The Little Willow by Francis Tower

The Little Willow by Francis Tower

Summary

“The Little Willow” is a story of silent love.  Both Lisby and Simon love each other, but they do not express their love each other. The army officers on leave are always welcomed in courthouse. Three sisters Charlotte, Brenda, and Lisby live in that courthouse. Lisby is the youngest. She is different from her sisters. Her sisters are insincere and hollow.

When Simon Byrne comes to the courthouse for the first time, he stands there on the threshold for some time. Lisby looks at him and realizes that he was his kind of person.  They have common interests. Both Lisby and Byrne love each other, but do not express their love to each other.

When he comes to say goodbye, she gives him a little Willow tree as a gift. Later he is killed in a war prison camp. The war ends and the lovers of Charlotte and Brenda return safely.

Once a guest tells Lisby that, he was with Simon when he died. He tells her that Simon loved he girl who had given her a willow tree. Lisby tells him her secret that Simon was her love.

When she comes to know that Simon loved her she feels very good. She is waiting for this. When her sister tells her that there is no letter for her, she tells her that she has received her letter.

1. Lisby Avery is different from her sisters. Discuss.

Lisby has genuine emotions of love and sympathies for others and she loves things because of their spiritual values. Discuss.

Compare the characters of Lisby and her two elder sisters.

No doubt, Lisby Avery is difficult from her two elder sisters. She has genuine emotions of love and sympathies for others. She loves things because of their spiritual beauty.

When we read the story carefully, we find that Lisby loves painting, the willow tree, and Simon Byrne because of their spiritual beauty. She loves the picture for its holiness and not for aesthetic reasons. The willow tree has spiritual values too. She has bought the willow tree with her fist term’s salary. Its apparent beauty does not impress her. Actually, she bought it because of the idea in the mind of the Chinese artist.

She loves Simon Byrne because he also appreciates spiritual beauty of things. He is just like her. That is why she thinks: “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.”

As for her elder sisters, they do not like things because of their spiritual values. The picture is in the room because of Lisby. Her sisters think; “Lisby would die if we banished the picture.” They do not like the willow tree either. They do not like Simon Byrne because he does not talk much.

They do not have genuine emotions of sympathy either. Brenda is a hypocrite and she can change the tone of her voice just to entrap others. As for Lisby, she has genuine emotions of sympathy. Sometimes, she gives company to a neglected gets just out of sympathy.

Therefore, we can conclude that Lisby Avery is different from her two elder sisters. She has genuine emotions of love and sympathies for others. She loves things because of their spiritual beauty. (272)

2. Discuss the characters of the three sisters in the light of the Charlotte’s comments: “I feel we rather swamp her, you know – like two arc lamps putting out the moonlight. Now, isn’t that a tribute to our Lis?”

The two elder sisters are charmers but Lisby is not. Discuss.

Discuss the characters of three sisters in comparison and tell clearly whom you like the most and why?

Write a character sketch of Lisby Avery.

Lisby Avery is not a charmer liker her elder sisters. Discuss.

When we have a comparative study of the characters of the three sisters, we find that Lisby Avery is quite different from her elder sisters.

Lisby Avery is not a charmer like her elder sister. She does not try to impress others by her way of speaking. She does not like to play the cello like Brenda. She does not change the tone of her voice just to entrap others. Brenda agrees when Charlotte says, “I feel we rather swamp her, you know – like two arc lamps putting out the moonlight.  Now isn’t that a tribute to our Lis?”

Unlike her sisters, she is a sincere lover. She does not love Simon because of his apparent personality. She loves him because he is her kind of person. The two elder sisters are hollow and superficial. They do not love others sincerely. They do not have any taste for spiritual beauty of things.

Brenda keeps the pictures of all her dead lovers, but she feels no grief for them. She at once forgets her dead lover and starts loving a fresh one.

Charlotte is just like Brenda. She tells her sisters about the death of Simon very casually. However, Lisby takes it so seriously that her legs tremble and she hides her feelings with a great difficulty.

In short, Brenda and Charlotte are “…the types of the seductive women in any age.” However, Lisby is “…like a watching a girl who holds a basket on her hand in the background of El Gore’s Christ in the Temple.”

