Lesson 15 The Tell Tale Heart Edgar Allen Poe
Summary
"The Tell Tale Heart" is a suspense story written by Edgar Allen Poe.
This story tells us how the narrator commits the crime and admits it.
The narrator of the story had a very strong sense of hearing. He lived in
a house with an old man. He loved and took care of the old man and the
old man the narrator as well. But he was troubled by the vulture eye of
the old man. He couldn't tolerate it. He thought to kill the old man to be
free from the eye. He tried to kill the old man for seven nights but he
couldn't be successful. On the eighth night he got into the old man's
room with a lamp. When he saw the vulture eye of the old man, he
became angry and jumped to kill him. The old man cried once but the
narrator killed by the narrator. After that he cut the body into pieces and
his under the floor.
The cry of the old man was heard by the neighbor and they called the
police. The police came to his house early in the morning. The narrator
made them sit on a chair. The chair was placed on the floor over the
dead body. He talked to them very happily and confidently for a few
minutes. Suddenly he heard the sound of watch of the old man. He
thought it was the heartbeats of the old man. He thought that the police
also heard it. So he confessed the crime. He couldn't control himself and
told everything to them.
The writer tried to say that our heart cannot hide the reality. Despite the
desire of secrecy out heart opens all the reality. Whatever crime we
commit, we reveal it someday.
Summary
"The Tell Tale Heart" is a suspense story written by Edgar Allen Poe.
This story tells us how the narrator commits the crime and admits it.
The narrator of the story had a very strong sense of hearing. He lived in
a house with an old man. He loved and took care of the old man and the
old man the narrator as well. But he was troubled by the vulture eye of
the old man. He couldn't tolerate it. He thought to kill the old man to be
free from the eye. He tried to kill the old man for seven nights but he
couldn't be successful. On the eighth night he got into the old man's
room with a lamp. When he saw the vulture eye of the old man, he
became angry and jumped to kill him. The old man cried once but the
narrator killed by the narrator. After that he cut the body into pieces and
his under the floor.
The cry of the old man was heard by the neighbor and they called the
police. The police came to his house early in the morning. The narrator
made them sit on a chair. The chair was placed on the floor over the
dead body. He talked to them very happily and confidently for a few
minutes. Suddenly he heard the sound of watch of the old man. He
thought it was the heartbeats of the old man. He thought that the police
also heard it. So he confessed the crime. He couldn't control himself and
told everything to them.
The writer tried to say that our heart cannot hide the reality. Despite the
desire of secrecy out heart opens all the reality. Whatever crime we
commit, we reveal it someday.
Important questions:
1. Why
did the narrator confess the crime?
The narrator is having a nervous disease. He killed the old man to get rid
of his vulture eye. He buried the dead body to hide his crime. Because of
his psychic effect, he mistook the sound of watch as heartbeat of the old
man. He thought that the police also knew the fact. Finally he confessed
his crime.
2. How was the boy successful to kill the old man?
He tried to kill the old man for seven nights but he couldn't be
successful. On the eighth night he got into the old man's room with a
lamp. When he saw the vulture eye of the old man, he became angry and
jumped on the bed and killed him.
3. Why was the police unable to find the murderer of the old man?
The old man was killed, cut into pieces and buried under the floor. There
was no sign of murder. The police didn’t see any sign of blood. The
narrator replied al the question of police fearlessly and frankly. The
police could see nothing wrong in the house. In this way the police was
unable to find the murderer of the old man.
4. Character sketch the narrator.
The narrator is a victim of nervous disease. He said he was not mad
because he was working very well. He was over sensitive of hearing that
he could what was not heard by others. He lived with an old man who he
liked very much but he did not like one of the eyes of the old man. He
tried to kill the old man for seven nights but he couldn't be successful.
On the eighth night he got into the old man's room with a lamp. When he
saw the vulture eye of the old man, he became angry and jumped on the
bed and killed him. When the police visited the house, he replied all the
question fearlessly and frankly. The police could see nothing wrong in
the house. Because of his psychic effect, he mistook the sound of watch
as heartbeat of the old man. He thought that the police also knew the
fact. Finally he confessed his crime.
The narrator is having a nervous disease. He killed the old man to get rid
of his vulture eye. He buried the dead body to hide his crime. Because of
his psychic effect, he mistook the sound of watch as heartbeat of the old
man. He thought that the police also knew the fact. Finally he confessed
his crime.
