Questions on ‘Under the Ribs of Death’

  1. Read page 9 in the novel from get downing to stop, what is the tone that is set in the novel from the beginning? What clip period do you believe this fresh reflects and what has the writer written to do you believe of that clip?

In reading page 9 of the novel, Under the Ribs of Death, the tone I detected is one of wretchedness and want. This ambiance comes from the narrator’s descriptions of the country of the metropolis where Sandor lived. Sandor lived in the hapless portion of the town, as I could state from the “rumble of the engines” ( Marlyn, 9 ) he heard when he was walking place. From this we can presume he was populating in an industrial country. I felt sorry for him when I read the lines where Sandor smells “the olfactory property of frying meat” ( Marlyn, 9 ) from the neighbors, and subsequently remembered that his household was traveling to hold bologny and murphy salad for supper. I had even more sympathy for him when he explained that this murphy salad would dwell of “yesterday’s murphies soaked in acetum and H2O with onions” ( Marlyn, 9 ) . This little item supports my reading of the tone. The twelvemonth in which this novel is set is 1913 as stated farther along in the narrative. On page 9 nevertheless, we are given a hint as to the epoch when Sandor relates his dream of turning up and passing his yearss sitting in a hotel have oning button places with his cane on a tabular array. Button places and the cane indicate the epoch as being before World War One.

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  1. This novel is centered around the subject of credence and lifting abovehardship, how does the writer in Chapter 2 illustratethe subject of credence whenit comes to Sandor and his equals? Use expressed illustrations with mention to the Red Fence Gang.

The subject of credence and lifting above hardship is shown in Chapter 2. Sandor was non accepted by the English packs, even though he truly wanted to be English. He was proud about the fact that he had the same birthday as Queen Victoria. The English packs would trail Sandor in order to crush him, but Sandor would ever hold a curious feeling “that he about wanted them to catch him because when he was caught he was with them and one of them, even though they beat him” ( Marlyn, 33 ) . This quotation mark shows Sandor’s desire to be English. Because Sandor was non accepted by the English packs, he found a “home” in the Red Fence Gang. The kids from the Red Fence gang all understand want because they are all the kids of immigrants and have all suffered the same indignities. They shared things such as coffin nails and nutrient, and committed offenses together. This understanding and sharing that made Sandor felt accepted in the Red Fence Gang.

  1. In Chapter 3 what do Sandor and his friends do to go more like ‘men ‘ ?

Sandor and the other members of the Red Fence Gang do their best to be like work forces by promoting the growing of hair on their thoraxs. They even resort to squashing the juice from common weeds and using this to their thoraxs. They ground was that since weeds grow so rapidly, this juice will assist them go work forces and this will therefore give them the ability to take control of their ain lives. The other activities they engage in to go manlier are to smoke coffin nails and to cuss. The robberies they commit do non do them more like work forces, but they are a mark that they want to command their ain lives.

  1. Describe Buggsy as a character in this novel. Is he inactive? Round? What is his relationship like with Sandor? Is he person you would be friends with?

Buggsy is a inactive character. He foremost speaks to demo how nescient he is about milk and subsequently on to expose the calamity of his life. When he is kicked by the fireman and can non acquire up easy because he had been injured before, I could about foretell what the remainder of his life would be like. Sandor likes Buggsy. I base this on his reaction when Buggsy fell into the ditch. He slapped Olaf for stating Buggsy was dead and helped transport him subsequently. I would wish to be Buggsy’s friend because I think I would be a good influence on him. He is doomed to poorness and likely prison if he does non happen better friends.

  1. Read page 69, what gives you the thought that Sandor is stepping into a district ofa higher category of people? How did he believe the English “ should move ” ? How did these higher category of people treat Sandor?

Sandor’s description of the vicinity where he goes to cut cut down the lawn tells me that he is come ining a higher category universe. When he looks around the street he thinks these people are “living in a fairy stale ( Marlyn, 70 ) .There are no nice paces or playthings on the lawns where he lives. He besides believes that English people should dress nice and be dignified and chesty because he thinks they are superior to immigrants. These people treated Sandor kindly but as an inferior. When he insists on speaking to Mrs. Creighton, the retainer talked to him with “mock severity” ( Marlyn, 72 ) which is sponsoring.

  1. Based on the last 5 chapters of the novel, what do you believe will go of Sandor in the following few chapters? Will he make his end of going rich and good cognize,or willhis life styleremain the manner it is? What would youmake if you were Sandor to alter your life?

Sandor’s life is genuinely atrocious and he does non hold the beastliness it takes to be a condemnable. He is besides smart plenty to cognize that offense is non the best manner to go rich. He is determined to get away his poorness and one time he has seen how English people live he knows what he wants out of life. I can see that he is willing to work hard and so I expect him to go on to work hard and go rich. If I were Sandor I would work hard at school. Possibly I could gain a scholarship and travel to university. The other option would be to larn a trade by going an learner and get downing his ain concern.

3 )‘Two Column Response’- Take the undermentioned graph provided below ( or you can make your ain ) and on the left side list one quotation mark from each chapter that may hold struck a chord in you as the reader, reminded you of a anterior experience, raised inquiries within you or seemed of import to construe. Then in the right manus columnrecord your personal responses to the quotation marks that you chose. You can construe the quotation mark, supply your sentiment about the quotation mark, raise farther inquiries

Left Column-Quote

Right Column– Personal Response

Chapter 1:“If we changed our name I wouldn’t havta battle no more, Pa.”

It is mortifying that this small male child feels severely about being Magyar and wants to alter his name to an English one.

Chapter 2:“There was no usage inquiring his parents-what did they know about parties? ”

Sandor thinks his parents are stupid.

He does non swear them to cognize what he should acquire Mary for her birthday.

Chapter 3:“’You wide area network na money? ’ he asked. Sandor shook his head.”

This is the incident that straightened Sandor out. Even though the members of the Red Fence Gang were the lone friends he had, Sandor was brave plenty to discontinue the pack.

Chapter 4:“’I got a occupation, ’ he said huskily, Cripes-aw mighty I got a job.”

It was delighting to see Sandor acquire a occupation. His gratitude and surprise were nice to see.

Chapter 5: ”Maybe that was the manner people did things here.”

Sandor was so nescient that he did non cognize what life was like for anyone except his fellow immigrants.

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