, once he was a great powerful king of his kingdom.  

He made his journey to France where his daughter Cordelia was living as queen. He remembered the real words of his daughter. Her words were true but he didn't believe in reality. He regrets all the activities, he shouldn't have banished his dear daughter. When his third daughter Cordelia knew all about her father, she tried to provide him comfort and relief. She sent a high-class group of brave and noble people to bring him to Aganippus' court. She provided her love as a daughter could do for her father.  Cordelia went with her warrior to England to drive her sister away from the throne. There started a battle between England and France. The king in his old age joined in the battle and processed his crown again. Unfortunately, Cordelia died in the battle and he got fainted. He fell upon her breast. The king left his life on her bosom. It was a truly heart-touching event.

The lords and soldiers saw the last scene. The other sisters also died in their wish. The kingdom was started to rule by the member of their kinship people. This all showed a fall of pride And disobedient sin. 

 

My old Home by Lu Xun story summary of class 12

 

My Old Home

Lu Xun

Lu Xun (1881-1936) is the pen name of the writer born Zhou Shuren. He was born to a family with a strong Confucian background. His grandfather served as a high official in Beijing, and his father was also a scholar. Lu Xun has been considered China's greatest writer in the 20th century. He was a short story writer, essayist, and translator who is commonly considered the ‘father of modern Chinese literature.’ His popular novels and short story collections include A Madman's Diary (1918), Kong Yiji (1918), Medicine (1919) and so on. The story ‘My Old Home’ is taken from the short story collection Hometown.
‘My Old Home’ is a story about Xun’s memories, from youth to middle age that depicts the conflict between memories and realities. The story describes how Xun feels while being away from home for many years. Upon arriving at his long-past home, his memories are forced to come to confront with the realities. This story presents a real nostalgic tone to his hometown. He finds many changes during the time of twenty years. Now he has come to take his mother to his workplace.
Characters
1.      Narrator (Lu Xun) - He is the young Master and the narrator.
2.      Runtu- A childhood friend of the narrator
3.      Lu Xun’s father
4.      Hong'er (eight-year-old nephew of the narrator)
5.      ShuiSheng- the son of Runtu.
6.      Mrs. Yang- She is a neighbor, people call her the Beancurd Beauty. She has a bean curd (Milk product selling) shop.  
Summary of the text
In the story, the narrator went toward his hometown after more than twenty years. He was equipped with his old memories in his mind. Xun had memories of his childhood friends and his hometown. It was cold due to winter where the cold wind blows into the cabin of his boat. He looked out a far distance and saw the towns and villages. He had full of memory about his hometown. There was not much progress in his village.  He had a memory of his village as real and as concrete which was permanently printed in his mind. His hometown was lovely and beautiful where the green sky lies above the sky. There were no signs of progress but not actually depressing for him.
His sole purpose of coming home was to sell his home and take his mother to his workplace. His clan (ancestor) who lived there for so many years had already sold their property to other people of the same village. They were planning to leave their hometown very soon – before the New Year. Early in the next morning, he reached to his own gate of his old house. His house was not in good condition, there needed many repairs. There was no sound. When he reached home, his mother had already come out to greet him. There appeared a new face at the back of her. He was a little boy about eight sanding at the distance and observing him. The boy was his nephew named Hong'er. The narrator hadn't seen him before.  
He explained to his mother that he had come to sell the furniture and take her to the town where he had managed some furniture and living place. His mother had already known for the things and sold the heavy furniture and arranged all the baggage. She suggested him to visit all the villagers and relatives before living in their hometown. And she added not to forget to visit Runtu who used to come and ask about him. Runtu was one of his best friends of his childhood.  They used to play and work together in their childhood. His memory flashed back to the time of his childhood. A full moon day- a blue black sky, beneath it a stretch of sandy ground planted with watermelons stretching, standing at the middle of watermelon farm a 12 years young boy, a silver ring around his neck, pitchfork in his hand. The boy tried to stab at a zha but it had easily escaped.
He recalled the days before thirty years when he was only ten years old and his father has not died. There were some religious tasks in his family. His mother was busy managing all the things. They had kept Runtu as a person to care for his family. Runtu had brought to keep his eyes on sacrificial vessels. In his home workers were divided into three groups- 'yearlongers' (work whole year), 'short-timer' (part time worker and 'busy monthers' seasonal workers. Runtu was admitted as a 'yearlonger' worker in his home. Runtu was experienced to set snares (trap) and catch birds. His mother called Runtu kitchen the narrator also went to his childhood friend. Runtu has a purplish (purple in color) round face and wore a round hat. He was wearing a large shimmering silver rind around his neck. His father believed that it was a protection for his son. 
Runtu was shy in his nature but was not with his friends. Once he was excited to see the strange things in the town. He had shared all shots of things with the speaker. The next day the narrator wanted him to catch the birds when there was a good snowfall on the ground. They could make a trap thereby removing the snow and sprinkling some grains on the ground. That attracted the birds which might be trapped. But it was not a good time for doing those things. On summer days they could go to the beach and catch many sea incest as shells – reds, blues, ghost-scarers etc. Runtu and his father had to go to guard the watermelon farm at night. It might be destroyed by the animals like zha which was like a small dog. The narrator felt that he was learning many new things in that place. Runtu was aware of many natural animals and their behaviors but he felt nothing on him.
Unfortunately, there came a new year and Runtu returned to his home with his father. Later on, he sent him a package of shells by way of his father and some beautiful bird feathers too.
And the narrator also sent him some things a few times after that, but they never visited again. His mother told about Runtu whose condition was back so she had provided them some furniture. At that time he heard some woman making a noise outside. He saw a woman about 50s standing before him. Her cheekbones were protruded and her lips were thin who was wearing trousers and standing like a pair of compasses. She was second sister Yang. He hardly recognized her. She worked in a bean curd shop and people used to call her 'Beancurd Beauty'. He remembered her beauty was the thing that was the cause of her business promotion. She laughed and scorned him for not recognizing her. She remarked him as a rich person having three concubines eight-man working around him.
 