2. How was the boy successful to kill the old man?
He tried to kill the old man for seven nights but he couldn't be
successful. On the eighth night he got into the old man's room with a
lamp. When he saw the vulture eye of the old man, he became angry and
jumped on the bed and killed him.
3. Why was the police unable to find the murderer of the old man?
The old man was killed, cut into pieces and buried under the floor. There
was no sign of murder. The police didn’t see any sign of blood. The
narrator replied al the question of police fearlessly and frankly. The
police could see nothing wrong in the house. In this way the police was
unable to find the murderer of the old man.
4. Character sketch the narrator.
The narrator is a victim of nervous disease. He said he was not mad
because he was working very well. He was over sensitive of hearing that
he could what was not heard by others. He lived with an old man who he
liked very much but he did not like one of the eyes of the old man. He
tried to kill the old man for seven nights but he couldn't be successful.
On the eighth night he got into the old man's room with a lamp. When he
saw the vulture eye of the old man, he became angry and jumped on the
bed and killed him. When the police visited the house, he replied all the
question fearlessly and frankly. The police could see nothing wrong in
the house. Because of his psychic effect, he mistook the sound of watch
as heartbeat of the old man. He thought that the police also knew the
fact. Finally he confessed his crime.
Lesson
16 Purgatory W. B. Yeats
Summary
The play is written by W. B. Yeats. The writer presents a family whose
history is pathetic. The present and the past are similar and there is a
sign of similar future. He shows that the spirit is suffering in the present
because of the wrong work in the past. The soul remains in the purgatory
until it is purified.
There are two main characters in the play. They are a boy and his father.
It is moonlight night. They are standing in front of a destroyed house.
Pointing to go the house the old man describes the past. The house
belonged to his mother and her husband. His mother married the servant
of his grandfather. The man became drunkard and gambler. He spent all
the property due to drinking and gambling. The mother died at the time
of his birth.
The father continued his bad work. He didn't send the boy to school. He
became same as his father. When he was sixteen he killed his father
because of many reasons like his father spent all the money, he didn't
send him school, he couldn't save his mother, he burnt the house etc. The
old man described these all events to his bastered son. It was marriage
anniversary of old man's mother. At the same time the old man could see
the soul of his mother and father going inside the house. The old man
didn't like this. When the old man was looking at them, the boy tried to
steal the money. There was a quarrel between them. The son was sixteen
and the old man thought that the boy might repeat the past action. So he
killed the boy to end the consequences. He addresses his mother and
claims that he ended the consequences. He hopes that the soul of his
mother will be purified but he still saw the soul of his mother.
Summary
The play is written by W. B. Yeats. The writer presents a family whose
history is pathetic. The present and the past are similar and there is a
sign of similar future. He shows that the spirit is suffering in the present
because of the wrong work in the past. The soul remains in the purgatory
until it is purified.
There are two main characters in the play. They are a boy and his father.
It is moonlight night. They are standing in front of a destroyed house.
Pointing to go the house the old man describes the past. The house
belonged to his mother and her husband. His mother married the servant
of his grandfather. The man became drunkard and gambler. He spent all
the property due to drinking and gambling. The mother died at the time
of his birth.
The father continued his bad work. He didn't send the boy to school. He
became same as his father. When he was sixteen he killed his father
because of many reasons like his father spent all the money, he didn't
send him school, he couldn't save his mother, he burnt the house etc. The
old man described these all events to his bastered son. It was marriage
anniversary of old man's mother. At the same time the old man could see
the soul of his mother and father going inside the house. The old man
didn't like this. When the old man was looking at them, the boy tried to
steal the money. There was a quarrel between them. The son was sixteen
and the old man thought that the boy might repeat the past action. So he
killed the boy to end the consequences. He addresses his mother and
claims that he ended the consequences. He hopes that the soul of his
mother will be purified but he still saw the soul of his mother.
Important questions:
1. What
is the theme of purgatory?
Purgatory is a story of remorseful of a departed soul that committed
mistakes on itself while being alive. In order to purify itself, it is
undergoing suffering in purgatory. It is also concerned with the living
beings who suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead
people while alive and the help rendered by the living beings to get the
soul released from purgatory.
2. Why did the old man kill the boy?
Or,
What is the motive (aim) in murdering his son by the old man?
The old man was afraid that the chain of violence would continue. He
wanted to end the chain. It was possible that the murdering tradition
would go on generation to generation. He wanted to break the endless
cycle of violence. He also believed that by killing his son, he helped his
mother’s soul to get released from purgatory.