I think this remark of the writer throws ample light on the character of Lisby. I like Lisby for her good qualities of character. (280)

3. Why Lisby does falls in love with Simon Byrne?

How do Lisby and Simon get attracted to each other?

What is the reason behind the love of Lisby and Simon?

Lisby loves Simon Byrne not for his physical appearance, but for his inner qualities. When Simon comes for the first time, she sees extraordinary delight on his face. Therefore, she at once senses his inner qualities. She comes to know that he is her kind of person.

Later she gives a little start when Simon appreciates the picture and tells her, “The picture has been loved by people who are dead…” She thinks, “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.” She starts loving him passionately. When he listens to Brenda playing spellbound, she feels jealous. She does not want him impressed by Brenda. He appreciates the willow tree that nobody else has appreciated. She thinks that he is a person one can talk to him.

The things that make Lisby laugh make him laugh too.  Sometimes he catches her eyes and they go off a silent fit of laughter. He hums the same tunes as are liked by her.

Therefore, we can conclude that Lisby falls in love with Simon because he is his kind of person. They have same likes and dislikes. (188)

4. What are the symbolic meanings of the picture and the willow tree?

What is the significance of the picture and the willow tree?

The picture and the willow tree have great symbolic meanings and significance in the story “The Little Willow”. The picture represents the characters of Lisby and Simon. The willow tree represents not only their characters, but also the nature of love between them.

Her two elder sisters are hollow and do not like the picture and the willow tree. Lisby and Simon like them because of their spiritual values. Lisby thinks about Simon, “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.” Therefore, it means that both Simon and Lisby are impressed by the spiritual value of things. It throws light on their characters.

The little willow tree represents not only their characters but also the nature of love between them. Lisby loves Simon because he is a man of ideas. He is a man who can look beyond the surface of things. He is not impressed by the physical appearance of things, but only by their spiritual beauty. He is ‘cool’ just like the Willow tree. It does not broadcast its beauty just like Lisby and Simon.

Lisby gives the little willow tree to Simon on his departure. Therefore, it is a token of unexpected love between them.

Its breaking represents the death of physical love. It also symbolizes the strength of love that consoles and comforts lovers when they are in some kind of difficulty.

Therefore, we can conclude that the picture and the willow tree have great symbolic meaning and significance in the story. (250)

5. “The Little Willow” is a story of silent love. Discuss.

No doubt, “The Little Willow” is a story of silent love. When we read the story carefully, we find that both Lisby and Simon love each other very passionately, but they do not express their love to each other.

This love is so silent that Simon is not sure about Lisby’s love until his death. When he comes for the last time to say good-bye, he tries to express his love, but does not. Its reason is that he is not sure about Lisby’s love.

Similar is the case with Lisby. She is not sure about Simon’s love. She thinks that he is in love with her sister Brenda. It was after his death she comes to know that Simon loved her and not her sister. Therefore, this is silent love.

They both fall in love with each other on first sight. When Lisby sees Simon for the first time, she thinks about Simon, “It almost seems as if he might be my kind of person.” However, she does not express it to him. She starts loving him passionately. When he listens to Brenda playing the cello spellbound, she feels jealous and does not want him impressed by Brenda.

Simon appreciates the willow tree that nobody else has appreciated. She thinks that he is a person one can talk to him. The things that make Lisby laugh make him laugh too. Sometimes, he catches her eyes and they go off into a silent fit of laughter. He hums the same turns as are liked by her.

Therefore, they love each other. However, it is silent love and nobody knows about it. Lisby’s elder sisters do not know about it either. Even Lisby and Simon themselves are not sure about it. (290)

The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

The Fly by Katherine Mansfield

Summary

The story “Fly” throws light on the fact that time is a great healer and it conquers grief.

Mr. Woodifield comes to see his ex-boss. He is retired and is a heart patient. He praises the new setting and furniture of the office. Then the boss offers him whisky. After drinking it, Mr. Woodifield remembers what he has forgotten. He tells the boss that his daughters have visited the graves of the boss’s as well as Mr. Woodsfield’s son. Actually, they have died in a war.