During the next few days, he visited his clansmen and relatives who had come there to visit them and help them in their packing goods. One day afternoon there came his old friend Runtu who was not the same Runtu in his memory. He was a tall, round, and ruddy face that had already turned gray and pale and grey, and it was etched with deep wrinkles. The rims of his eyes were swollen and red just like his father's. His clothes were not so good which could keep him warm from the cold. He was really like a farmer of the village whose hands were rough, clumsy, and as cracked as pine bark. There were many words to reveal before him but found no word before him. He simply said, "Brother Runtu, you have arrived". As he was standing he expressed a mixture of happiness and melancholy. His lips were begun to move but no words came out from him. He simply addressed him as "Master".  The narrator didn't like the word 'Master' from his old friend. He told Runtu to call him a brother instead of a master. The narrator finds there was a high wall between them that is made from economic class. His son Shuishen was hiding behind his father Runtu. He was his fifth son. Runtu added that he got his letter long ago and was excited about the news of his coming. His son and Hong'er went to play outside his mother brought something to eat for them. Runtu hesitates to sit together with him. It showed the class discrimination in Chinese society.

Runtu told all about his bad days. He needed money in each and every part of his life which he didn't have. The harvest was not good in those days so Runtu was being poor and poor. It was very difficult for him to pay the tax for the government. He didn't have enough to eat as well. His mother told him to make something in the kitchen and he went out. His mother explained that he was suffering from many things like- famine, harsh taxes, soldiers, bandits, officials, gentry folk (people from the upper class), and many more things like many children, etc making him a lifeless wooden statue. So she spoke him to take whatever he wanted to take from their house. Runtu took two long tables, an incense burner some candlesticks, and a set of scales, etc. He gathered the things and planned to take them on the boat the next day.

