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.