The Three Bears

And while they were walking, a little old Woman came to the house. She could not have been a good, honest old Woman; for first she looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch. The door was not fastened, because the Bears were good Bears, who did nobody any harm, and never suspected that any body would harm them. So the little old Woman opened the door, and went in; and well pleased she was when she saw the porridge on the table. If she had been a good little old Woman, she would have waited till the Bears came home, and then, perhaps, they would have asked her to breakfast; for they were good Bears, — a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good natured and hospitable. But she was an impudent, bad old Woman, and set about helping herself...*

From ‘The Doctor’ Volume IV (1837) by Robert Southey (1774-1843). With acknowledgements to ‘The Three Bears Before Goldilocks: The History of a Fairy Tale’ at Toronto Public Library.

* The old woman proceeds to go through the Bears’ house trying out the bowls of porridge, the chairs and the beds all in turn, finding one from each that suited her, while grumbling with a ‘bad word’ about everything that was not to her liking. Eventually the Bears came back, and Southey goes through the reassuring routine again, how they detected some interference in the porridge, then the chairs and lastly the beds. It was in the Wee Bear’s bed that they found the old Woman.

Précis
The Bears were out walking, when an old Woman came upon their cottage. A furtive examination satisfied her that no one was inside, and she went in — for the unsuspicious Bears did not lock their doors. There she saw three bowls of steaming porridge, and instead of waiting to be invited the old Woman sat down and began to eat.
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.

Sevens

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

What did the old Woman peep through the keyhole?

Suggestion

To confirm that the house was empty.

Jigsaws

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.

She saw a bowl of porridge. She ate greedily. She did not ask permission.

See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.

IEye. IIIf. IIITuck.

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