Nine days later the time of their departure arrived. Runtu came early in the morning with his daughter to keep eye on the boat. The narrator was busy and there were many people to farewell them. They put all things on the boat and when they were heading to their destination Hong'er asked about their return back with his uncle. But the narrator got surprised by his question before their departure. It was common for him because he was missing his friends there. They left from there gradually familiar landscape disappeared and his heart was filled with a melancholy tone. But he didn't regret it because there was a high wall created between him and his friend. There came an image of Runtu and his behavior of superstition of taking the censer and candlesticks. He remembered his past the life of Runtu and so on. Then calmly went on their journey.  

The Treasure in the Forest by H. G. Wells, class 12 English summary,

 

The Treasure in the Forest

H. G. Wells

H. G. Wells, full Herbert George Wells, (1866-1946) was an English novelist, journalist, sociologist, and historian, best known for such science fiction novels. His first novel, The Time Machine (1895) was immediately successful, and so he added a series of science fiction novels that revealed him as a writer of marked originality and an immense richness of ideas. His science fiction novels include The Wonderful Visit (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897). He also wrote many short stories, which were collected in The Stolen Bacillus (1895), The Plattner Story (1897), and Tales of Space and Time (1899). This story is taken from the collection The Country of the Blind and other Short Stories.

‘The Treasure in the Forest’ is an ominous adventure story in which two men search for Spanish treasure, letting greed get the better of their awareness. As the story moves ahead to show how power and greed corrupt human beings.

Characters

 Major Characters: Evans and his friend Hooker.

Other characters : Chang-hi  and Chinese men  

Plot Summary of the story

The story is full of mystery and adventure. Human greed is presented in the sequence of series which lead them to their own death. The story starts with the description of a beautiful green and virgin forest of an island which is adjacent to the sea. Hooker and his friend Evans has just arrived by a canoe (boat). They are tired because they have sailed whole night to arrive there. They are feeling tired and exhausted. Their mouth and throat are dried and they haven't taken any food since they left to that journey.

They had brought a yellow paper which looked like a rough map. They tried to see the location and its map. Evans explained that there was a reef (range of rock) and some gap in the map. They saw curved and twisted line and dotted line. The straight line started from opening of the reef to a clump of palm trees. There came a star just where the river was cut. They couldn't understand the meaning of Chinese words and dotted lines. It might be precaution for the safety journey which they didn't understand and ignore it and took their way. They have brought the map from the Chinese people.

They were very near to the treasure according to the map. Evans told to turn his paddle and took paper from him folded and put in his pocket.  They had intense excitement in their mind although they were very tired. Evans felt sleepy and tried to arouse himself by directing his mind to the ingots (gold brick), the Chinese men had spoken of about it. It was mid day and sun was burning, it warmed them. He started to doze soon by hearing the rhythmic wash of the sea.  But his consciousness was still dim but a queer (different) dream texture interwove with his sensations.

There was night in his dream when Evans and Hooker heard about the secret. They saw the figures of three Chinese people who are talking about a Spanish galleon (ship) (In the history in 1698 Spanish ship was sank in battle off the coast of Colombia, while it was laden with gold and silver). Chang-hi was wandering ashore for the ingots that were hidden since two hundred years.  It was reburied with single-hand (one person) with very safely way. Now he wanted to return and dig out them. Then presently little map fluttered. Then his dream sifted to the Chinese man Chang-hi who was furious to Evans. At the end Chang-hi grinned, a most incomprehensible grin. Abruptly the things became unpleasant he started to threaten him. He saw heaps and heaps of gold when Chang-he intervening and struggling to hold him back from it. Then Chang-hi started to grow as a giant and bright heap of gold turned into roaring furnace. He saw a man like Chang-hi growing as a devil with a tail and began to feed him with coal. Another devil was shouting his name and he woke up. Either it was devil or his friend Hooker calling him. Hooker was scolding him as 'a sleepy fool'.

