-Terence Rattigan
Text:
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Summary:
"The Browning Version" by Terence Rattigan is a brief extract from a play with the same name.The play displays the behaviour of teenagers towards their teachers.There are four major characters in the play-
Frank(A young science teacher in a school),Taplow(A sixteen years old student in the lower fifth),Mr.Crocker-Harris(A middle-aged school teacher) and Millie Crocker-Harris(Wife of Mr.Crocker-Harris).The play is set in a school campus.
Taplow arrives to do extra work at the school on the last day for his teacher Mr.Crocker-Harris.He had missed a day before.Mr.Crocker-Harris was nowhere to be seen and he finds Mr.Frank who was a science teacher at the same school. Frank inquires why he was in the school and he tells that he is expecting his result that day.
They had a casual talk on what they would be choosing as a remove.They also discussed about their preferences in subjects.Gradually, their gossip took a turn and they started discussing Mr.Crocker-Harris.
Taplow reveals various things about Mr.Crocker- Harris and even imitates him twice in the process.Taplow tells Mr.Frank how Mr.Crocker Harris was very different from other the teachers. He followed every small rule and regulation any serious way. Taplow thought that Mr.Crocker is hardly human as he never shrivelled up. He had told Taplow that he will get whatever he deserved. This had made taplow completely tensed.Mr Frank told him to go away so that his time would not be wasted but Taplow didn't leave as he was apprehensive that Mr. Harris might not give him his remove and may even follow him till his house.
Upon hearing this,Mr.Frank confesses how envies the effect Mr.Harris has upon the boys.
He asks Taplow if Mr.Harris beat the boys but Taplow dismissed it by saying that Mr.Harris was not a sadist like other teachers.Taplow also revealed that Mr.Harris did not like to be praised very much.
But in spite of all of this,Taplow likes Mr.Harris.
While their conversation,Mrs.Crocker-Harris entered the scene.She asked Taplow to come after a quarter of an hour as Mr.Harris would take some more time before arriving.She assures him that she will take the blame if he reaches early.She instructs him to fetch her some medicines from the chemist.Taplow went out to carry out the job.
Difficult Words:
1)Remove:A division in British schools.
2)Slackers:Lazy or demotivated students.
3)Muck:Useless.
4)Aeschylus:An ancient Greek tragedian.
5)Agamemnon:King of Mycenae in Greek mythology.
6)Strung together:To combine two different
things into something useful.
7)Kept in:To make someone stay in a place.
8)Chap:A man you whom you know and like.
9)Outright: Instantly and directly.
10)Throaty:A voice that is deep and husky.
11)Got carried away:To be so excited where one is no longer able to control
one's behaviour.
12)Cut:A desire to stop doing something undesirable.
13)Sadist:A person who drives pleasure by inflicting pain upon others.
14)Shrivelled up:Having no feelings.
15)Cape:A sleeveless short cloak.
16)Sideboard:A flat-topped piece of furniture.
17)Frantically:In a hurried or unorganised way.
18)Hall-stand:A tall piece of furniture with several arms for holding clothes and hats.
19)Made-up(Here):To fetch something.
20)Hullo:A form of greeting.
About Author:
Sir Terence Mervyn Rattigan(10th June,1911-30th November,1977) was a British dramatist and screenwriter. Number of planes which centred on issues of sexual frustration,failed relationships or a world of repression and reticence.
NCERT Questions:
A)Understanding the Text.
1)Taplow is respectful towards Mr.Harris and likes him for his principles.He criticizes him for being a feelingless person yet regards him as an extraordinary master.He is mortally afraid of him and dare not cut the extra work even on the last day of the term.
2)YesFrank seems to encourage Taplow's comments on Mr.Harris.He shows appreciation for Taplow's imitation of Mr.Harris and even asks him to repeat it.He was a bit envious of
Mr.Harris for the influence he had on the boys and liked this gossip on him.
3)Mr.Crocker-Harris appears to be a strict master who is a man of principles and sticks to the rules for everything. He is a man who is not swayed away by emotions and believes in a fair assessment of all his students. He is not a sadist and has a good influence on the students in his class.
B) Talking about the Text.
1)Commenting on their teachers is something that most students do.Students are keen observers of a teacher's moments in class and outside.Teachers are the role models of students as students just their performance not only basis of their mastery over a subject but also by the method of teaching, communication skills, interaction with pupils and their general nature and behaviour.But we must ensure that we discuss about the shortcomings of a teacher in a respectful manner without hurting his/her image.
2)We must adopt a solemn,respectful and polite manner when we talk about a teacher to another teacher. Minimum cozzi requires that we should add "Mr.","Miss" or "Mrs." before a teacher's name.Our approach must be formal and the dignity of a teacher must not be compromised at any cost.Our remarks should not be derogatory or rude.We must not tell anything which can destroy the relation of a teacher with the other one.
3)Science is based on the study of some facts, concepts,principles and their applications. It demands cool reasoning and concentration of mind to understand these complex concepts. Some of the concepts don't have any use in our everyday life which is why we may sometimes feel science is boring and demanding. On the other hand,reading plays provide us more amusement.Most plays contain diverse characters and their interactions making the whole thing most humorous and lively.
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