On Travel By Train
English Literature
On Travel By Train
J.B.Priestley
Summary
‘On Travel by Train’ begins with a rather humorous but critical sketch of the English eccentricities. The essay depicts how common experiences in life like a simple travel by train is full of humour.The author humorously describes the various expressions usually seen on the face of the commuters in a train journey.The author has used the technique of self- mockery to reduce the sharpness of the satire.The author is starting the essay by saying how an English man behaves when removed from his hearth and home.Then he is saying about one type of traveller which always rouse his quick hatred.She is a middle aged woman with a rasping voice and face of brass and who always come shouting and bustling accompanied by her dog.She don't possess any modesty and courtesy and destroys the peace of the travel.
Then there are the other type who are less offensive but still annoying.These are the heavy carriers who would go on a journey taking all their old chattels and household utensils and loading themselves up with queer shaped packages they will cast about for baskets of fruit and bunches of flowers, to add to their own and other people's misery.
Then comes the simple folks who are non-stop eaters.No sooner as they settled in their seats but hey are passing each other tattered sandwiches and mournful scraps of pastry and talking with their mouths full and scattering crumbs over the trousers of fastidious old gentlemen.
Next comes the children.According to the author children don't make good travelling companions as they will do nothing but whimper or howl throughout the journey or they will spent their time daubing their faces with chocolate or trying to climb out of the window.
Next comes the cranks who annoy their fellow passengers by insisting to open all the windows on the bleakest day and in the sultriest season they will not allow a window to be touched.
Then comes the innocent ones who always find themselves in the wrong train.They have not the understanding necessary to fathom the time table nor will they ask railway officials for advice, as they climb into the first train that comes and trust to luck.
Next are the mighty sleepers whom the author envies the most who knowing the length of time they have to spend in train, compose themselves and are off to sleep in a moment.Two minutes from their destination they stir, collect their baggage and a moment later they go out alert and refreshed leaving others to their boredom.
According to author, seafaring men make good companions on a railway journey as they are always ready for a pipe and a crack with any man and there is usually some entertaining matter in their talk.And then there is the confidential stranger who makes the train travellers to yawn.Then for the guidance of young people the author mentions about the elderly man who sits in the corner of the carriage and says that the train is two minutes behind time .Then with the slightest encouragement he will begin to talk and his talk will be all of trains. The author warns the passengers about him as he is the ancient mariners of railway travellers.
What i require from life-J.B.S.Haldane
1.How does an English man behave when removed from his hearth and home?
When removed from his hearth and home, an English man becomes a very different creature, one capable of sudden furies and roaring passions, a deep sea of strong emotions churning beneath his frozen exterior.
2.Who was the offensive woman traveller as mentioned by J.B.Priestley?
The offensive woman traveller as mentioned by J.B.Priestley is a large middle aged woman with a rasping voice and face of brass who loves to invade smoking compartments
3.Why was the offensive woman peculiar?
The offensive woman has a rasping voice and face of brass and is always offensive without any reason. She will always come bustling in, shouting over a porter, laden with the packages, and will glare defiantly about her until some unfortunate has given up his seat and is often accompanied by some sort of contemptible whining cur.
2.How do cranks annoy their fellow passengers?
Cranks annoy their fellow passengers by insisting to open all the windows on the bleakest day and in the sultriest season they will not allow a window to be touched.
3.Whom does J.B.Priestley envy?
J.B.Priestley envies the mighty sleepers,who knowing the length of time they have to spend in train compose themselves and are off to sleep in a moment.
4.Who make good companions on a railway journey?
Seafaring men make good companions on a railway journey as they are always ready for a pipe and a crack with any man and there is usually some entertaining matter in their talk.
7.Why according to the author don't children make good travelling companions?
According to the author children don't make good travelling companions as they will do nothing but whimper or howl throughout the journey or they will spent their time daubing their faces with chocolate or trying to climb out of the window.
8.The confidential stranger makes train travellers to yawn.
9.Who is the ancient mariners of railway travellers?
The elderly man who sits in the corner of the carriage and says that the train is two minutes behind time is the ancient mariners of railway travellers.
ii. Answer in paragraph
1.Among the train travellers whom the author dislike the most?Why?
Among the train travellers, the type author dislikes the most is the large middle aged woman with a rasping voice and face of brass who loves to invade smoking compartments that are already filled with smokers.She will always come bustling in shouting over a porter laden with packages of all sizes and shapes and will glare defiantly about her until some unfortunate has given up his seat and is often accompanied by some sort of contemptible whining cur that is only one degree less offensive than its mistress.From the moment that wedged herself in there, there will be no peace in the carriage but simmering hatred and everywhere dark looks and muttered threats.She has no courtesy or modesty and everyone knows her.
2.Why does Priestley envy the mighty sleepers?
Priestley envies the mighty sleepers,who are off to sleep in a moment.With Lethe at their command, they never have dull empty train journey by day or night. Knowing the length of time they have to spend in the train, they compose themselves and are off to sleep in a moment, probably enjoying the gorgeous adventures of dream, while the rest of all will be looking blankly out of the window or counting their fingers.
Two minutes from their destination they stir, rub their eyes, stretch themselves, collect their baggage and peering out of the window , murmurs"My station,I think ". A moment later they go out alert and refreshed leaving others to their boredom.
3.What makes the author wonder whether the simple travellers ever reach their destinations?
The simple travellers are the ones who always find themselves in the wrong train.They have not the understanding necessary to fathom the time table nor will they ask railway officials for advice, as they climb into the first train that comes and trust to luck.When they are being hurtled to Edinburgh they will suddenly look round the carriage and ask whether they are in the right train for Bristol.And then puzzled and disillusioned they have to be bundled out at the next station and will not be seen any more. So the author wonders whether they ever reach their destinations, for it is not outside probability, that they may be shot from station to station, line to line, until there is nothing mortal left for them.