 

There were three palm tree and they mark there for their returning sign. Then they went to the river mouth and drank water. Hooker gives the paddle to his friend to control their boat. They landed and pulled their boat at the beach and headed towards the bush. They walked until they could see the opening of the reef and the bushes in a straight line. They had walked through the dense forest into the shadows and felt cool. And then, reached to the river bank. They saw beautiful vegetation at the side of the river. They reached to a heap of stones. They found a gentle swell on the ground and tried to discover under the earth. They found a limb, then a dead body who looks like a Chinese men. Hooker surprised to the dead body but Evans got busy on his work. He started to remove heap of stones and found bit stuff and cleared off the soil with his bare hand. As he was doing, a little throne pricked his hand. He removed that throne and picked out an ingot from the whole. Hooker was puzzled in that dead body. He scolded his friend to help him. He removed his jacket and put in all the gold and headed towards their canoe. They guessed he came alone and a snake might have bitten him. Hooker told that the dead one was exactly like same to someone like Chang –hi. Evans was feeling so difficult and wished to rebury the gold. They took rest at the bottom of a tall tree. Evans felt that his hand was paining him. They walked about hundred miles in silence. Evans stumbled and then sudden curse flung the coat from him. He stood for a moment and gaze at his friend and then leaned against the tree. He told his friend not to come near him and not to touch him. He told Hooker to put the ingots into jacket. He didn't know what is happening on him. His hands are clenched and his face became distorted with pain.

As Hooker tried to handle the ingots he felt a little prick on the ball of his thumb. It was about two inch in length and removed from his hand. He looked at Evans who was bending and motionlessly laying on the ground and remembered the blue – clad body of the Chinese man. He understood the meaning of dashes in the corner.  The thrones were similar to those the Dyaks poisons and he sucked his wound but thought it would be worthless. Presently he felt a strange aching pain in his arms and shoulders, and his fingers seemed difficult to bend. Abruptly he stopped and sat down by the pile of ingots and rest in his chin upon his hands and his elbows up on his knees, stared at his friend and remembered Chang-hi's grin and dies as his friend.   

 

God Sees the Truth but Waits

 Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy’s short story 'God Sees the Truth, but Waits' first published in 1872 is about

the false conviction and imprisonment of a man for a murder he did not commit, and it takes the form of a parable for forgiveness. This short story "God Sees the Truth, But Waits" is a heart-touching tragic story which has been written by a Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. This story is about a young merchant named Ivan Dimitrich Aksionov who lived in Vladimir, a town of Russia. This story has presented the imprisonment of this main character for murder which he hadn't committed.

In the story,  Aksionov was quite a handsome , fair-haired, curly-heased fellow, full of fun, and very fond of singing. He had two shops and a horse.  Before marriage, he used to drink much and even become riotous. After marriage, he gave up much drinking expect now and then. He had a wife with small kids. Once, during summer, Aksionov planned to go to Nizhny fair to sell his goods. Before setting off, his wife told him about bad dream. She dreamt that her husband had returned with gray hair from the town. Aksionov laughed to her remark and told that that was the sign of luck. When he had travelled half –way, he met a merchant whom he knew. They planned to live in a same inn for the night. They had tea together and went to bed in adjoining room. As his habit get up early morning and started his journey.

When he had gone about twenty-five miles, he stopped for the horses to feed. He took rest there and began to play his guitar. At the meantime, two soldiers and a district officer came to him and questioned him about a merchant Ryazan whom he had slept at night at same building. The officer asked, where did he sleep at night, were  there any people in an inn? Why did he leave earlier? Did he see the merchant that morning?  Aksionov surprised with these questions. He described all that was happened last night. Aksionov asked the officer why he asked these questions as if he had robbed the merchant. The officer said that there was murderer of a merchant in an inn where Aksionov was also stayed. The dead body of merchant had been found at an inn's room with his throat cut. The officer searched in Aksionov's  luggage and found a  blood-stained knife in his luggage. Aksionov trembled with fear. 