When Mr. Woodifield has gone, the boss remembers his dead son. He tries to have the same feelings of grief as he felt on the day of his death. However, he fails. For the last try, he decides to go to the photograph of his son, but a fly in an inkpot attracts his attention. He forgets all about his son.

He takes the fly out of the inkpot and puts it on a blotting paper. As soon as the fly is about to fly, he drops a drop of ink on it and enjoys its struggle. At last, the fly dies of drops of ink. The boss throws it away and orders for a fresh blotting paper. Then he tries to remember what he was thinking before attending to the fly. It means he forgets his dead son again.

1. What is the theme of the story “Fly”?

This is a quite established fact that the story “The Fly” is about the conquest of time over grief. 

No doubt, this is quite established fact that the story “The Fly” is about the conquest of time over grief. This is the first theme of the story.

To show that time conquers grief the writer presents two characters, Mr. Woodifield and his ex-boss. Both of them lost their only sons six years ago. It was a long period and it had healed up their grief.

First, the writer tells us about the state of grief of Mr. Woodifield. He has forgotten everything. He is able to remember about the grave of his some after drinking whisky. He talks about his son and his grave, but does not feel any pang of grief. This clearly shows that the time has made him forget his grief.

Then the writer talks about the state of grief of the boss. The Boss believed that time would not make any difference to his grief. Now his present state of grief is different. After the departure of old Woodifield, he sits in the chair. He wants to feel the same pang of grief that he used to feel. The writer expresses his feelings very beautifully: “He wanted, he intended, he arranged to weep…. But no tears came yet.” This is the present condition of his grief. Time has conquered his grief.

He wants to feel the pang of grief. As a last try, he decides to get up and have a look at his son’s photograph. However, a fly in the inkpot attracts his attention and he forgets about his son and the grief in a moment. He starts dropping drops of ink on the fly to enjoy its struggle. After the death of the fly, he tries to remember what he was thinking, but cannot. This clearly shows that time has conquered his grief. (303)

2. What is the second theme of the story “Fly”?

Discuss the writer’s views about life, death, and fate as given in her story “The Fly”.

“As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.” Discuss.
What does the Boss do to the fly at the end of the story and what does the death of the fly signify to him?

The second theme of the story “The Fly” is “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport.”

When we read the story carefully, we find that the fly in the story symbolizes helplessness of man before fate. Just like the fly, man tries hard and gets out of the grip of death for the time being, but fate captures him again. Man has no power to defy fate and fall an easy prey to it. When we read the story, we find that the writer and all the characters in the story stand for the fly.

To convey this idea, the writer tells a brief incident. A fly falls into an inkpot. The Boss sees it, puts it on a blotting paper, and enjoys its strength again. At last, the fly dies of those drops of ink.

This incident of the fly highly symbolic. The writer herself died of T.B that was incurable at that time. Many people were dying at that time. Later, man discovered a cure for the disease and thought that he had escaped death and had defied fate. However, just like the Boss, fate dropped another drop – AIDS. Now many people are dying of it. Now it is the last drop. Just like the fly, people cannot survive it. We hope that man will discover a cure for it. However, who knows what the next drop is like.

Therefore, we are just like the fly in the story and the Boss is just like a god who kills it just for his sport. This is the second theme of the story. (275)

3. What does the fly stand for?

Bring out the symbolism in the short story “The Fly” by Katherine Mansfield.

The fly in the story “The Fly” symbolizes helplessness of man before fate. Man may try hard to escape his death, but he is not given a chance to escape. Just like the fly, man tries hard and gets out of the grip of death for the time being, but fate again captures him. He has no power to defy fate and fall an easy prey to it. When we read the story, we find that the writer and all the characters in the story stand for the fly.

To convey this idea, the writer tells a brief incident. A fly falls into an inkpot. The boss sees it, puts it on a blotting paper, and enjoys its struggle. Just when the fly is able to escape death, drops a drop of ink onto the fly and enjoys its struggle again. At last, the fly dies of those drops of ink.

