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One Last Look
Prisoner, by Nikolai Yaroshenko.
‘The Prisoner’ by Nikolai Yaroshenko (1846-1898), painted in 1878. Nesbit’s story begins when the happy home-life of three suburban children is cruelly broken up by the sudden arrival of very official men, who leave with their father. No explanation is given to them. Soon afterwards, their mother announces they must leave their house and move to ‘such a ducky dear little white house’ in the country.
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‘The Prisoner’ by Nikolai Yaroshenko (1846-1898), painted in 1878. Nesbit’s story begins when the happy home-life of three suburban children is cruelly broken up by the sudden arrival of very official men, who leave with their father. No explanation is given to them. Soon afterwards, their mother announces they must leave their house and move to ‘such a ducky dear little white house’ in the country.
Introduction
Most novelists agonise over their opening line. Edith Nesbit’s opener for The Railway Children (1905) wasn’t bad, but her final page takes the breath away. You will recall that three suburban children have moved with their mother to a small cottage near a railway line, after some men took their well-to-do father away one night in a most cloak-and-dagger fashion.
“I knew something wonderful was going to happen,” said Bobbie, as they went up the road, “but I didn’t think it was going to be this. Oh, my Daddy, my Daddy!”
“Then didn’t Mother get my letter?” Father asked.
“There weren’t any letters this morning. Oh! Daddy! it is really you, isn’t it?” The clasp of a hand she had not forgotten assured her that it was.
“You must go in by yourself, Bobbie, and tell Mother quite quietly that it’s all right. They’ve caught the man who did it. Everyone knows now that it wasn’t your Daddy.”
“I always knew it wasn’t,” said Bobbie. “Me and Mother and our old gentleman.”
“Yes,” he said, “it’s all his doing. Mother wrote and told me you had found out. And she told me what you’d been to her. My own little girl!” They stopped a minute then.
And now I see them crossing the field. Bobbie goes into the house, trying to keep her eyes from speaking before her lips have found the right words to “tell Mother quite quietly” that the sorrow and the struggle and the parting are over and done, and that Father has come home.
At the close of The Railway Children, Roberta led her father home from the railway station. He was surprised they had not heard about his release from jail, and after thanking her for believing in his innocence, and for the support she had given to the family, he sent Roberta on ahead to prepare her mother for his unexpected return. (60 / 60 words)
At the close of The Railway Children, Roberta led her father home from the railway station. He was surprised they had not heard about his release from jail, and after thanking her for believing in his innocence, and for the support she had given to the family, he sent Roberta on ahead to prepare her mother for his unexpected return.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, just, must, or, otherwise, ought, until, whether.
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws 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.
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