He was charged for murdering the merchant and even robbing twenty-thousand roubles from him. Aksionov was arrested and sent in prison. He was charged for murdering the merchant and even robbing twenty-thousand roubles from him.

His wife came there to meet him along with her small kids. She got permission to meet her husband from the official after begging much. When she saw her husband among the criminals and thieves in criminal's dress, she fainted for a long time. Then she drew her children to her and sat down near him. She asked him what was happened that day. He replied that what was happened and added that he was not the convict.  She reminded him about the bad dream when he hadn't have started journey that day. She planned to go on petition the Czar not to let an innocent man perish. He didn't reply, but looked down cast.  She gently touched his hair and requested him to tell the truth. She again asked who the murderer was.  

Aksionov wept when his own wife raised a suspicious question to him. Aksionov said good-bye to his family for the last time. For him, God was the only one to expect for mercy. He was tortured severely there. Aksionov was sent to a Siberian prison for twenty- six years to work in the mines. His hair and beard turned white and grey. He walked slowly, spoke very little and never laughed. He learnt to make boots and earned money. He bought a book named "The Lives of the Saints". He used to read the chapter in the dim light of the cell and every Sunday he used to read and sing the chapter at the church. 

His fellow prisoners respected him and called him Grandfather or the Saint. Prisoners would go to him for justice if there were fights in the prison. He spent his every single day in God's devotion and on the way of truth.

 One day, a gang of new prisoners came to the prison. Among those prisoners, one was

Makar Semyonich. He was a tall, strong man of about sixty with grey hair. He related his story to others about his arrest in horse stealing case. He was also from Vladimir.  He didn't recognize Aksionov. Aksionov  asked him about a person whose name is Aksionov who lived in vlasimir. Marker told that they are rich and their father Mr. Aksionov was in Siberia as a sinner like themselves. Marker asked about grandfather, but he didn't like to tell anything about himself. Other prisoners told his case that he was accused of killing a merchant. A police officer found a blood stained knife in his luggage. Since then he was passing days in prison. Marker got exclaimed, after hearing the story. He asked grandpa how he was so old. Aksionov wonder whether this man knew who had killed the merchant, or heard who killed the merchant, or the Marker was the killer of the merchant.

Aksionov couldn't get to sleep that night after hearing Makar's words. He felt sure that Makar was the person who killed the merchant. He kept on thinking about his family, his long time sufferings and so on. After months of knowing each other, Aksionov discovered that Makar is the one who killed the merchant from Ryazan. He was quite angry with Makar but didn't speak a word about it.

 One night, Aksionov discovered Makar digging a tunnel under his sleeping shelf. Makar threatened him not to tell a word otherwise he would kill him. Aksionov didn't bother about Makar's threatful words. Next day, soldiers discovered the tunnel. The governor arrived to question the prisoners but no one spoke a word about the tunnel. When Aksionov was asked about the tunnel, he also denied saying about Semyonich. 

That night Makar quietly came to Aksionov. Makar begged for forgiveness. He confessed the truth and told that he killed the merchant and wanted to kill Aksionov too but heard a noise outside and hide the knife into his bag and escaped out of the window. Makar knelt upon the ground and again asked for forgiveness. Aksionov told that there was no worth of forgiveness because he suffered long, his life was in the end stage, his wife was died, his children will not know him.  Marker admitted confessing his crime to the governor. Makar didn't rise, bent his head on the floor and wept for his forgiveness. Aksionov even wept along with Makar. Aksionov felt his heart lighter. He longed to stay in prison. When the order for his release came Aksionov was already died in prison. 

