"Puteh and Mary" by Chuah Guat Eng vs. "Stranded in Semenyih" by Ethel Hume

Introduction

This paper attempts to analyse the ways in which Chuah Guat Eng’s Puteh and Mary are different from Ethel Hume’s Stranded in Semenyih in terms of the perception, cultural stereotypes, position of authority, and gender issues.

Perception

It is inevitable that both Chuah and Hume have different perceptions, which are evident in their narrations, due to the fact that they have different backgrounds and beliefs, among others.  We can see the differences from the titles, in their views of cultures or beliefs of others, and the voices or points of view of the narrations.

The title can tell quite a lot about a writer’s perception or opinion of the incident that they have written.  In the case of Stranded in Semenyih, the title has already given us the idea that the writer has a negative perception of the place (Semenyih) from the word “stranded”. “Stranded” according to the Longman Dictionary means, “in a very unfavourable position or situation, especially alone among dangers and unable to get away,” (p.1044).  The word is used, though we know that Hume and her team were not in a great danger or unable to get away from Semenyih.  However, in Chuah’s narration, she has chosen Puteh and Mary as the titles, which are the names of the main characters in the narration.  The use of the names is very neutral and tells us that the story is about the characters Puteh and Mary.  Basically, the titles in Chuah’s narration do not indicate any negative perception.

Another difference in perception is towards other’s culture or beliefs.  In Stranded in Semenyih, the narrator makes fun of the native’s culture and beliefs.  This is evident when the narrator sits at a place marked as “kramat” (p.175).  This shows that she is not sensitive and does not have any respect to the native’s belief – the place is marked and she is told about it, yet she chooses to sit there.  Another incident is when she ridicules the native’s belief that a man could turn into a tiger at will, as she says, “next time I get a fit nerves I shall know it is the tiger-spirit entering me,” (p. 177).  Here, we can see that the narrator shows lack of respect and even makes fun of the native’s beliefs.  Puteh and Mary, on the contrary, show no sign of teasing or making fun of the native’s beliefs.  For example, the writer shows respect to Yusuf’s religion (Islam) and what he believes, as she states what is in his thoughts, “Do you not see it is Allah’s will that shameful deeds should not be hidden?….” (p.200). The writer has shown sensitivity towards Malay’s religion.  Yusuf has faith in Allah, and thus, it is his right to practice what he believes.  It is evident here that both writers have different perceptions towards the other’s culture or beliefs.

Besides that, another difference between Hume and Chuah’s is the point of view or voice of narrator.  Hume’s has the first person point of view.  This makes the perception and narration very subjective and at certain places, quite judgmental.  For example, the writer used “tailless cat” to refer to the natives, giving the connotation that they are cowards.  Another instance is when she is referring to the Tamils as “Klings” and “coolies”, offensive words to the Indians.  No voice is given to the natives to express their opinions, except for the Singh, whose utterances are full of grammatical errors, and to the people on the street at the end of the story when they say “Tabek, tabek!”.

However, in Puteh and Mary, the third person point of view has been rather fair to all characters. The view is almost objective where the writer does not judge or give opinions, but the characters do, where the voices in their thoughts are stated.  Readers are given the sense that they are part of the story, and know what is going on in the characters’ minds.  For example, in Mary, Simon thinks that if Ah Foo was a dog, his tail would be wagging (p.142). Similarly, at the beginning of Puteh, we are presented with Yusuf’s thoughts about what the villagers might think of the baby (p.199-200), as in it is Yusuf who makes the judgment based on his situation, not the writer.

Cultural stereotype

Cultural stereotype is another difference that Chuah’s and Hume’s has.  In Stranded in Semenyih, Hume stated many racial stereotypes, where the natives are seen as a group (giving the notion of a race) and generalisation is made upon that race.  For example, the Chinese are associated with gambling (p.178), and having yellow faces (p.180).  The Malays are criticised for having a theory that the wife is only “the chattel of the man,” which means a wife is an object, rather than the literal meaning of “wife”, that is “the woman to whom a man is married” (Longman Dictionary).  The Tamils are called “Klings” and “coolies” (unskilled workers).  Finally, the Singhalese are said to enjoy sharing information, especially when they do not have to worry about being correct.  The races are generalised that their individual differences and abilities are unseen.

