By day, London was a sight to see, with gay banners waving from every balcony and housetop, and splendid pageants marching along. By night, it was again a sight to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of revellers making merry around them. There was no talk in all England but of the new baby, Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, who lay lapped in silks and satins, unconscious of all this fuss, and not knowing that great lords and ladies were tending him and watching over him — and not caring, either. But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty, lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers whom he had just come to trouble with his presence.
From ‘The Prince and the Pauper’ (1881), by Mark Twain (1835-1910).
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
England had welcomed her new prince with processions and street parties by day and by night, and within the palace the infant prince had been unceasingly cosseted and fussed over. What a contrast it was to Tom Canty in his parents’ hut, wrote Twain, wrapped in rags, unnoticed by the public and begrudged by his family. (56 / 60 words)
England had welcomed her new prince with processions and street parties by day and by night, and within the palace the infant prince had been unceasingly cosseted and fussed over. What a contrast it was to Tom Canty in his parents’ hut, wrote Twain, wrapped in rags, unnoticed by the public and begrudged by his family.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, not, or, otherwise, since, whereas, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
1Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
2Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Autumn. Lay. Rag.
2 Along. People. Sixteenth.
3 Again. Have. Lap.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
3Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Name. 2 Keep. 3 Kiss. 4 Cry. 5 Make. 6 Talk. 7 People. 8 Quarter. 9 Trouble.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
4High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
Post Box : Ask Nicholas
Grok : Ask Grok
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Post Box.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
Related Posts
When Raffles Haw comes to sleepy Tamfield, his breathtaking generosity starts turning heads at once, and one belongs to Laura McIntyre.
Picture: © Vadim Smalkov, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0.. Source.
Posted January 20 2019
Sherlock Holmes turns to his brother for help when the case of a missing Greek proves unexpectedly troublesome.
Picture: From the National Library of Ireland, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.
Posted August 28 2018
Picture: By Vasily Vereshchagin, via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.. Source.
Posted June 20 2017