3. Character sketch the old man.
The old man is one of the main characters of the play. He believes that
the crime of father will be repeated by his son. He thinks that it was
endless cycle of violence. He himself killed his own father and son. He
does not want his so to bear a child to stop the chain of violence.
Purgatory is a story of remorseful of a departed soul that committed
mistakes on itself while being alive. In order to purify itself, it is
undergoing suffering in purgatory. It is also concerned with the living
beings who suffer the consequences of the sin committed by the dead
people while alive and the help rendered by the living beings to get the
soul released from purgatory.
2. Why did the old man kill the boy?
Or,
What is the motive (aim) in murdering his son by the old man?
The old man was afraid that the chain of violence would continue. He
wanted to end the chain. It was possible that the murdering tradition
would go on generation to generation. He wanted to break the endless
cycle of violence. He also believed that by killing his son, he helped his
mother’s soul to get released from purgatory.
3. Character sketch the old man.
The old man is one of the main characters of the play. He believes that
the crime of father will be repeated by his son. He thinks that it was
endless cycle of violence. He himself killed his own father and son. He
does not want his so to bear a child to stop the chain of violence.
Lesson
17 Hansel and Gretel Grimm brothers
Summary
"Hansel and Gretel" is a fairy tale written by Grimm brothers.
A poor woodcutter lived with his two children and wife. There was
scarcity of food due to drought. So the stepmother forced the father to
send the children into the forest. Hansel collected some shiny pebbles
because he heard the conversation of his parents. He dropped the
pebbles on the way when he was taken to the forest by his step mother.
She lit the fire and left the children saying she would come back. It was
only her trick to leave the children in the forest.
When the children got up it was already midnight. The children went
back home by the help of pebbles they dropped on the way.
the stepmother was surprised to see them again she planned to take the
children to the jungle this time Hansel couldn't collect any pebbles
because they were locked inside the room when the step mother took
them to the forest the boy dropped the crumbs of bread which were
given to eat the mother did the same as she had done before when the
children woke up they couldn't find the pieces of bread because there
were eaten by birds.
The children lost the way and were rooming here and there in the forest
suddenly a silver bird led them to a house made up chocolates and
biscuit
the owner of the house was a witch who caught them she put Hansel into
the cage and made Gretel work hard every day the witch checked Hansel
if he had become fat but Hansel deceived her with a piece of bone she
realised that he would never became fat so she decided to kill them the
with sent Gretel to bring water and she herself made fire in the oven
when Gretel come back the witch told her to check the fire but she
ignored saying that she didn't know the witch tried to demonstrate it
Gretel pushed her in to the fire she look out her brother from the cage
they carried a lot of wealth and ran away the crossed the river with the
help of swan and went back home they found that their step mother had
already dies they lived happily after with their father.
Summary
"Hansel and Gretel" is a fairy tale written by Grimm brothers.
A poor woodcutter lived with his two children and wife. There was
scarcity of food due to drought. So the stepmother forced the father to
send the children into the forest. Hansel collected some shiny pebbles
because he heard the conversation of his parents. He dropped the
pebbles on the way when he was taken to the forest by his step mother.
She lit the fire and left the children saying she would come back. It was
only her trick to leave the children in the forest.
When the children got up it was already midnight. The children went
back home by the help of pebbles they dropped on the way.
the stepmother was surprised to see them again she planned to take the
children to the jungle this time Hansel couldn't collect any pebbles
because they were locked inside the room when the step mother took
them to the forest the boy dropped the crumbs of bread which were
given to eat the mother did the same as she had done before when the
children woke up they couldn't find the pieces of bread because there
were eaten by birds.
The children lost the way and were rooming here and there in the forest
suddenly a silver bird led them to a house made up chocolates and
biscuit
the owner of the house was a witch who caught them she put Hansel into
the cage and made Gretel work hard every day the witch checked Hansel
if he had become fat but Hansel deceived her with a piece of bone she
realised that he would never became fat so she decided to kill them the
with sent Gretel to bring water and she herself made fire in the oven
when Gretel come back the witch told her to check the fire but she
ignored saying that she didn't know the witch tried to demonstrate it
Gretel pushed her in to the fire she look out her brother from the cage
they carried a lot of wealth and ran away the crossed the river with the
help of swan and went back home they found that their step mother had
already dies they lived happily after with their father.
Important questions:
1. How
did the witch receive the two children in their first night at her
house?