However, in Puteh and Mary, we are able to see the natives as individuals with their own character and abilities.  For example, Mak Cik Zainab who likes to spread stories around the village (not the general Malays), and Ah Foo who are loyal and a good servant, and Ah Soh who is good in doing the laundry.  Yusuf, a Malay farmer, is not said to think that Puteh is his “object” or chattel, but more to his wife, a woman he learns to love (p.208).  Other than that, we are taken to Simon’s mind to see that there are Chinese who are not yellow, but white, earth-beige and brown (p.143).  Here, we can see that the natives are not seen as a race, but individuals with their own characteristics.

Position of authority/power

Position of authority is another way how the two writers are different.  In Stranded in Semenyih, the English are seen as superior, and the natives always inferior.  For instance, “Malay houses, English bungalows” (p.175), stating the stereotype that the Malays live in houses only and not in bungalows, the label “coolies” for Tamils (p.178), and the natives’ salute to the English (p.180) as an act of respect.  As stated before, the natives are not given plenty of voice, and when they are (the Singh and people in the street) perhaps it is just to show that they are of lower intelligence and inferior than the English.  According to Zawiah (1994), the English, particularly the Victorians, believed that it was important to impose the superiority of the English values and institutions to ensure “progress” or civilisation.  Because the natives are not seen as civilised, they are looked down upon, such as “a cluster of chicken” (p.179).  This happens because, according to Zawiah (1994), the English feels superior and seen as superior by the natives, which causes them to be “marginalised, suppressed and silenced.”

In Puteh and Mary, on the contrary, the English are not really seen superior.  They are still seen as human, such as Simon who is capable of feeling uneasy when Mary is staring at him, and conscious of his own complexion when compared to Mary’s.  Here, we can see that other than judging others or the natives, he also judges himself (his physical feature).  This also shows an alternative view that it is not only the English who is looking at the natives (as in Hume’s observation towards the natives), but they are also being looked at (here, by Mary).  Puteh and Mary also tell us that the natives have their own pride and honour, not as inferior objects.  For instance, Yusuf’s decision to move from his village when the baby is born is due to face and honour (p.200), and the Malay Communist guerrillas and the Indian army are fighting and risking their lives to repossess what they have lost, is also for their pride and honour (p.209).

Gender

Another difference in Hume and Chuah’s narrations is the gender issues.  In Stranded in Semenyih, the native women, particularly the Malays, are said to be weak, mere “objects” and chattel of the man (p.176). Here, they are referred to as the property of men, not individuals.  However, being a female traveller and independent, Hume thinks that she is more superior to the native women.  On the contrary, Puteh and Mary show us that the native women are actually human, not objects or chattel of the men.   For example, Yusuf, as we have seen earlier, does not refer or think of Puteh as his “object” or chattel, but more as his wife, the woman he learns to love (p.208).  Both Yusuf and Puteh respect one another. In addition to that, when they finally talk to each other, they spare each other’s feelings by not telling things that might cause anger or offence (p.209).

Moreover, it is not true that according the Malay theory that a woman is the chattel of her husband.  Zawiah (1994) states that “the Malay woman is brought up to regard her husband as the head of the family.  Her duty is to look after the well-being of her man and children.” Therefore, Hume’s claim that Malay women are “objects” is misleading. Puteh or Mary’s silence is also another question: is it out of weakness or strength?  Perhaps, her silence is out of strength because she endures all the pain and hardship in her life alone, not sharing them with anyone.  This disagrees to Hume’s view that native women are weak.

Conclusion

To conclude, there are four ways in which Hume’s Stranded in Semenyih and Chuah’s Puteh and Mary are different; which are, in their perception, cultural stereotypes, position of authority and gender issues.

Bibliography

Longman Dictionary.  1998.  Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.  England : Longman Group

Mass Lecture: Comparative Literature. 1998. Faculty of Language Studies: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Zawiah Yahya. 1994. Resisting Colonialist Discourse. Bangi: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

“The Lotus Eater”: An analysis

by Sommerset Maugham

Background

•   Lotus eater  – a person who lives an idle, comfortable life, does not think/care very much about anything.