This incident of the fly is highly symbolic. The writer herself died of T. B that was incurable at that time. Many people were dying at that time. Later, man discovered a cure for the disease. He thought that he had escaped death and had defied fate. However, just like the boss, fate dropped another drop – the drop of AIDS. Now many people are dying of it. Now it is the last drop. Just like the fly, people cannot survive it. We hope that man will discover a cure for it. However, who knows what the next drop is like. (253)

4. Describe the reaction of the Boss when he comes to know that Mr. Woodifield’s daughters have visited the grave of his son.

The reaction of the Boss is that of a father over the death of his only son. However, he does not express his grief before Mr. Woodifield.

When Mr. Woodifield has gone, he sits in his chair. He asks Mr. Macey that he will see nobody for half an hour. He wants to feel the same pang of grief. The writer describes his condition, “He wanted, he intended, he had arranged to weep…” It is a terrible shock to him when Mr. Woodifield mentions the grave of his son. He imagines his son lying in his grave. He groans, “My son!” However, no tears come yet.

In the past, in the first months and even years after the death of his son he could not control his tears. He thought that the time would never change the condition of his grief. He had developed his business for his son. Everybody liked his son. However, he went to a war and died. When he received a telegram about his death, he felt the whole place crashing about his head.

Now the situation is different. Six years have passed and he does not feel the same pang of grief. As a last try, he decides to get up and have a look at his son’s photograph. He thinks that by looking at the photograph he will feel the same pang of grief as he used to feel. However, a fly in the inkpot attracts his attention and he forgets about his son in a moment. He starts enjoying the struggle of the fly by dropping drops of ink on it. After the death of the fly, he tries to remember what it was he thinking before attending to the fly, but cannot. (291)

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

A Conversation with My Father by Grace Paley

Summary

This story presents the generation gap between the past and the present writers. The writer represents the young generation, whereas her father represents the old generation.  The conflict between them is that they have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

Her father is eighty-six and is a heart patient. He asks the writer to write a simple story like the Russian writers used to write.

She writes a story. It is a true story. It is about a woman who is a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons, her son gave up drugs and left the city and his mother. Now the mother was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

However, her father does not like the story. He raises some objections. He says that she has not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story.

She writes the second version of the story. She changes it completely. Still he does not like the story and raises some more objections. He objects that she does not want to face the reality. He believes that no character can change. If there is any change, it cannot last long.

Therefore, the daughter tries to write a story according to the wishes of her father but fails.

1. The writer Grace Paley has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. Discuss.

What is the conflict between the father and the daughter?

The writer has demonstrated the generation gap in the story “A Conversation with My Father”. The reason of conflict between the father and the daughter is that they are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. They have their own ideas of reality and are not ready to change them.

The father represents the old generation. For him life is simple, nice and family oriented. He believes in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have some reasonable end. He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life of bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…” She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, both have sensibilities of their own times – the old and the modern. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (230)

2. The writer, Grace Paley loves her father and is willing to write a simple story for him, but cannot, why?

The writer fails in writing a story in keeping with the sensibilities of her father’s time. Comment.

When we go through the story “A Conversation with My Father”, we find that the daughter has great love for her father. She wants to please him. She does not want to argue. Even if there is an argument, she is always willing to let her father have the last word. That is why she is willing to write a simple story for him. She writes two stories according to her father’s wishes, but fails to please him.

Its reason is that the daughter is the representative of the young generation of writers. She considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To her family life or person can change. That is a truth to her. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

She hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a…..” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. She has sensibilities of her own times. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (241)

3. What was the first version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The writer’s father asked her to write a simple story for him. The writer did like to write a simple story, but she wrote a story just to please him. It was a true story. It was about a woman who was a neighbor of the writer.

This woman had a son and they both lived nicely in a small apartment in Manhattan. Her son became a drug addict at the age of fifteen. It was not usual in that area. She also became a drug addict just to have a close contact with her son. However, for a number of reasons her son gave up drugs and left the city and her in disgust. Now the woman was hopeless and alone. The writer went to see her.

The writer’s father did not like the story and he raised many objections. Firstly, he said that she had not written the story according to his wishes. She misunderstood him on purpose. Secondly, she had left everything out. Thirdly, she had not written the story according to the Russian writers who could write a plain, ordinary story. She had not written the story for ordinary people.

