SHORT STORY 2: A FAMILY

A FAMILY

by Guy de Maupassant

SUMMARY

I was to see my old friend, Simon Rodevin, of whom I had lost sight for 15 years.  For years we had scarcely been separated.  He married quite suddenly with a girl.  What would he be like when I met him again? A man may change greatly in the course of 15 years! When I got out of the carriage, a man rushed up to me to me with open arms, exclaiming: “George!”  Simon introduce me to his 2 children and then we got into the carriage.  Soon, we stopped in front of a turreted house and then Simon’s wife came out and his 3 other children.  Simon introduce me to them and his family.  When we are having dinner, there are this old man sit at the end of the table, did not want to eat his soup but eat greedily when given rice.  He try to reach out for another food but he can’t.  The rest of the family only laughed.  I asked Simon to give him some but he refused to give for his own good.  After played cards, I went to bed.

                                                                                                                              (181 words)

QUESTION

1. What does the author mean by:

There was nothing left for him to do in this life, nothing whatever.  He had one single wish left, one last solace until he died?

-       Here the author means that, Simon’s family need to fulfil that old man’s wish, which is eat whatever he wants.  The old man is too old already.  He barely cannot do anything or go anywhere as he pleased without any help.  All that old man wants id to eat before the time comes.

2. Which character did you like or dislike in this short story?  Why?

-       I dislike Simon the most because Simon did not want to fulfil that old man wish when he asked for food.  The reason is why he refused to give is because it is for the old man’s health.  Other than that, I dislike the act of his whole family. This is because they laugh when they saw that pity old man try his best to reach the food on the table.

3. Do you think the “I” is a male or female? Why do you think so?

-       “I” is a male.  The proof is in the story.  “the train stopped at a small station, and as I got out of the carriage, a stout, a very stout man with red cheeks and a big stomach rushed up to me with open arms, exclaiming: “George!”.