Lesson 5. Home reading. S. Maugham. “Footprints in the Jungle”.

The aim of the lesson is to analyse the tone of the story and the implications of the “strong position”, that is, the beginning and the end.

1. Somerset Maugham was a cynic who never believed in man’s capacity for goodness. His stories, that seem to be little more than anecdotes, have nothing of the good humour of the genre. The story “Footprints in the jungle could be taken as slander on the human race, if it were written in another tone. The flow of the story is quiet and slow. There is nothing in it that gives one s sensation of tragedy. The reader is at a loss, because, in spite of himself, he feels intrigued rather than disgusted. It’s a story about … Reproduce the information finishing it with a one-sentence summary.

2. Match the Russian and English expressions as far as playing cards is concerned.

Бубны Черви Пики Трефы Козыри Tузы

Trumps Diamonds Aces Hearts Spades Clubs

Сдавать карты Тасовать карты Снять карты Иметь хорошие карты на руках Заказывать взятки

To have a good hand To deal the cards To cut for deal To make a bid To shuffle the cards

3. Match the English idiomatic expressions that are close in meaning. Reproduce one of the columns from memory.

She took stock of me.	She was the very image of her father.
She resembled her father.	He had always been on the quiet size.
She brought off a repartee…	She soon took my measure.
She knew her mind and was never afraid to speak it.	We were letting ourselves go (a little).
He wasn’t effusive.	She made quite a neat retort.
He took more pains with his clothes than his wife.	He had never been slovenly.
We were all on the merry side.	She was as straight as a die.

4. Translate the following into good Russian.

¨ She had none of the determination that gave her mother so much character. (275)

¨ They must be a great asset in a place like this. (275)

¨ Owing to the restriction in the output of rubber, there had sprung up a considerable activity among the smugglers and it was part of his duty to circumvent their knavishness.. (276)

¨ Gaze, a rueful grin on his ugly face, looked at me with faint indignation, as if I could help the hurrying march of the years as they trod upon one another’s heels.

¨ Mrs. Cartwright liked her liquor. (278)

¨ …At least it would be free board and lodging. (284)

¨ “Fire away”. (286)

¨ “He takes the short cut through the jungle” (289).

¨ “I shall have to do a P.M.” (293)

¨ I don’t believe remorse for a crime ever sits very heavily on a man when he’s sure he’ll never be found out. (314).

5. Sum up the story using the following Russian phrases

¨ Картрайты были очень дружной супружеской парой, а Олив была очень похожа на отца.

¨ Рассказчик был удивлен, когда узнал, что девушку зовут Олив Бронсон. Она родилась через пять месяцев после того, как М-р Бронсон был убит.

¨ Картрайт в то время был безработным, и у него не было ни копейки. Бронсон пригласил его погостить до лучших времен.

¨ Однажды М-с Бронсон и Картрайт были в клубе, когда полицейский сказал им, что Бронсон ранен.

¨ М-с Бронсон вскочила и уставилась на Картрайта. Тот был бледен, как полотно.

¨ Услышав, что муж мертв, она упала на стул и расплакалась.

¨ Сначала не было и намека на разгадку убийства.

¨ Потом полицейский понял, что тот, кто убил Бронсона, убил не с целью наживы и что Бронсон остановился поговорить с приятелем. Он встретился не с кем иным, как с Картрайтом.

¨ Жена не сказала Бронсону о своей беременности. Бронсон знал, что он не может быть отцом ребенка.

¨ Любовники могли бы положиться на милосердие Бронсона. Но они не хотели, чтобы правда вышла наружу, и предпочли убить его.

6. Maugham is a master of description. His ability to describe a person’s appearance adds to his skill of hiding what is in the character’s mind. Describe Mrs. or Mr. Cartright to show that appearances can be deceptive, to an extent.

7. Foreshadowing is a literary device that authors use to make the reader feel that something is amiss somewhere. What are the hints the author gives all through the story to help us arrive at the final discovery?

8. Defeated expectancy is another device that misleads the reader and throws him off his track. Speak of the details that perform this function in the story.

9. Explain the meaning of the last phrases: “There’s one job I shouldn’t like – God’s, at the Judgement Day”.

10. Somerset Maugham once wrote: “ In my twenties the critics said that I was brutal. In my thirties they said I was flippant. In my forties they said I was cynical. In my fifties they said I was competent. And now they say I am superficial”. Which opinion of the critics do you share? Explain, giving examples from the story.

Lesson 6. S. Maugham. The Force of Circumstance.

The aim of the lesson is to analyse the tone of the story and the implications of the “strong position”, that is, the beginning and the end.

1. Maugham’s attitude to life and people doesn’t change. He is disappointed by life and, in a way, becomes a fatalist. He believes that human nature and the circumstances remain the same forever. The story under discussion is a sad reminder of the same everlasting truth. Nobody is to blame….

Reproduce the information adding a sentence or two.