Fourthly, she had not told about the physical appearance of the woman and about her hair. Fifthly, she had not told about the parents of the woman. If she had told, it would have been possible to tell why she had become such a person. Sixthly, she had not told about her husband and whether her boy. He believed that the bond of marriage was very important. Therefore, these were the objections of the father to the first version of the story. (281)

4. What was the second version of the story written by the writer and what were her father’s objections?

The father of the writer raised some objections to the first version of the story and asked the writer to write the story again. Therefore, the writer wrote the story again. This time she added many things.

The story was about a woman. She had a son whom she loved very much. He became a drug addict in his adolescence. He was a writer and wrote articles in newspapers.  I order to keep a close contact; she also became a drug addict. However, in spite of that she took great care of her son. She kept many orange juice, honey, milk and vitamin pills at home.

Once her son went to a cinema where he met a girl because of the girl, he gave up drugs and started his normal life again. The son asked his mother to give up drugs, but she could not.  The son left her and went away. The mother was alone now and she wept for her son. The writer visited her.

The writers’ fatter did not like the second version of the story either. He raised several objections. Firstly, he ironically objected that she had nice sense of humor. Secondly, he objected that she could not tell a plain story. Thirdly, he objected to the end of the story. He did not like that, the woman was left alone, and she had no hope. Fourthly, he objected that the writer did not want to face the reality. He believed that no character could change. It was a joke to show that in a story. If there was any change, it could not last long. It was the only truth for him. Therefore, these were the objections of the writer to the second version of the story. (292)

5. What kind of story does the writer’s father want her to write?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for hmm once more. The writer used to write simple stories.

He wants that the story should have all the good qualities of a simple story. Firstly, he likes the stories of the Russian writers, so he wants her daughter to write the story according to these writers. Secondly, the story should be written about the real, recognizable people. Thirdly the physical appearance of the characters should be given. The writer should tell even about the hair of the characters fourthly the background of the character must be given. In this way, it will be possible for the reader to find out why the character had become such a person.

Fifthly, the bond of marriage must be given a lot of importance in the stories. Sixthly, he believes that the sense of humor must be nice. The writer of the story should face the reality and should give a convincing end to the story. The end of the story must be finished. The characters in a story cannot change and the writer must not try to change them. It is a joke if a writer does therefore. According to him, such a story is against reality and it is not true. He believes that if a character changes it is only for the time being.

Therefore, the father wants her to write a story according to his own sensibility. (249)

6. Why does the writer not like to write a simple story about real and recognizable people?

The father of the writer of the story “A Conversation with My Father” asks her to write a simple story for him once more. From a simple story, he means such story as the famous Russian writers used to write. According to him these writer used to write simple stories about real and recognizable people.

However, the writer does not like to write a simple story because of certain reasons. She is a representative of the young generation. The young generation considers the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. When her father does not agree, she says, “No Pa, it could really happen that way, it’s a funny world nowadays.”

The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a ….” She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons, but because she thinks that, every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, we can conclude that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she does not like to write a simple story. She has the sensibilities of her own time. She is rigid and is not ready to accept what is wrong to her. (246)

7. What is the theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father”?

The theme of the story “A Conversation with My Father” is the generation gap between the old and the young writers.

The father of the writer represents the old generation of writers. For him life is simple and family oriented. He values in marriage. He also believes that a character in a story has some individuality and it does not change. He believes that the life story of each character should have a reasonable end.

He has his own idea of reality. The reality presented by the writer is just a joke to him. He is not going to accept it. He also believes that evasion is a characteristic of the young generation. The young generation is not ready to look the truth in the face.

Whereas, the young generation consider the life story unfinished, complex, and depressing. To them family life or the bond of marriage is not important. They believe that every person can change. That is a truth to them. The writer hates the stories that start with the sentence: “There was a….”

She does not hate such stories because of literary reasons. She thinks that every person or character of a story should have the open destiny of life. She feels a kind of responsibility for the characters in this respect. She fully believes that every character can change with time.

Therefore, the theme of the story is the generation gap between the young and the old writers. We see that the daughter has great love and care for her father. However, she cannot write a simple story for him. Both have sensibilities of their own times. They are rigid and are not ready to accept what is wrong to them. (285)

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

The Duchess and the Jeweler by Virginia Woolf

Summary

The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of writer’s time. It was an age of change. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were coming up.

