Discuss some problem-questions.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 447.

Green Eyes

Speak on or write an essay about your assessment of the story and your impressions of it.

The message of the story

The theme of the story

Say if you agree or disagree with the following statements of the characters and give your reasons.

1. But it (boxing) injures their brains! All those blows on the front of the skull. (19)

2. There is a law. The unalterable law of nature that says that the young males of the species indulge in manly trials of strength. (25)

6. Say which of the following phrases could be said to be:

Generation gap.

What we want our children to be. Life of a family and a family conflict.

Every family is unhappy in its own way. Every man has his own life to live.

You can take a horse to the water but you cannot make him drink.

Don't make out of your child a compensation for your own losses.

1. Does Uncle Bill seem to be just a quarrelsome fellow or did he fight because he couldn't let wrong-doers get away with their sins?

2. What were the relations between the families of the two brothers and why?

3. Do you think fighting is an appropriate way to right and wrong? Why was fighting an every day affair among miners?

4. If you compare the two main characters do you find anything in common between them? Do they seem to be specially contrasted by the author?

5. What was it that made a self-interested savage out of Skimpy? Why did he treat his fellow-villagers the way he did?

6. Why did he decide not to fight with Uncle Bill?

7. What, do you think, is the author's attitude to his main characters? Do you share the author's feelings?

2. Explain what the main conflict of the story is choosing one of the follow­ing and give your reasons.

Skimpy and the miners.

Skimpy and Fred.

Skimpy and the world.

Skimpy and Uncle Bill.

3. Explain how the character of Skimpy and the attitude of his fellow-villag­ers to him become revealed in the following.

Skimpy – 1. Skimpy had been a prisoner-of-war in Germany. After half-killing two or three of the guards, they put him in the mine to work. (9) 2. ... he once worked a shift at Deepdown barefooted to win a bet. (9) 3. Skimpy had to flaunt his poaching. (10) 4. Skimpy's eyes never flickered. Not one tell-tale muscle twitched. (14) 5. ...all eyes left darts and dominoes and amber ale to see the first smile for years breaking like Eastertide over Skimpy's hairless face. (20)

the attitude to Skimpy of his fellow-villagers –1. But Skimpy had to flaunt his poaching ... And they didn't like it naturally. So one night, two or three of them set a trap for him, gave him a good hiding, took his bag of rabbits and sent him packing. (10) 2. Everybody believed him guilty and when he was released every­body shunned him. (11) 3. But one corner was empty, as if a ring had been drawn around it and a notice put up, Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted. Skimpy's corner. (17) 4. And the Black Bull became as quiet as the transept of a cathedral as all eyes left darts and dominoes and amber ale to see the first smile for years breaking like Eastertide over Skimpy's hairless face ... (20).