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You should focus on the impression that you have of the characters of Miss Caroline and
Burris Ewel in this extract.
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“Well, Burris,” said Miss Caroline, “I think we’d better excuse you for the rest of the afternoon. I want you to go home and wash your hair with medicated soap. When you’ve done that, treat your scalp with kerosene.”
“What fer, missus?’
‘To get rid of the, er, cooties. You see, Burris, the other children might catch them, and you wouldn’t want that, would you?”
The boy stood up. He was the filthiest human I have ever seen. His neck was dark grey, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his finger-nails were black deep into the quick.
“And, Burris,” said Miss Caroline, “please bathe yourself before you come back tomorrow.”
The boy laughed rudely. ‘You ain’t sending me home, missus. I was on the verge of leaving – done my time for this year.”
Miss Caroline looked puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”
The boy did not answer. He gave a short contemptuous snort.
One of the older members of the class answered her, "He’s Mr Ewell’s son, ma’am. He come first day every year and then leave. The truant lady gets him here ‘cause she threatens the family
with the sheriff, but she’s give up tryin’ to hold him. You are supposed to mark him absent for the rest of the year….”
“What about his parents?” asked Miss Caroline, in genuine concern.
"Ain't got no mother," was the answer, 'and their father's right contentious."
Burris Ewell was flattered by the remark. “Been comin’ to the first day o’ the first grade for three year now,” he said.
Miss Caroline said, “Sit down please, Burris,” and the moment she said it, Burris flashed to anger.
“You try and make me, missus.”
Little Chuck got to his feet. “Let him go ma’am,” he said. ‘He’s a mean one, ahard-down mean one……..”
“Burris, go home, If you don’t I’ll call the principal,” she said. “I’ll report this, anyway.”
The boy snorted and slouched leisurely tothe door.
Safely out of range, he turned and shouted: “Report and I dare ye! Ain’t no school teacher ever born can make me do nothing! You ain’t making me go nowhere, missus. You just remember that, you ain’t making me go nowhere!!”
He waited until he was sure she was crying, then he shuffled out of the building.
Soon we were clustered around her desk, trying out various ways to comfort her. Miss Caroline smiled, blew her nose, and said,” Thank you, darlings.”
Adapted from To Kill a Mockingbird by HarperLee
*cooties: head lice
* truant lady: an official from the Ministry of Education who monitors absenteeism of students
2. What feelings do you have for Burris Ewell when you read this passage? Remember to refer closely to the text to explain your feelings.
8 comments:
I felt frustrated as Burris Ewell is an unhygenic boy. For example, "I want you to go home and wash your hair with medicated soap. When you’ve done that, treat your scalp with kerosene. To get rid of the, er, cooties. You see, Burris, the other children might catch them, and you wouldn’t want that, would you?”
I feel that Burris is rude.Evidence from story:The boy laughed rudely. ‘You ain’t sending me home, missus. I was on the verge of leaving – done my time for this year.”He is behaving rude because he doesn't have a mother and his father is right contentious.
I feel very sad for Burris as he does not has mother to look after him.
I felt disgusted as Burris Ewell is an unhygenic boy.For example,“His neck was dark grey, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his finger-nails were black deep into the quick."
Khadijah Ridwan: I think the word 'frustrated' is not an appropriate word to describe how you feel about Burris. Since he is like that because he has no mother, how do you feel about his situation? Do you feel sad for him?
I agree to khadijah.Burris is unhygenic
I felt sorry for Burris Ewell as he does not have a mother.The evidence is,"Ain't got no mother," was the answer, 'and their father's right contentious."
Seerin: Can you please elaborate more why you think Burris in unhygienic?
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