Once Oliver Bacon was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley. He worked very hard and used fair and unfair means to become the richest jeweler of the England. He enjoys his present position. He is suffering from inferiority complex. There is a great difference between his present and past condition. He has become so important that each day he receives invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. He has become very rich, but he is so greedy that he wants more and more wealth.

One day the Duchess of Lambourne comes to sell some fake pearls.  She induces him into buying those fake pearls very cleverly. She uses her daughter Diana as bait. She also invites him to the party where all the aristocracy will be present.

Oliver Bacon buys the fake pearls because he wants to attend the party and spend the weekend with Diana. He loves Diana very much. Besides, he wants to move among aristocratic circles.

He signs the cheque for twenty thousand pounds. The Duchess takes the cheque and leaves. Later, he asks pardon of the picture of his mother.

1. The story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” by Virginia Woolf mirrors the society of England. Discuss.

Whenever there is an age of change, the higher come down and lower downs go up. Discuss.

The story describes the decadence of the aristocracy and the rise of the commoners. Comment.

The story is a criticism on Victorian Society.

No doubt, the writer of the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” reflects the English society of her time. It was an age of transition. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead in spite of their psychological fixations.

To fulfill her purpose, the writer introduces characters – the Duchess and the jeweler. The Duchess represents the high-ups. The jeweler represents the commoners. His name is Oliver Bacon. At the start of the story, the writer talks about commoners through Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. She tells the reader how the commoners took lead. Oliver Bacon was a commoner because he used to live in a filthy, little alley. Then slowly he took lead and became one of the high-ups of the English society. Now he lived at Piccadilly. It was the most fashionable and expensive place in London.

He had become so important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the English society. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Then the writer talks about the high-ups. To get her desired twenty-thousand, the Duchess had forgotten all her nobility. She was always in financial difficulties because of her moral decadence. She gambled. To arrange for the money she sold fake pearls to Oliver twice but this was not all. She had so much moral decadence that she used Diana, her daughter, to entrap Oliver Bacon.

Therefore, we can conclude that the writer has very beautifully reflected the English society of her time. The high-ups were coming down because of their moral decadence and the commoners were taking lead. (276)

2. Did the Duchess of Lambourne sell the pearls to Oliver Bacon real?  If not, why did the jeweler buy them?

No doubt, the pearls sold by the Duchess of Lambourne to Oliver were false. Oliver Bacon bought them and paid twenty thousand because of two very strong reasons.

Firstly, Oliver Bacon wanted to move among aristocratic circles. It was his greatest desire. He was a commoner. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. He worked hard to get to that position of the richest jeweler of England. Now it was his greatest desire to attend parties of the aristocrat. The Duchess induced him into buying fake pearls by telling him that the Prime Minister was going to attend the party.

The second reason of buying his fake pearls was that he loved Diana. She was the daughter of the Duchess. The Duchess induced him by referring to Diana repeatedly. She said, “The Prime Minister – his Minister – his Royal Highness…” She stopped. “And Diana…” She added. Now he started imagining the party and its atmosphere.

He still hesitated. Now the Duchess addressed him by his Christian name. He offered him to come for a long weekend. There he would be able to go to the woods alone with Diana fro riding. He could not resist and wrote the cheque for twenty-thousand. His words spoken at the end of the story are very important. He said, “For it is to be a long weekend.”

Therefore, we can conclude that Oliver Bacon bought the fake pearls because he wanted to attend the party. He wanted to spend a weekend with Diana. He loved Diana very much. (259)

3. Why did the jeweler dismantle himself?

Why did the jeweler remember his past life when he was very poor and lived in a filthy, little alley?

It was very surprising that Oliver, who was one of the richest jewelers of England, dismantled himself repeatedly. However, when we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that he dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. There was a great difference between his present and past life. He used to live in a filthy, little alley. His greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women at that time. Therefore, he sold stolen dogs. Then he became a salesperson and sold cheap watches. Therefore, he was a commoner.

