A MAN WHO HAD NO EYES

By MacKinlay Kantor Where do the sentences fit in? Summary "A Man Who Had No Eyes" is the story of the unexpected meeting of two lind men who lost their eyesight in a gas explosion! "ne of the men is a eggar# the other a well$dressed gentleman# Mr! %arsons! &he eggar tells Mr! %arsons all a out his dreadful fate while trying to sell him a cigarette lighter! &he eggar seems to gain %arsons' sympathy y his " itter and studied drama of a story often told# and told for money"! &he surprise ending comes when %arsons re(eals himself as the (ictim of the eggar's rutal action! )or it was not the eggar who had een trampled on# ut the eggar# Mar*wardt# who had clim ed o(er %arsons! At the eginning of the story %arsons does not seem at all angry at Mar*wardt's lies! &he only hint as to the gentleman's change of mood is a slight change in the weather! &he ending comes as a surprise+ pro(o*ed y the eggar's lying# %arsons e(entually re(eals his identity! he puts the eggar in his place! Both men ha(e suffered the same fate# ut ha(e surmounted their difficulties in ,uite different ways! &he contrast etween them is e(ident in e(ery aspect of their language and clothing! - when they were oth wor*ing at the same chemical factory! . a shrewd and cle(er liar / trampling him "into the dirt"! 0 1almly ut (ery plainly 2 eha(iour

-! Mr. Parsons: clues to his blindness! What clues are there that Mr. Parsons is blind, too? 3 3$-4+ 3 -0$-2+ -4 .$/+ 2. haracterisation In groups or with a partner find quotations which characterise the two men. !he be""ar 3 .$5+ 3-3+ 3 .4+ -4 5+ Mr. Parsons 3 .+ 6./ -4 .7+

3 -.$-0+ 3 -2$-8+ 3 .-$..+ -4 .+ How does the beggar try to make people feel sorry for him? se quotations to support your answer.

/! %ersonal reactions !id you like the story? Why? Why not?

Which lines show that Mr. Parsons has a particular interest in Markwardt"s story?

#nit $$ %an"ua"e and style What type of language is used for the descripti#e passages and for the dialogues? &he language of the descripti(e passages is direct# clear and easy to understand! &he sentences are short with no comparisons# metaphors or other stylistic de(ices!&he language of the dialogues is different# depending on who is spea*ing+ slangy# uneducated and emotional when the eggar spea*s9 grammatically correct# precise language for Mr! %arsons!

$he peddler"s grammar is sometimes wrong. %an you find e&amples and correct them? Why does the author make him speak like this? 3 ./+ ": ain't" ; 3 ./+ -4 2+ -4 -3+ -- -+ -- .+ -- 2+ ": got" ; "plenty people" ; "&hey'(e all forgot" ; "&here wasn't nothing" ; "would ha(e een !!! too* care of $ "&hey was" ;

&he author is trying to create a realistic impression of the way people li*e the peddler spea*! He also pronounces "them" and "don't *now" as "em" <-4 -2= and "dunno" <-- -/=# which ma*es it sound more realistic# too! Which words show you that the story was written by an 'merican, not a (ritish person? Where possible gi#e the (ritish equi#alents. ) -/+ "la orer" $ 3 .2+ -4 .+ -4 5+ -4 7+ -4 7+ -4 -4+ -- 3+ -- -/+ " uc*" "gray" $ "guy" $ "(est" $ "half$dollars" "ele(ator" $ "fol*s" ; "nuts" $

Symbolism *ook at the weather at the beginning and end of the story. Why does the author describe it like this? What function does the weather ha#e in the story? 3 7+ &he air was rich with spring9 sun was warm 3 -2$-8+ &he lue air of spring !!! could thrill him with eagerness