2. Give the following word combinations in English:

(an) ambiguous (an) affectionate (a) rueful (an) unbearable (a) frank (a) deliberate (a) habitable (an) inordinate (a harassed (an)animated

…smile …look …pride …understatement …conversation ….exaggeration …monotony …place …phrase

Намеренное преувеличение, нежная улыбка, измученный вид, двусмысленное умолчание, место, пригодное для жилья чрезмерная гордость горестная улыбка (= полная раскаяния) оживленная беседа невыносимое однообразие неоднозначная фраза

3. Choose the right word.

¨ The deep (reflection, affection, perfection, rejection) that she saw in his eyes touched her.

¨ It’s a terrible thing to have married a woman who is mentally (deficient, efficient, proficient).

¨ His face, usually so cheerful, bore a (sullen, sudden, sunken) look.

¨ I am not going to have all sorts of stray people (crowding, prowling, drowsing) about here.

¨ “You mustn’t treat a woman like that!” she said to the servant. She was quite (exacerbated, exasperated, exhilarated).

¨ “The boys were treating her (crudely, roughly, brutally). I had to stop then.”

¨ “She hasn’t the least right to come here (pestering, worrying, troubling) everybody.”

¨ “She wants to make (a disturbance, an inconvenience, a discomfort).”

4. Reproduce Maugham’s equivalents for the following phrases from the left column.

He felt very tired.	His mind was strangely vacant.
He gave in.	It was painful to see the abandonment of grief on her face.
He couldn’t think of anything.	He surrendered.
It hurt him to see her so unhappy.	He was exhausted.
She attached too much importance to it.	There is no object in going back on all that.
What’s the use of discussing it again?	I’m feeling a bit under the weather.
I thought it best to confess.	She was making a mountain out of a molehill.
I am not feeling very well.	The only thing was to make a clean breast of it.

5. Sum up the story using the following Russian phrases

¨ Рядом со своим мужем Дорис чувствовала себя счастливой и умиротворенной.

¨ Четыре месяца назад она собралась ему отказать, но судьба или случай вмешались и решили за неё.

¨ Она смотрела на своего мужа с благодарностью, нежностью и спокойной уверенностью.

¨ Однажды она услышала, как двое слуг стараются выдворить женщину с ребёнком. Дорис была вне себя.

¨ Но муж сказал, что женщина не имеет права досаждать им. Она затевает скандал.

¨ Муж говорил так, будто всё это её не касалось. Он нервничал и был раздражен. Ей было как-то не по себе.

¨ Затем муж признался ей во всем. В течение десяти лет он жил с местной женщиной.

¨ Дорис ушла к себе в спальню и закрылась там.

¨ На следующий день она вела себя так, как будто рядом чужой и его надо развлекать светской беседой.

¨ Она попросила мужа дать ей шесть месяцев, и он принял это условие.

¨ Но по истечении этого срока Дорис попросила мужа отпустить ее навсегда.

¨ Она вела себя неразумно. Здравый смысл подсказывал ей, что она делает из мухи слона, но душой она не могла смириться с происшедшим.

¨ Гай был внутренне опустошен. Сопротивляться было бесполезно. Он уступил жизненным обстоятельствам. Теперь его местная семья могла вернуться.

6. The story describes the relations between two people and the world of prejudice and misunderstanding. Characterize one of the protagonists, choosing the phrases mainly from the text.

7. The effect of the story rests on the device of foreshadowing. Here it is mainly the landscape that anticipates the future calamity. Find the descriptive details that may help you foresee an unhappy end.

8. Nobody can predict the future. And yet, what do you think of the future that is in store for Guy and for Doris after their separation? Will each of them be happy? Will Doris marry again? Will Guy come to love his children and consider his native wife and kids a real family? Will the native girl be as devoted to him as she seemed to be before he sent her away?

Is there anything you learned about human nature from this story

Lesson 7. Home-reading. S. Maugham. The Creative Impulse.

The purpose of the lesson is to make you see cases of irony as one of the leading devices.

1. Match the statements from the two columns. Use your memory!

She sat deep in thought.	Beg him to reconsider his decision.
We have nothing in common.	He didn’t interfere with anybody.
We shall not betray your secret.	There is an abyss between us.
Ask him to change his mind.	She sat buried in reflection.
Play fair with your reader.	I shall be lost without you.
He was perfectly unobtrusive.	Puzzle your reader but don’t make a fool of him.
I don’t know what I should do without you.	She had an eye for budding talent.
Nothing will induce me to live with you again.	You can count on our discretion/
She encouraged the first efforts of promising writers.	Her position in the world of letters was well assured.
She had a fluent, fertile and distinguished pen.	My decision to leave you is irrevocable.

2. The story may be read as an example of acid criticism of the literary world Somerset Maugham knew so well. It is a study of a modern literary career and of the factors that go to make up popular literary success. Mrs. Albert Forrester’s ability to “square the circle” is a sign of genius: she brings together the man in the street and the elite. She gives Somerset Maugham an opportunity to speak ironically not only about people of art, but the reading public in general.

Reproduce the piece of information and add a few sentences expressing your agreement or disagreement with the above passage.

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