•  Setting - On the beautiful island of Capri, Italy. The places mentioned are the small, comfortable cottage Wilson lives in before the age of 60 as well as the woodshed where he lives after the age of 60. The time of the story is in the early 1900’s.

•  Point of view – The story is narrated from the first person point of view.

General summary

The Lotus Eater tells of a man who plans to live a happy life to a certain period of time, but faces difficulties when things do not work out the way he wants them to be.

Sequence of events (Traditional Plot)

Rising actions	Visits Capri for the first time Falls in love with Capri Makes decision to live on Capri Sells house and buys annuity for 25 years Lives happily for 25 years Runs out of money Landlord asks to leave cottage
Climax	Tries to kill himself
Falling actions	Does not dies Lives in woodshed Looks after goats and chickens Becomes a misfit Dies six years after he tries to kill himself

Sequence of events – Textual evidence

Before Thomas Wilson is 60:

“After my first visit here I went back to London. I was a bank manager.”

“I was on holiday in Italy at the time. I took a boat from Naples to visit Capri for a few days.”

“I fell in love with this island the first moment I saw it.”

“I had no family. I had no other relations and no close friends.”

“I decided that I was going to love here for the rest of my life.”

“But I did not decide in a hurry. I had to be sure that I was not making a terrible mistake.”

“I decided I was going to live a happy life before I die.”

“I had some savings and I sold my house in London. With this money, I bought an annuity for 25 years.”

“He lived in a small cottage. I found this cottage when I first came back.”

After Thomas Wilson is 60:

“It was thirteen years before I went back to Capri again.”

“When he reached the age of sixty, the money was finished.”

“He lived like this for over a year.”

“In the end, the owner of the cottage told him he had to leave unless he paid the rent.”

“That night, he tried to kill himself.”

“He was very ill, but was still alive.”

“Assunta helped him. She and her husband let him live in the woodshed behind their house. They gave him food and he looks after their goats and chickens.”

“It’s not very comfortable in the woodshed. Burning hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.”

“What a terrible way to live. He was like a wild animal.”

“He had lived for six years in that woodshed. Wilson died last year.”

Character Analysis

Thomas Wilson

The friend

Assunta

The narrator

Name	Description	Textual evidence (examples)
1.   Thomas Wilson	Before the age of 60: •  about 50 years old with grey hair, and face burnt brown by the sun, •  careful person, does not make decisions in a hurry, •  idealistic, •  a loner, •  likes to meet people, •  lazy.	•  “The man was about fifty and he was dressed in old clothes. He had grey hair and his face was burnt brown by the sun.” •  “But I did not decide in a hurry. I had to be sure that I was not making a terrible mistake” •  “I decided I was going to live a happy •  “I had no family… . I had no other relations and no close friends.” •  “He was happy to be by himself…” “…he also enjoyed meeting people from time to time.” •  “For a long time, Wilson has lived an easy life”
	After the age of 60: •  indecisive •  does not recognise friends •  may have become insane •  like a wild animal	• “When the time came to make a decision, he was unable to do anything.” • “He didn’t know who I was.” • “Perhaps his mind was damaged by the smoke.” •  “He was like a wild animal.”
2.   The friend	•  friendly •  concerned •  kind and generous	•  “My  friend had invited him to come and have dinner with us.” •  “I went to visit him in hospital.” “I’ve tried to speak to him.” •  “I gave her some money so that she can buy some tobacco for him.”
3.   Assunta	•  hardworking •  helpful •  kind, considerate and sympathetic	• “She cleans the rooms and she cooks my meals.” •  “They (Assunta and her husband) took him to the hospital….” •  “Assunta helped him.” “She and her husband let him live in the woodshed behind their house.”
4.   The narrator	•  inquisitive •  practical	•  “What about your family?” “But what about your work?” “And you have no other regrets?” •  “But what about money? Did you have money to leave work and come here?”

Themes

Man’s quest for happiness

Thomas Wilson wants to live a happy life and goes through the trouble of preparing himself financially until he is sixty years old. When he is 60, he realises that he is incapable of taking his own life. He is then forced out of his home to live on the charity of others and lives in a deplorable state. He becomes a misfit in contemporary society. Wilson does not find happiness but has to pay a very high price for it during the last few years of his life.