Now Oliver Bacon was the richest jewelers of England. He lived at Piccadilly, the most fashionable and expensive place in London. He wore expensive clothes. The best tailors in Seville Row stitched those clothes. He had become so rich and important that each day he received invitation cards from the aristocracy of the city. Therefore, he dismantled himself just to enjoy his present life of a very rich jeweler. The writer describes his feelings in these words, “…at the memory he would chuckle – the old Oliver remembering the young.”

When the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting outside his office and dismantled himself again. He wanted to enjoy his present condition. It was a great achievement that a boy, who used to live a filthy, little alley, was keeping a Duchess waiting. The writer describes his feelings very beautifully. It appeared to him that keeping her waiting; he was enjoying a very big feast.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler dismantled himself because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy the present condition of the richest jeweler of England. (282)

4. Why did Oliver Bacon, the jeweller keep the Duchess of Lambourne waiting?

The jeweller kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting because of his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England.

When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweller”, we find that Oliver Bacon used to live in a filthy, little alley. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell. Then he became salesperson and sold cheap watches. Then he did some other jobs to become rich. Therefore, he was a commoner. He did not anything common with the aristocratic class of that time. Now by working hard, he was the richest jeweler of England. There was a great difference between his past and present life but he has not forgotten his past. Therefore, when the Duchess of Lambourne came to see him, he kept her waiting just to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. It was a great honor for a boy of a filthy, little alley. The writer comments, “The Duchess of Lambourne, the daughter of a hundred Earls. She would wait for ten minutes on a chair at the counter. She would wait his pleasure. She would wait till he was ready to see her.” It was as if he was enjoying a very big and desirous feast. The jeweler who was once a commoner was now keeping a Duchess waiting. What a great achievement that was!

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler kept the Duchess waiting just to satisfy his inferiority complex. He wanted to enjoy his present position of the richest jeweler of England. (272)

5. Throw light on the greedy nature and inferiority complex of the jeweler.

What psychological fixation did Oliver Bacon have in spite of becoming one of the richest jewelers of England?

Psychological fixation means a strong unhealthy feeling of love or obsession. We find that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth. It appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex.

When we the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully we find that to show how greedy Oliver Bacon was the writer gives the examples of a giant hog and a camel. Oliver was greedy like a hog that always wants a bigger and blacker truffle. The writer means to say that Oliver Bacon wanted to become more and richer. Then the writer gives the example of a camel and says, “The camel is dissatisfied with its lot…” Therefore, Oliver Bacon had a strong, unhealthy love for wealth. He was very greedy and was never satisfied.

Secondly, Oliver Bacon had a very unhealthy feeling of inferiority complex. To satisfy his inferiority complex, he kept the Duchess of Lambourne waiting outside his private office. He accepted the fake pearls because he wanted to move in aristocratic circles.  He wanted to go to the party where he could see the Prime Minister and Diana.

Therefore, we can conclude that the jeweler had two obsessions. Firstly, he wanted more and more wealth and it appears that his greed did not have an end. Secondly, he had inferiority complex and wanted to move among aristocratic circles to satisfy this complex. (248)

6. How did the Duchess deceive Oliver Bacon, the jeweler?

How did the Duchess induce Oliver Bacon into buying fake pearls?

The Duchess induced Oliver Bacon, the jeweler, into buying fake pearls very cleverly. Oliver Bacon hesitated thrice, but each time she induced him by using different tactics. She had many cards up her sleeve. She also had a trump card that she played at the last moment.

She started inducing Oliver very cleverly. Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the name of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearl only for them.  She knew that Oliver loved Diana. She was her daughter. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. She induced him by telling him that the Prime Minister, his Minister, his Royal Highness, and Diana would be there. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love for her daughter. He wrote twenty on the chequebook but hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque.

Therefore, that was how the Duchess induced Oliver into buying fake pearls. (279)

7. They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other. Comment.

This question has three parts and we shall discuss them one by one.

Firstly, we discuss “They were friends; yet enemies.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler”, we find that Oliver Bacon was a commoner. Later, he became the richest jeweler of England. On the other hand, the duchess was the member of the aristocracy by birth. Therefore, there was a great class difference between the two. These two classes could never be friends. However, the duchess was forced to call him an ‘old friend’ because o her moral decadence and financial problems. That was how they were friends; yet enemies.

