TRAVEL BY TRAIN - J.B. PRIESTLEY

TRAVEL BY TRAIN  - J.B. PRIESTLEY

     J.B. Priestly is a versatile writer. He is good at writing novels, essays and plays. He is known for his minute observation and portrayal of incidents in a humorous manner. The essay “Travel by Train” presents various types of train passengers.

      First, the author talks about a middle-aged woman traveller. He describes her as a person with a rough voice and face of brass. She loves to invade smoking compartments that are already filled with a quiet company of smokers. She is always accompanied by her dog. Then he describes the heavy carriers. There are some passengers who carry all their odd chattels and household utensils and parcel them up in brown paper. They also carry baskets of fruits and bunches of flowers to add to their own and other people’s misery.

Priestley talks about the non- stop eaters. Once they settled in their seats, they pass each other tattered sandwiches and mouthful scraps of pastry and talking with their mouths full, and scattering crumbs over the trousers of fastidious old gentlemen. The author talks about children’s behavior in the train. Some children don’t make good travelling companions, throughout a journey they will spend all their time daubing their faces with chocolate or trying to climb out of the window. Then, he describes about the cranks. The cranks will always insist us to open the windows in the trains on the bleakest days but in the hot season they don’t allow a window to be opened.

     Then, the author describes about innocent travelers who always find themselves in the wrong train. They neither bother about the railway time-tables nor ask the railway officials for advice. They get into the train that comes first. In the midst of the journey, they enquire, whether they are on the right train or not. The writer has often wondered whether these people will ever reach their destination. Then, he talks about the mighty sleepers. He envies the mighty sleepers. Once they settled in their seats, they sleep in a moment. Two minutes or so from their destination they wake up, collect their baggage and go out. Priestley calls them as descendants of the Seven of Ephesus. According to the author, Seafaring men are good companions on a railway journey. They are always ready for a pipe and a crack with any man. They talk entertaining matter. Then  it is about confidential strangers, who are rarely seen and compared to a very dull dog. They take pleasure in talking of their own interest. At last, the author talks about the elderly man who always seated in a corner. They talk and his talk will be all of trains. The author advices the readers to be aware of the elderly man, for he is the Ancient Mariner of railway travelers who will hold you with his glittering eye.

THE BISHOP’S CANDLESTICKS - NORMAN MCKENNEL

THE BISHOP’S CANDLESTICKS  - NORMAN MCKENNEL    

     The one – act play “The Bishop’s Candlesticks” by Norman McKennel is an excellent adaptation from a section of Victor Hugo’s world famous novel, ‘Les Miserable’. The play is about a Bishop who redeems a convict with his boundless love and affection.

     There are five characters in the play. They are the Bishop, Persome, the Convict, Marie and a Sergeant.

     The Bishop is a kind man. To him, the purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others. Persome, the Bishop’s sister is not generous as like her brother. When the Bishop comes to know that Marie, the servant maid’s mother is not able to pay her house rent so, he sells his silver salt-cellar immediately to pay her rent. Moreover, he gives his muffler to Marie to bear the cold outside. This infuriates Persome. She says that Marie and her mother are tricksters. They pretends to be needy and extract money from the Bishop.

    One night a convict enters the Bishop’s house. He has a long knife. By showing the knife, the convict threatens the Bishop to provide food to him. With the help of his sister, the Bishop serves food to the convict. The Bishop asks the convict to take rest in his home. The convict shares his personal life. For his sick wife Jeanette, the convict stole food. He was caught and put in prison for ten years. He got brutal treatment in the jail, so he became like a wild beast. One day he escaped from the jail and started to steal things for his everyday need.

     After hearing the story of the convict, the Bishop asks him to sleep peacefully. When the Bishop and his sister sleep the convict, steals the two costly silver candlesticks from the table and sneaks away. Persome wakes up and discovers that the convict has stolen the candlesticks. She wants to report the matter to the police. But the Bishop accuses himself for having placed the stick in the eye-sight of the convict. At this time, a sergeant brings in the convict. He complains that he found the thief with the Bishop’s Candlestick. But the Bishop protects him by saying that  he had gifted  the candlesticks  to him. The sergeant leaves the convict. The Bishop helps the convict to go to Paris and to lead a life of law abiding citizen. From this play it is proved that through love, a convict can be reformed into a good citizen.

LITTLE GIRLS WISER THAN MEN - LEO TOLSTOY

LITTLE GIRLS WISER THAN MEN

-         LEO TOLSTOY

Count Leo Tolstoy was a famous Russian writer. He got Noble Prize for his novel “War and Peace”. In all his works, he emphasized on moral values in life. Mahatma Gandhi was highly influenced by his teachings. In the story “Little Girls Wiser than Men”, he highlighted the importance of forgiving and forgetting in our day to-day life like children.

    It was Easter time. Akulya and Malasha were two little girls who were playing in the street. They had just come from church. Their mothers had dressed them both in new frocks. Malasha wore a blue frock and Akulya wore a yellow print, and both had red kerchiefs on their heads. They removed their shoes and stockings and began to walk through the puddle in the street. When they were playing Malasha splashed water. It spoiled Akulya’s frock. She became angry and ran after Malasha to strike her. At that time Akulya’s mother came there. Akulya made a complaint to her mother about Malasha. Akulya’s mother was angry. She caught Malasha and struck her on the back of her neck. Malasha began to howl. By hearing the crying sound of Malasha her mother came out and started to quarrel with Akulya’s mother. Soon a crowd collected in the street. They went on quarrelling. Akulya’s old grandmother tried to calm them but she failed in it. While the crowd was abusing each other, Akulya and Malasha went back to the puddle. They made the water run into the street. They followed it and delighted. On seeing them, the old mother asked the elders to look at the small children. The elders were ashamed and stopped quarrel. They went back to their homes.

     Tolstoy ends his story with a quote from the Bible,

     “Except ye turn, and becomes as little children, Ye

     Shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heavens”

It means, that unless you change and become like little children, who forget their worries and refrain from holding grudges, you shall not reach the kingdom of heaven