Man proposes, God disposes

Man has only limited control over his destiny. Thomas Wilson plans out meticulously to ensure that he leads a happy life until the age of 60 after which he intends to kill himself (commit suicide). When he evicted from his cottage a year later, only then he made a futile attempt to commit suicide. In spite of all the trouble that Wilson takes to make sure that his life turns out the way he wants it to be, he has no control over his fate and destiny.

Literary Techniques – Some examples

Techniques	Textual reference
1.  Foreshadow (hints at the notion of suicide and death)	“Because he’s going to kill himself” “He’s going to die when he’s sixty.” “When his money is finished, he’s going to kill himself.” “That will be the end.” But I understood what he planned to do. “But it was his own life and he could do what he likes with it.” “It’s rather a sad story.” “But he was not the same.”
2.  Irony	Wilson wants to escape from routine work but the alternative life he chooses for himself is just as mundane. “If I stayed working at the bank, I would go on doing the same thing day after day, years after years.” “They gave him food and he looks after their goats and their chickens.”
3.    Contrast	“He lived in a small cottage” (refers to cosy, comfortable and beautiful cottage).  “She and her husband let him live in the woodshed behind their house.” (refers to an uncomfortable, crude and dilapidated building). “He was happy to be by himself, but he also enjoyed meeting people from time to time.” “He runs away whenever I go near him.” “He played some music by Beethoven.”(shows a refined man) “He was like a wild animal.” (shows an uncivilised man)
4.    Symbol	“moon”, “moonlight” may symbolize calmness, tranquility, peacefulness. From a distance the moon looks beautiful but in reality it is quite harsh. The moon also symbolizes irrationality (lunar – lunacy). “On my last night, I went for a walk to see the Bay of Naples by moonlight. It was a full moon that night – the same as it is now. And it was on that walk in the moonlight that I made my decision.” “It had been a full moon the night before. Wilson had died in the moonlight.”
5.    Images	“He has grey hair and his face was burnt brown by the sun.” “I could see the red smoke coming from the top of the Vesuvius.” Next morning, I went swimming in the bright, clear water. The crowd of people following the procession were laughing, dancing and singing. There was a huge flowering tree beside the door of the cottage. The tree was covered with large, brightly coloured flowers.”
6.    Simile	“He was like a wild animal.”

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Short analysis of the point of view of “The Child by Tiger”

The story “The Child by Tiger” is about the mysteries that revolve around Dick Prosser. Dick, a new worker of the Sheppertons, in the earlier part of the story, is kind, gentle, tender and hardworking. The narrator and his friends are very pleased with him. However, Dick has changed into a cold-blooded murderer suddenly, and kills nine people. The story is told from the first person, objective, minor character (limited) point of view, that is Spangler’s when he was a young boy. Spangler, from this point of view, does not give any comment, interpretation or description of the feelings and thoughts of the major character, Dick Prosser.

In the story “The Child by Tiger”, the author uses the first person, objective, minor character point of view to let the readers consider who Dick is, to shape the theme, and to develop the plot. As the story is narrated from the eyes of young Spangler, we can see that he admires Dick very much then, “… it seemed to us boys that there was very little that Dick could not do (para.6)” and “We were all so proud of him (para. 12).” For him, Dick is good at everything, and has taught he and his friends a lot of things, such as playing football and boxing. Spangler also sees Dick as tender and careful, as he says, “There was something amazingly tender and watchful about him (para. 7).”

Though Spangler admires Dick, he also sees Dick as a mysterious man. Spangler is amazed as he describes “And yet? He went too softly, at too swift pace (para. 13).” It is also puzzling to him to hear the way Dick sometimes talk to them; “There would almost moan when he talk to us,… (para. 15).” The biggest mystery that Spangler faces is why Dick kills all the nine men that night.

Besides that, the point of view also helps to shape the theme. Dick, the major character, is at first a good and kind man, but later changes to become a cold-blooded murderer. From there, we can infer that one of the themes is the mysteries of the human soul which sometimes cannot be explained.