The witch seemed to be kind at first. When she saw the children, she
called them in her house and gave them delicious foods. She also made
two clean beds for them. They thought that they were in heaven. In this
way, the witch received the two children in their first night at her house.
2. How did Hansel and Gretel free themselves from the grip of the
witch?
After the witch had heated the oven to bake bread, she told Gretel to
crawl in. But she pretended that she did not know how to go in. When
the witch got in to show for Gretel, she gave her a push and closed the
door. The witch was burnt to death. After killing the witch, Gretel ran to
Hansel and freed him opening the door of the shed. In this way they
freed themselves from the witch.
3. What do the bird and the expanse of water symbolize in Hansel and
Gretel?
There are many symbols in the story. The bird symbolizes the
benevolent powers. The expanse of water symbolizes a transition or a
new beginning.
4. Why was the father not quite willing to accept his wife's proposal to
leave the children in the forest?
The father loved their children very much. He didn't like to be away
from their love. He knew what if they were left in the forest, the wild
animals would kill them. So, he was not quite willing to accept his wife's
proposal to leave the children in the forest.
house?
The witch seemed to be kind at first. When she saw the children, she
called them in her house and gave them delicious foods. She also made
two clean beds for them. They thought that they were in heaven. In this
way, the witch received the two children in their first night at her house.
2. How did Hansel and Gretel free themselves from the grip of the
witch?
After the witch had heated the oven to bake bread, she told Gretel to
crawl in. But she pretended that she did not know how to go in. When
the witch got in to show for Gretel, she gave her a push and closed the
door. The witch was burnt to death. After killing the witch, Gretel ran to
Hansel and freed him opening the door of the shed. In this way they
freed themselves from the witch.
3. What do the bird and the expanse of water symbolize in Hansel and
Gretel?
There are many symbols in the story. The bird symbolizes the
benevolent powers. The expanse of water symbolizes a transition or a
new beginning.
4. Why was the father not quite willing to accept his wife's proposal to
leave the children in the forest?
The father loved their children very much. He didn't like to be away
from their love. He knew what if they were left in the forest, the wild
animals would kill them. So, he was not quite willing to accept his wife's
proposal to leave the children in the forest.
Lesson
18 Gretel Garrison Keillor
Summary
"Gretel" is written by Garrison Keillor. It is an interpretation of the story
Hansel and Gretel from female viewpoint. The narrator of the story is
Gretel who denies the events of the original story.
In the story, Gretel is regarded as a weak character but her brother as a
strong one. She claims that her brother, in reality, was weak and coward.
It was her brother who cried and she had to carry him.
Regarding her parents, mother was nice, loving and caring but father
was a drunkard. Father even beat them. It was her father's plan to leave
them in the jungle but mother was accused of sending them to the forest.
On the other hand, the witch was also a nice woman who have them
food and shelter. She didn't want to kill Gretel but she wanted to kill
Hansel, a sign of cruel male.
In this way this story is in favour of female.
Summary
"Gretel" is written by Garrison Keillor. It is an interpretation of the story
Hansel and Gretel from female viewpoint. The narrator of the story is
Gretel who denies the events of the original story.
In the story, Gretel is regarded as a weak character but her brother as a
strong one. She claims that her brother, in reality, was weak and coward.
It was her brother who cried and she had to carry him.
Regarding her parents, mother was nice, loving and caring but father
was a drunkard. Father even beat them. It was her father's plan to leave
them in the jungle but mother was accused of sending them to the forest.
On the other hand, the witch was also a nice woman who have them
food and shelter. She didn't want to kill Gretel but she wanted to kill
Hansel, a sign of cruel male.
In this way this story is in favour of female.
Important questions:
1. What
is the theme of the story Gretel?
Gretel by Garrison Keillor is an interpretation of the story "Hansel and
Gretel" from the perspective of a female. The interpreter is Gretel who
denies her cowardice in the original story. She claims that the
interpretation is one-sided.
2. Why does Gretel blame her father and brother?
Gretel blames her brother because he deceived her. She blames her
father because he was a drunkard and was in favor of step mother's idea
of leaving them in the forest. She also blames them because they lived in
luxurious houses whereas she and her mother had no house of their own
to live in.
Gretel by Garrison Keillor is an interpretation of the story "Hansel and
Gretel" from the perspective of a female. The interpreter is Gretel who
denies her cowardice in the original story. She claims that the
interpretation is one-sided.
2. Why does Gretel blame her father and brother?
Gretel blames her brother because he deceived her. She blames her
father because he was a drunkard and was in favor of step mother's idea
of leaving them in the forest. She also blames them because they lived in
luxurious houses whereas she and her mother had no house of their own
to live in.
