STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.A ENGLISH SHORT STORIES AND ONE ACT PLAYS SEMESTER - VI, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 UNIT CONTENT PAGE Nr I SHORT STORIES 02 II SHORT STORIES 05 III SHORT STORIES 08 IV ONE-ACT PLAYS 12 V ONE-ACT PLAYS 14 Page 1 of 15 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.A ENGLISH SHORT STORIES AND ONE ACT PLAYS SEMESTER - VI, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 UNIT - I LEO TOLSTOY - GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT WAITS (1872) Novelist, short story writer and philosopher, Leo Tolstoy has been hailed as one of the greatest writers of all time. His works stand witness to the simplicity of his style and profoundness of thought. His characters reflect all kinds of human behaviour and lives. The story “God Sees the Truth, but Waits” highlights the importance of patience, faith and non-resistance to evil. The story is part of a collection of short stories that Leo Tolstoy has written to expound his own understanding of Christianity and his philosophy of non-violence and an adherence to truth. As the title suggests, it is a story of man’s endurance and faith in difficult circumstances and also the assurance that God will set things right in time and that man needs to be faithful and patient. The story, in the form of a fable, highlights the importance of always speaking the truth, keeping faith and not reacting to any situation aggressively. Ivan speaks the truth about his innocence but when he has realized that even his wife does not believe in his innocence he decided to put his faith in God. The many years of punishment in Siberia are the trial of his faith and the culmination of this test was the arrival of MakarSemyonich. Upon knowing the identity of the real culprit Ivan is driven to anger and wants to seek vengeance. The opportunity presents itself when he spots MakarSemyonich digging a tunnel to escape from the prison. Ivan passes his test when he does not seek revenge and refuses to reveal MakarSemyonich’s name to the authorities. Ivan is rewarded with a release from prison into the kingdom of God. Ivan is a young, high spirited and successful businessman. He faces difficult circumstances when he is accused of a crime he does not commit. However, he holds on courageously, pleading his innocence to the authorities. He even seeks to petition the Czar asking to be acquitted. He stops when he realizes that his wife too does not trust him, as the murder weapon is found in his possession. He accepts his fate with quiet dignity and chooses to live out his punishment without complaint. This acceptance gives him a dignity and poise that is admired by all in the prison. He is called “Grandfather” and “Saint”. Twenty six years in prison he spends in prayer believing that this is how it is meant to be. However, his stoicness, patience, faith and wisdom are all put to test when he encounters Semyonich. He finds that he can easily be moved to anger and even to murder to avenge his wrongful arrest. Instead, Ivan chooses to listen to the voice of his faith, his God and does not stoop to revenge. Ivan’s silence makes Semyonich realizes the error of his ways and apologizes to Ivan. Ivan forgives Semyonich when he realizes that he too may have been sinful and has been punished for it. When he forgives, Ivan feels that he has been relieved of a heavy burden hanging on his soul. He understands that through all those years of prayers and pious living he has still held on to the belief that he has been treated unjustly. This feeling of resentment leaves him weak and capable of anger. When Ivan finds it in his heart to forgive that is when he truly surrenders to his faith in God. Ivan comes out of the test a better man and a content man. There was no more any longing or desire in his heart for worldly freedom. That is when Ivan becomes one with God. ' Page 2 of 15 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.A ENGLISH SHORT STORIES AND ONE ACT PLAYS SEMESTER - VI, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 JEROME K JEROME – UNCLE PODGER HANGS A PICTURE (1889) Humourist, journalist, editor and lecturer, Jerome K Jerome is best known for his novel Three Men in a Boat. The story “Uncle Podger Hangs a Picture” is an extract from Three Men in a Boat. The narrator, referred to as J, recollects a humourous incident about his Uncle Podger’s attempts to hang a picture. The story begins with the delivery of a picture in a frame. Uncle Podger volunteers to put it up. A series of misadventures ensue that involves the entire family. Uncle Podger proves to be utterly inept at even the simplest of tasks like nailing a picture to the wall. The humour in the story is in Uncle Podger’s supreme confidence in his ability to undertake any task. Even his failures somehow become everybody else’s fault! The story makes for enjoyable reading because of the author’s skillful use of farce in the writing of the story. The seriousness with which the narrator approaches the story adds to its inherent humour. He has employed literary devices like outrageous hyperbole, vivid metaphors, and comic exaggeration to create something extraordinary out of an ordinary, everyday incident. Uncle Podger is a typical patriarch, with an infinite sense of self. He believes that the house and all its members are completely dependent on him for every little task. The story is a comic unraveling of his exaggerated sense of self. The first instance of his ineptitude is seen in his inability to hoist the frame. He struggles to lift it and eventually drops it, breaking the glass. He cuts himself and screams for the handkerchief in his coat. He sits waiting for his family to find his coat all the while scolding them for not doing a job properly. When he discovers that he has been sitting on it all the time, he covers for it by claiming that he had to do everything and nobody could help him as they are all inefficient! Then, when a new glass is fitted on to the picture, a whole new set of misadventures begin. First, the nail is lost and found, and then the hammer is lost and found; while Uncle Podger stands on the chair watching the rest of the family scrambling about looking for the tools. The search for the ideal spot on the wall to hang the picture turns out to be another long exercise with musical accompaniment when Uncle Podger over balances and lands on the piano, playing all the keys at once! The picture is put up only by midnight with the wall full of holes and scratches and the picture hanging crooked and likely to fall off soon. The family is tired of running around looking for tools, being scolded and hurt by flying hammer and nail or just being around Uncle Podger. However, Uncle Podger walks away claiming that he is unnecessarily called upon to carry out simple tasks. Uncle Podger is blissfully unaware of the confusion and damage he has caused and takes inordinate pride in his handiwork. A.J. CRONIN – TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (1949) Novelist, physician, short story writer, A.J. Cronin is best known for his the social awareness, realism and romance that he brings to each one of his writings. His writings abound with descriptions of the Scottish landscape that he has belonged to. The story “Two Gentlemen of Verona” examines the prejudices which is harboured by people and questions accepted notions of people and situations. The title of the story has been deliberately chosen. It is the title of one of Shakespeare's early comedies, which tells the story of two gentlemen friends, one of whom betrays the other for the love of a woman. The title problematises the qualities one expects to find in gentleman honesty, politeness, mildness of spirit, optimism, generosity and nobility of character. The narrator and the reader assume that these are qualities one would expect to find in a certain class of people. The story’s twist in the end gives the life to these assumptions. Page 3 of 15 STUDY MATERIAL FOR B.A ENGLISH SHORT STORIES AND ONE ACT PLAYS SEMESTER - VI, ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 At the beginning of the story, the narrator is puzzled about the boys since their first meeting. He is touched by their sincerity and continues to associate with them. The narrator sees that they do not spend the hard-earned money even to feed themselves adequately. When asked, Nicola simply answers that they have plans but does not reveal any of the trials they faced. The boys put up a brave front to the world and spend their energies working to earn money. It is to acknowledge the single-mindedness of the boys’ endeavour and Jacopo’s sweet request that the narrator agrees to drive them to their home town. He drives down believing that he is doing the boys a favour. The narrator believes he is being a true gentleman because he has risen above the idea of class division when he befriends the poor street urchins. He believes he is being a gentleman in not probing into their affairs but by expressing his concern for their well-being. He believes he is being a true gentleman when he chivalrously offers to drive them by himself. The narrator is surprised to find the boys entering a villa in their hometown.