Another reason perhaps why the writer uses the first person point of view is that it helps to develop the plot. The story is about how young Spangler sees Dick changes from a kind and gentle man at first, to a cold-blooded murderer. As he narrates the story, we can see that there are two major conflicts; the physical and emotional conflict. The physical conflict is when the white men hunt down Dick after Dick starts killing people. The emotional conflict is the conflict Dick has in himself, as the reader can interpret from the story. One possible explanation is that Dick has felt that he has failed to change the attitudes of the town people. The cruelty  of slavery and oppression. It leads him to depression which has caused him to run amok; he lets his anger to overcome his kindness. Dick has tried to control himself earlier, as we can see from the accident he has with Mr. Everett – he does not fight back. However, having been oppressed for so long, he losses his cool, as witnessed by young Spangler.

As a whole, we can say that the first person point of view is effective in allowing the readers to judge Dick Prosser by themselves, and what has made him the way he is in the end.

“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant: Summary of analysis

Plot Summary

1.   Mathilde was not happy with her life.

2.  Mr. Loisel obtained an invitation to the Minister of Public Instruction’s ball.

3.  Mathilde did not want to go to the ball without a suitable gown.

4.  Mr. Loisel sacrificed his interest for her to get one.

5.  Mathilde needed jewelery to go with the gown.

6.  She borrowed a necklace from her friend, Madame Forestier.

7.  She enjoyed herself at the ball and made a great impression.

8.  She lost her necklace.

9.  Mr. Loisel looked for the necklace without success.

10.  They purchased a replacement necklace and incurred a huge debt.

11.  They did not tell Madame Forestier the truth.

12.  They worked hard for 10 years to repay the debt and in the process aged terribly.

13.  Mathilde met Madame Forestier one day and told her what had actually happened.

14.  Madame Forestier revealed that the lost necklace was only an imitation.

Character Analysis

1.    Madame Loisel (Mathilde)

In the beginning	Physical change for the worse BUT Psychological and moral change for the better	At the end
“Pretty, charming, young”		Coarse
Materialistic		Speaks loudly
Self-centred/vain		Co-operative
Thinks highly of herself		Responsible
Full of self-pity/maladjusted		Persevering
Ungrateful/unpleasant		Strong
Impatient/unsympathetic		Kept dignity/proud
Inconsiderate/selfish		Aware of station in life
Not very resourceful		Less self-centred
Shrewd		Gains confidence
Foolish		Honest
Lied		Accountable

2.    Mr. Loisel

Compassionate

Accommodating

Patient

Loving

Considerate

Reasonable

Caring

Sacrificial

Responsible

Practical

Thinks fast

Suggest ideas

Initiate actions

Persistent

Optimistic

Accountable

Kept dignity

Supportive

Diligent

Unselfish

A bit soft

3.     Madame Forestier

Young

Glamourous

Wealthy

Helpful

Pretentious

Literary Devices

Tone	Conveys pity (on bitter plight of the Loisels to pay up their debts)
Irony	1.   Situational irony – The whole story is an irony. 2.   Dramatic irony – The expectation of Mathilde before and after the ball. 3.   Verbal irony – The choice of words, phrases used to show the opposites.
Foreshadowing	eg: “all was ended for her” – not only the end of the ball, but also her dreams for the future.
Syntax	The use of long sentences in the beginning suggests the rich description of Mathilde’s dream. While short sentences at the end prepares readers for the twist of the story.
Language change	The elegant language need to describe Mathilde in the beginning is set aside for a more down-to-earth substitute at the end.
Imagery	1.  of grandeur (at the start of the story) 2.  of misery (when they had to face reality when the ball was over)
Twist	At the end of the story – quick and merciless.

Examples of Irony

Ironically:

a) the despair about her apartment, together with the inability to hire with actuality, is the cause of Mathilde’s economic and social undoing (the despair is the root-cause of her borrowing the necklace),

b) the life of poverty and suffering brings out coarseness in her character while at the same time it brings out her best qualities of co-operativeness, dignity (pride) and honesty.

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“The Drover’s Wife” by Henry Lawson: An analysis

Drover :
•    a person who drives cattle or sheep.
•    moves cattle into new lands and out of markets
•    walk the vast herds across, or up and down the continent
•    maybe months on the road
•    mode of transportation: motorbikes and horses

Note: Droving is carried out along well-established stock routes on which camps, watering places and grass for grazing are available. Cattle are often driven for over 3000km.

