A Man Who Had No Eyes by Mackinlay Kantor (1904 1977)

“A Man Who Had No Eyes” by MacKinlay Kantor (1904 – 1977) Page 328 in Sightlines 10

MacKinlay Kantor is most noted for his depiction of America during wartime. For fifty years, his work appeared almost uninterruptedly as short stories in magazines, novellas, and novels. During the height of his success, from 1935 to 1970, Kantor was one of the highest paid fiction writers in the world. Aside from his wartime stories, Kantor also wrote fiction based on the tales he heard while growing up in the Midwest.

NOTEWORTHY LITERARY ELEMENTS in “A Man Who Had No Eyes”: characterization / onomatopoeia (x 1) / imagery / foreshadowing / dialogue / contrast (between characters) / setting / conflict / climax [surprise twist(s) ] / irony / theme

New Terms: colloquial language – informal language common to everyday conversation (i.e. casual or informal speech) dialect -- a form of speech common to a region or particular social class (i.e. idiom, unusual words, slang)

THEME TOPICS: deceitfulness / overcoming obstacles / self-pity VERSUS positive attitude / mistaken stereotypes / appearance VERSUS reality

1. This story has TWO surprise ‘twists’ in the final paragraphs. State what they are and clarify what is surprising or ironic about them.

2. Describe Markwardt (the beggar) as presented in the story. Include his appearance, what he is doing, and any personality traits that are revealed.

3. Describe Mr. Parsons. Include his appearance and any personality traits that are revealed through his words and behaviours in the story.

4. Look closely at Markwardt’s (the beggar’s) lines of dialogue and write out THREE phrases that are strong examples of dialect. Why do you think the author chose to have Markwardt speak in this manner?

5. Based on your careful reading of the story, create at least TWO fully developed theme statements that you think reflect insights about life conveyed in “A Man Who Had No Eyes”.