Half a Day by Naguib Mahfouz, summary for class 11 opt English

 

Half a Day

Naguib Mahfouz

Naguib Mahfouz is an Egyptian writer. He began writing when he was seventeen. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1998. He has written more than 30 novels, more than hundred short stories, and more than two hundred article. Most of his writings were based on the culture and Nationality of Egypt. He uses elaborative, figurative and descriptive language. The story ‘Half a Day’ was published in his book 'The false Dawn'. In this storyhe describes going off to school as a young boy, spending the days in a school and leaving as an old man at the end of his life.

In the beginning part of the story, the narrator is presented as a schoolboybut later he is an old man. The narrator is getting ready for his school. He is walking along his father clutching (holding tightly) his hand. His clothes were new: the black shoes, the green school uniform and the red tarboosh (cap). He is delighted because of his new dress. He looks at his mother who is standing at the window and looking at them. They walked along a street lined with gardens; on  both side were extensive fields planted with crops, prickly pears, henna trees, and a few date palms. The boy asks, "Why school?" and promised that he won't do any bad at home to annoy his father. Father laughs and says that he is not going to punish him. School is not punishment. It is the factory that makes useful men out of boys. It makes a mature man like father and brother. They reached to the gate of a school. The boys and girls are going through the gate and father tells him to go in with them. The boy doesn't want to go to school and hold his hand tightly. His father promised that he would be at the gate when the school time is over.

He enters to the school and sees many new faces of boys and girls. He is strange to them. One boy comes and asks him who hasbrought him. The boy answers that his father has brought him. But that boy simply says that his father was died. The narrator doesn't know what to say. The gate is closed and the bell rings. The teacher makesthe line of students. There are three high building surrounding. In each floor there are balcony roofed in wood.

One woman comes and starts: here you can get you mother and father like people, here and there everything is enjoyable and beneficial and religions. She tells them to dry up their tears. First time in his life he haslearnt variety of things, he makes some boy and girl friends. He participates in different kinds of games: swings, the vaulting horse, ball games. Then goes to a music room and chants some song. He starts to learn language and numbers. He sees a globe and knows about the creator of the earth. They eat delicious food, take a little nap, and wake up to go on with friendship and love, play and learn.

In the school the boy doesn't find everything smooth and sweet as he has expected. Sometime they start to fight and quarrel with their friends while the lady sometimes smile or sometimes scold even more frequently would resort to physical punishment.  In addition, the time for changing one's mind is over and gone there is no question of every returning to the paradise of home. At long last, the chime rings to declare the end of the workday, and the schoolchildren race to the entryways to leave the school.

The storyteller bids farewell to his companions. He gets out of the gate expecting his father waiting at the gate. However his father is not waiting for him. In the wake of sticking around for quite a while, the storyteller chooses to walk home without anyone else. After he has taken a few steps, a middle-aged man passes by, and he realizes at once that he knows him. The mancomes toward him, smiling, and shaking his hand asks it is long since they have visited, how he is. The narrator says that he is fine. But the man says that he is not fine these days and goes in his way.

The narrator stands by the road and observes it very closely. He takes few steps and he search the street lined with garden but doesn't find. It has disappeared due to modernization. He doesn't find the fields, which border the road. There are tallbuildings standing beside the road. At various point stand conjurers (magician) showing off their tricks and making snakes appear from his basket. There is an announcement of the opening circus. A line of trucks carryingcentralsecuritytroops, a fire engine sirens, battle between taxi driver and his passenger. The narrator is shocked to the rapidchangeduring 'half a day' between early morning and sunset. He feels the time is very short in his life. During this short period of time there are many changes in his life. He searches his home among the crowd. He has to cross Abu Khoda to reach to his house but the moving vehicles don't give him chance to cross the road.

He is still standing on the road but can't cross the road. Subsequent to standing quite a while, the storyteller is helpedto cross the road by a little boy who works at the ironing shop on the corner of the street. When the boy holds out his hand and addresses him as Grandpa and then the storyteller understands that he has now become old. He realized that a half-day at school was his entire life, which passed quickly.