Setting

Australia, late 19th century,
Hot, dry season.
Location: bush, two-roomed house

Theme: Women vs. Nature

- the struggle of a lone woman against what nature has thrown at her.

The Plot

1.        Prelude – a bushwoman with her 4 children and a dog living in a wooden house while her husband is away.

2.        Appearance of the snake.

3.        Disappearance of the snake into the cracks in the floor.

4.        Thunderstorm and darkness appears, and she takes the children inside. She stayed up the night to wait for the snake to reappear.

5.        Reappearance of the snake as dawn approaches.

6.        The dog captures the snake.

7.        The bushwoman kills the snake.

Character Analysis

The drover’s wife	-         “gaunt and sun-browned”, due to her hard life in the bush. -         Brave, “not a coward” as she has to take care of her 4 children alone for months when her husband is out droving. -         But lately her nerves had been shattered because her nephew died of a snake bite. -         Her circumstances make her resilient, self-reliant, hardy and patient.
Alligator, the snake dog	-         the name of their Mongrel dog. -         “big, black, yellow eyed dog-of-all breeds” -         “shows numerous old wounds where the hair will not grow” – the scars he got when fighting with snakes. -         “big, heavy dog but quick as terrier” -         “not a very beautiful dog to look at” -         he is a snake dog and ever ready to kill snakes – hates snakes. -         he hates other dogs except kangaroo-dog. -         has a dislike for the people connected to the family but sometimes make friends with strangers. -         he is afraid of nothing.
Tommy, the eldest boy	-         “ragged, dried-up looking children”, just like the environment. -         he is active, brave, protective and loves his mother for he understands her sufferings.

Symbols

1.    Snake

    “…black brute, five feet long…”
    It represents evil and a threat to the family

2.    She-oak

    This is a tree that can survive in the harsh environment just like the woman.
    She-oak is hard timber tree and makes good fuel. In terms of texture and colour it is inferior to the he-oak. The use of the feminine gender indicates the prejudice against women at that time.

3.   Bush

    its wide uncultivated expanse represents lifeless solitude but it provides a certain freedom. It is a dumb witness to all that is happening to her.

4.   Alligator

    An alligator is a dangerous animal to other animals and human. This name is given to their pet dog. It represents a “talisman” for the family against dangers.

Note:  All symbolisms are associated with nature: all symbols are part of the Australian environment that has adapted to the harsh and dry climate.

Language and style

The language is simple and casual as Henry Lawson represents the common man. The story is written in the present tense to hint that the drover’s wife is not going to be relieved of her sufferings and hardships. They are a continuous cycle in her life. A name is not given to her too, to suggest that she has no standing in the society and she represents all bushwomen.

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“The Sound Machine” by Roald Dahl: outline

Characters

The writer reveals/portrays characters in the story through various ways:

•     what the narrator says
•     what the character says
•     what the character does
•     what other characters say or how they react/behave.

1.          Klausner (a patient of Dr. Scott)

a)      Physical attributes

-     small frail man, nervous and twitchy,
-     large head inclined towards his left shoulder,
-     face – smooth and pale, almost white,
-     pale-grey hair,
-     pale, small and thin, that he looks like an ancient, consumptive, bespectacled child.

b)      Personality traits

-     frail, nervous, twitchy little man, a moth of a man,
-     patient and meticulous,
-     insecure and lack confidence.

2.          Dr. Scott (the doctor)

-     tall man
-     inquisitive
-     sceptical
-     nervous

3.          Mrs. Saunders (Klausner’s neighbour)

-     obliging
-     nervous

Klausner 

Character traits	Textual evidence
Meticulous and patient	He picked up a piece of paper that lay…checking each wire. He did this for perhaps an hour.
Insecure (lack of confidence)	He was shifting from one foot… “Well, it’s like this.”  He kept on talking to himself… of might happen it did.
Nervous	He was a small frail man, nervous and twitchy….  He was a frail, nervous and twitchy little man, a moth of a man…
Crazy/mad	Mrs. Saunders had always believed …had gone completely crazy.
Patient	Klausner sat down beside the telephone and waited.
Excited	There was no sign of madness …merely disturbed and excited.
Confident	“What does it sound like?”… “Exactly, what did it sound like?”