Lesson
19 The Boarding House James Joyce
Summary
"The Boarding House" is a modern story written by James Joyce. The
writer presents his own experience.
The main characters of the story are Mrs. Mooney and Polly, her
daughter. Mrs. Mooney and her husband had a butcher‘s shop. But after
her father's death, her husband started drinking and wasted all of their
money. One night he even chased her with a big knife. So Mrs. Mooney
left her husband and started a boarding house.
In the house lived various kinds of people. Mr. Doran, a young man of
35, also lived in it. He was having a love affair with Polly, Polly‘s
mother knew about the affair but didn't try to stop it. It was because she
wanted her daughter to marry Mr. Doran. Finally Mrs. Mooney talked to
her daughter about the affair. Polly didn't hide anything; she told her
mother everything. Mrs. Mooney was happy about the love affair
because he would have to marry her daughter. If he didn't do, he would
probably lose his job because everybody knew that he had done
something bad. But Mr. Doran didn’t want to marry Polly because he
liked to be free. Another reason was his family would not like her
because she was poorly educated and didn't speak correct English. But
he knew if he didn’t marry Polly, he would lose his job and have to run
away from there.
Mrs. Mooney called Mr. Doran and talked to him about his relationship
with Polly. We the readers don’t know what they said to each other. But
we can guess that Mrs. Mooney told Mr. Doran that he had to marry her
daughter and he agreed.
Summary
"The Boarding House" is a modern story written by James Joyce. The
writer presents his own experience.
The main characters of the story are Mrs. Mooney and Polly, her
daughter. Mrs. Mooney and her husband had a butcher‘s shop. But after
her father's death, her husband started drinking and wasted all of their
money. One night he even chased her with a big knife. So Mrs. Mooney
left her husband and started a boarding house.
In the house lived various kinds of people. Mr. Doran, a young man of
35, also lived in it. He was having a love affair with Polly, Polly‘s
mother knew about the affair but didn't try to stop it. It was because she
wanted her daughter to marry Mr. Doran. Finally Mrs. Mooney talked to
her daughter about the affair. Polly didn't hide anything; she told her
mother everything. Mrs. Mooney was happy about the love affair
because he would have to marry her daughter. If he didn't do, he would
probably lose his job because everybody knew that he had done
something bad. But Mr. Doran didn’t want to marry Polly because he
liked to be free. Another reason was his family would not like her
because she was poorly educated and didn't speak correct English. But
he knew if he didn’t marry Polly, he would lose his job and have to run
away from there.
Mrs. Mooney called Mr. Doran and talked to him about his relationship
with Polly. We the readers don’t know what they said to each other. But
we can guess that Mrs. Mooney told Mr. Doran that he had to marry her
daughter and he agreed.
Important questions:
1. Why
Mr. Doran did not like to marry Ms. Polly?
Mr. Doran didn’t want to marry Polly because he liked to be free.
Another reason was his family would not like her because she was
poorly educated and didn't speak correct English. Her family
background was not good. His father was a drunkard and she worked in
a hotel.
2. Why did Mrs Mooney start a boarding house?
The main characters of the story Mrs. Mooney had a butcher’s shop. But
after her father's death, her husband started drinking and wasted all of
their money. One night he even chased her with a big knife. So Mrs.
Mooney left her husband and started a boarding house.
3. Why did Mr. Doran agree to marry Ms. Polly at last?
Ms. Polly Mooney was a beautiful girl. He remembered all the happy
moments spent with her. On the other hand if he did not agree to marry
her, he might lose his job. Because of these reasons he agreed to marry
Ms. Polly at last.
Mr. Doran didn’t want to marry Polly because he liked to be free.
Another reason was his family would not like her because she was
poorly educated and didn't speak correct English. Her family
background was not good. His father was a drunkard and she worked in
a hotel.
2. Why did Mrs Mooney start a boarding house?
The main characters of the story Mrs. Mooney had a butcher’s shop. But
after her father's death, her husband started drinking and wasted all of
their money. One night he even chased her with a big knife. So Mrs.
Mooney left her husband and started a boarding house.
3. Why did Mr. Doran agree to marry Ms. Polly at last?
Ms. Polly Mooney was a beautiful girl. He remembered all the happy
moments spent with her. On the other hand if he did not agree to marry
her, he might lose his job. Because of these reasons he agreed to marry
Ms. Polly at last.