Secondly, we discuss “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler” carefully, we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls so cleverly that she appears to be a mistress in this sense.

Lastly, we discuss “Each cheated other the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The Duchess cheated the jeweler and sold the fake pearls. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. Similarly, both needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go the party and to the woods with her daughter. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (286)

8. Write a note comparing the characters of the Duchess and the Jeweler.

When we compare the characters of the Duchess and the jeweler, we find that the following statement is true for both of them:”They were friends, yet enemies; he was master, she was mistress; each cheated the other, each needed the other, each feared the other.” We shall discuss some points of this statement.

Firstly, we discuss the second part of the statement:  “He was master, she was mistress.” When we read the story “The Duchess and the Jeweler carefully we find that Oliver became the richest jeweler of England by using fair and unfair means. Therefore, he was a master in the sense that he was a great cheat. On the other hand, the Duchess was a mistress. She was a cheat too. She induced the jeweler into buying the fake pearls very cleverly.

Secondly, we discuss the third part of the statement: “Each cheated the other, each needed the other, and each feared the other.” When we read the story, we find that each cheated the other. The jeweler cheated the duchess in a sense that he kept her waiting without any proper reason. He knew that the Duchess was telling a lie about the pearls, but he did not show it. It reason was that he wanted to go alone with Diana to the woods for riding. This was a kind of cheating.

Similarly, both the jeweler and the Duchess needed each other. She needed him for money and he needed her to go to the party. In spite of that, both feared each other because each knew the secrets of the other. (265)

9. Describe the meeting between the Duchess and the jeweler.

The Duchess of Lambourne came to sell ten fake pearls to Oliver Bacon, the jeweler. However, the jeweler kept her waiting for ten minutes. During those ten minutes, he enjoyed his present position of the richest jeweler of England. After ten minutes, the Duchess came in and tried to sell his fake pearls. She started inducing the jeweler and used different tactics.

Firstly, she started in a very friendly way. She called him ‘dear Mr. Bacon’. Secondly, she mentioned the names of her daughters and told him that she was selling the pearls only for them. Thirdly, to impress him, she started shedding tears. Fourthly, she called him an ‘old friend’ four times just to induce him.

Oliver hesitated. He was doubtful about the pearls. He wanted to test them to know whether they were real. When she saw him hesitating, she used some different tactics. She invited him to a party at her estate. Therefore, she tried to take advantage of his inferiority complex and of his love with her daughter Diana. She tried to move him by telling him that her honor was at stake. Now she was not an ordinary woman, she was the mother of Diana.  He wrote twenty on the chequebook, but he hesitated again.

When the Duchess saw him hesitating, she again used some tactics. Firstly, she called him by his Christian name just to create frankness. Secondly, she used her trump card. She again invited him to her estate for a long weekend. There he would go for riding in the woods alone with Diana. He could not resist any more. He wrote thousand and signed the cheque. The Duchess of Lambourne took the cheque and departed. (284)

10. Write a note on Oliver Bacon’s journey from filthy, little alley to the Bond Street.

By birth, Oliver Bacon was a commoner. He was very poor. He used to live in a filthy, little street. At that time, his greatest ambition was to sell stolen dogs to fashionable women and he did sell.

However, his mother stopped him from doing that. Then he became a salesman and sold cheap watches.

After that, he took a wallet to Amsterdam. He earned a lot of money from three diamonds. He earned commission on the emerald. He bought a shop in Hatton Garden. He started sitting into the private room behind the shop. In the room, there were scales, a safe and thick magnifying glass.

As soon as he became rich, he started dressing better and better. First, he bought a handsome cab then a car. He also bought a villa at Richmond. Then he bought a grand house at Piccadilly. It was the most central position in London. After that, he bought a shop in the street off Bond Street. His shop was famous in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and in America.

Now he had become so important that people from the aristocratic circle started sending him invitations to their parties. Even the Duchess of Lambourne waited for his pleasure outside his private office.

Therefore, that was how Oliver Bacon became the richest jeweler of England. (219)