Dr. Scott 

Inquisitive	“What is this?” he said. “Making a radio?”  But he kept standing there … patient of his was up to.
Sceptical	The doctor looked at the long black coffin-box. “And you’re going to try it tonight?”  Well, I wish you luck The Doctor smiled…over his ears. The Doctor began to rub the back … “…I couldn’t  be sure” “oh hell!”… “I really don’t know.”
nervous	The doctor certainly seemed nervous.  The doctor hesitated. He saw Klausner’s hands … was to run away fast.

Plot Summary

Klausner has a new theory of sound and invents a machine to capture the sounds. Klausner’s doctor makes a house call and shows interests in the machine. However, he is not convinced Klausner’s machine can register sounds unheard by man.

Klausner tests his machine in his garden and finds that it registers sounds which are emitted when his neighbour Mrs. Saunders cuts rose stems in her garden. He tries explaining this to her but she flees in fear.

The next day Klausner experiments with his machine in the park by cutting a tree. He detects a similar cry and quickly telephones Dr. Scott.

At the park, while demonstrating his theory to Dr. Scott, his machine is destroyed by a falling branch. Klausner demands to know from Dr. Scott whether he had heard a sound. Dr Scott denies hearing it.

Klausner forces Dr. Scott to stitch and treat the “wound” of the tree. Dr Scott obeys and they walk back arm in arm.

The plot

1.          EXPOSITION

-   Klausner resembles his new machine.
-   Dr. Scott arrives and expresses interest.

2.          RISING ACTION

-   Klausner tests his new machine.
-   He hears shrieks as Mrs. Saunders cuts rose stems. He explains his theory to her.
-   She thinks he is crazy.
-   Excited, he tests his theory by cutting a tree the next day.
-   He summons Dr. Scott to prove his theory.

3.          CONFLICT

Klausner demonstrates his theory to Dr. Scott. The branch of the tree falls on the machine. Klausner insists that Dr. Scott admits that he heard a sound when the tree was cut. Dr Scott denies it.

4.          CLIMAX

Klausner forces Dr. Scott to treat the wounded tree.

5.          FALLING ACTION

Dr. Scott obeys Klausner’s orders

6.          RESOLUTION

Klausner and Dr. Scott return to the house arm in arm.

Language and Style

1.           Simple and straightforward
2.           Descriptive details of main character
3.           Tendency to write in long sentences (several clauses)
4.           Lengthy description
5.           Contrast in length of Klausner’s and other character sentences
6.           Repetitive of adjectives and descriptions
7.           Symbols

Themes

1.  Individuality vs. Conformity

Society has certain accepted norms and beliefs, theories and interpretations of life. When an individual’s beliefs or theories differ with what society upholds, that person meets obstacles. The story seems to suggest that a compromise can be reached so that the individual can survive in the face of opposition.

2.  Madness vs. Sanity

People who hold different views from the rest of society are often labelled as mad. In the story, Klausner’s madness is hinted at. His behaviour and what he propounds seem strange and odd to others.

3.  Appearance vs. Reality

The question that lingers from the beginning to the end of the story is whether the sounds that Klausner heard were real or a figment of his imagination. Klausner is totally convinced that there are sounds which ordinary human cannot hear. Another theory he claims is that plants cry out when they are cut. The Sound Machine which could have proved these facts is destroyed. This is another question that remains unanswered till the end. There may be differing perceptions of reality.

4.  Rejection vs. Acceptance

The Sound Machine shows us that people are different. It seems to suggest that we should not reject people who are different from us or whose ideas we find controversial. Even if you are not convinced or do not agree with others’ views, it is possible to live harmoniously with each other.

Roald Dahl has the following advice for his readers:

Do’s:

1.            Hold steadfastly to your convictions without fear.
2.            Respect people even if they hold different views.
3.            Pursue the truth even if you are alone.
4.            Accept and admit the truth.
5.            Respect all life forms and love the environment.

Don’t’s:

1.            Do not reject/ostracise/ridicule/dismiss people who think differently from you.
2.            Do not label people who are different.

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