4.Who are the less annoying travellers? How do they annoy their fellow travellers?
According to the author the less annoying travellers are of two types.Firstly there are those, who, when they would go on a journey, take all their old chattels and household utensils .They parcel them up in brown paper,disdaining such things as boxes and trunks ; furthermore, when they have loaded themselves up with queer shaped packages they will cast about for baskets of fruit and bunches of flowers to add to their own and other people's misery.
Then the second type is simple folks who are overeating and drinking in railway carriages.No sooner as they settled in their seats but hey are passing each other tattered sandwiches and mournful scraps of pastry and talking with their mouths full and scattering crumbs over the trousers of fastidious old gentlemen.Sometimes they will peel and eat bananas with such rapidity that nervous onlookers are compelled to seek another compartment.
5.How are the elderly travellers different from the rest?
The elderly man will be neatly dressed and always seated in a corner and he opens the conversation by pulling out a gold hunter and remarking that the train is at least three minutes behind time.Then with the slightest encouragement he will begin to talk and his talk will be all of trains. He talks of trains, their history, their quality, their destiny.All his days and nights seem to have been passed in railway carriages, all his reading seems to have been in time- tables.He will tell you of the 12.35 from this place and 3.49 from the other place and so on and the greatness of his subject moves him to eloquence and there is passion and mastery in his voice, now wailing over a missed connection or a departed hero of trains, now exultantly proclaiming the glories of a non-stop express or a wonderful run to time.
However dead you were to the passion, the splendour, the pathos, in this matter of trains, before he has done with you will be ready to weep over the 7.37 and cry out in ecstasy at the sight of the 2.52.The narrator warns to be beware of the elderly man who sits in the corner of the carriage and says that the train is two minutes behind time, for he is the Ancient Mariner of railway travellers and will hold you with his glittering eye.
Essay question
1.Describe the various type of fellow travellers mentioned by Priestley in the essay
The author is starting the essay by saying how an English man behaves when removed from his hearth and home.Then he is saying about one type of traveller which always rouse his quick hatred.She is a middle aged woman with a rasping voice and face of brass, who loves to invade smoking compartments that are already filled with smokers .She always come shouting and bustling accompanied by her dog and will glare defiantly about her until some unfortunate has given up his seat.She don't possess any modesty and courtesy and destroys the peace of the travel.
Then there are the other type who are less offensive but still annoying.These are the heavy carriers who would go on a journey taking all their old chattels and household utensils and loading themselves up with queer shaped packages they will cast about for baskets of fruit and bunches of flowers, to add to their own and other people's misery.
Then comes the simple folks who are non-stop eaters.No sooner as they settled in their seats but hey are passing each other tattered sandwiches and mournful scraps of pastry and talking with their mouths full and scattering crumbs over the trousers of fastidious old gentlemen.Sometimes they will peel and eat bananas with such rapidity that nervous onlookers are compelled to seek another compartment.
Next comes the children.According to the author children don't make good travelling companions as they will do nothing but whimper or howl throughout the journey or they will spent their time daubing their faces with chocolate or trying to climb out of the window.
Next comes the cranks who annoy their fellow passengers by insisting to open all the windows on the bleakest day and in the sultriest season they will not allow a window to be touched.
Then comes the innocent ones who always find themselves in the wrong train.They have not the understanding necessary to fathom the time table nor will they ask railway officials for advice, as they climb into the first train that comes and trust to luck.When they are being hurtled to Edinburgh they will suddenly look round the carriage and ask whether they are in the right train for Bristol.And then puzzled and disillusioned they have to be bundled out at the next station and will not be seen any more. So the author wonders whether they ever reach their destinations, for it is not outside probability, that they may be shot from station to station, line to line, until there is nothing mortal left for them.
Next are the mighty sleepers whom the author envies the most who knowing the length of time they have to spend in train, compose themselves and are off to sleep in a moment.Two minutes from their destination they stir, collect their baggage and a moment later they go out alert and refreshed leaving others to their boredom.
According to author, seafaring men make good companions on a railway journey as they are always ready for a pipe and a crack with any man and there is usually some entertaining matter in their talk.And then there is the confidential stranger who makes the train travellers to yawn.
Lastly, for the guidance of young people the author mentions about the elderly man who sits in the corner of the carriage and says that the train is two minutes behind time .Then with the slightest encouragement he will begin to talk and his talk will be all of trains. He talks of trains, their history, their quality, their destiny.All his days and nights seem to have been passed in railway carriages, all his reading seems to have been in time-tables.the greatness of his subject moves him to eloquence and there is passion and mastery in his voice, now wailing over a missed connection or a departed hero of trains, now exultantly proclaiming the glories of a non-stop express or a wonderful run to time.The author warns the passengers about him as he is the ancient mariners of railway travellers.
English Literature
Money-Muppala Ranganayakamma-Chapter 1
The Toys of Peace -chapter 2 Question and Answers
Alone -Chapter 3 Questions and Answers
Cartooning-Chapter 4 Question and Answers
First semester English Chapter 1 The Last Leaf
First semester English Chapter 2 All creatures great and small
First semester English Chapter 3 The Heart of a Tree
First semester English Chapter 4 Daughter
First semester English Chapter 5 The Ploughman
First semester English Chapter 6 My Teacher
First semester English Chapter 8 A conversation with a reader
Sweets for Angels-R.K. Narayan
Go to Home page
Comments
Post a Comment