Text 1
The Heart is a
Lonely Hunter
by Carson
McCullers, adapted
Carson McCullers
(1917 – 1967) – American author
That
night they were all out on the porch. All of them were together
except Hazel, who had not come from work, and Etta, who still lay
sick in bed. Then hazel came home.
“I
sure do wish Etta was able to work”, she said. “I found out about
this job today”.
“What
kind of job?” asked her dad. “Anything I could do or just for
girls?”
“Just
for girls. A clerk down at Woolworth’s is going to get married next
week”.
“The
ten-cent store”. Mick said.
“You
interested?”
The
question took her by surprise. She felt lost and tense. Their dad
flipped his cigarette down to the sidewalk.
“No”,
he said. “We don’t want Mick to take on too much responsibility at
her age. Let her get her growth out”.
“I
agree with you.”, Hazel said. “I really do think it would be a
mistake for Mick to have to work regularly. I don’t think it would
be right.”
Bill
put Ralph down from his lap and shuffled his feet on the steps.
“Nobody ought to work until they’re around sixteen. Mick should have
two more years at Vocational if we can make it”.
“Even
if we have to give up the house and move down in Hill Town”,
their mom said. “I’d rather keep Mick at home for a while”.
For
a minute she had been scared they would try and corner her into
taking a job. She would have said she would run away from home. But
the way they took the attitude they did, touched her. She felt excited.
They were all talking about her - and in a kindly way. She was
ashamed for the first scared feeling that had come to her. Of a
sudden she loved all of the family and a tightness came in her
throat.
“About
how much money is in it?” she asked.
“Ten
dollars”.
“Ten
dollars a week?”
“sure”,
Hazel said. “Did you think it would only be ten a month?”
Mick
rubbed the top of her head with her fist.
“That’s
a whole lot of money. A good deal”.
“It’s
not to be grinned at”, Bill said. “That’s what I make”.
Mick’s
tongue was dry. She moved it around in her to gather spit enough
to talk.
“Ten
dollars a week would buy about fifteen fried chickens. Or five pairs
of shoes or five dresses. Or instalments on a radio”. She thought
about a piano but she did not mention that aloud.
“It
would tide us over”, their mom said. “But at the same time I would
rather keep Mock at home for a while. Now when Etta…”
“Wait!”
She felt hot and reckless. “I want to take the job” I can hold it
down. I know I can”.
“Listen
to little Mick”, Bill said.
“Now
let’s not rush into anything”, their dad said.
“I’d
rather Mick took her time and thought this out. We can get along
somehow without she working. I mean to increase my watch work by
sixty per cent as soon as …”
“I
forgot”, Hazel said. “I think there’s a Christmas bonus every year”.
Mick frowned. “But I wouldn’t be working then. I’d be in school. I
just want to work during the vocation and then go back to school”.
“Sure”,
Hazel said quickly.
“But
tomorrow I’ll go down with you and take the job if I can get it”.
It
was as though a great worry and tightness had left the family. In
the dark they began to laugh and talk.
Words
vocational school - a school on
a secondary level, that trains persons for qualification in specific
trades or occupations
to tide over - to support
through a difficult period
Exercises
I. Choose the right answer and prove
it by the text.
The scene takes place:
a) In Great Britain
today…
b) In Great Britain
earlier in the past century…
c) In the USA
today…
d) In the USA
earlier in the past century…
II. Choose the
right answer and try to explain why.
Would you say
Mick’s attitude towards the decision she has to make…
a) remains
unchanged?
b) undergoes a
slight change?
c) changes
radically?
III. Say whether the following
statements are Right or Wrong and justify your answers.
|
1
|
Hazel is
unemployed.
|
R
|
W
|
|
2
|
Etta has
already got a job.
|
R
|
W
|
|
3
|
Mick has been
thinking about getting a job for a long time.
|
R
|
W
|
|
4
|
Woolworth’s is
a luxury shop.
|
R
|
W
|
|
5
|
Mick’s family
is quite well off.
|
R
|
W
|
|
6
|
Mick would
have run away from home if they had not allowed her to work.
|
R
|
W
|
|
7
|
Mick had
never felt such affection for her family.
|
R
|
W
|
|
8
|
The job is
financially worthwhile.
|
R
|
W
|
|
9
|
Mick’s father
asks her to make a quick decision.
|
R
|
W
|
|
10
|
Mick’s father doesn’t
intend to do anything whatsoever to improve the family’s financial
situation.
|
R
|
W
|
|
11
|
Mick intends
to do on with her studies.
|
R
|
W
|
|
12
|
The family is
relieved when Mick agrees to take the job.
|
R
|
W
|
IV. Identify the characters by
filling in the grid below:
|
|
SEX
|
AGE
GROUP
|
|
BOY(MALE)
|
GIRL(FEMALE)
|
UNDER
16
|
OVER 16
|
|
Example:
Ralph
|
X
|
|
X
|
|
|
Hazel
|
|
|
|
|
|
Etta
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mick
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bill
|
|
|
|
|
KEYS:
I.
d
II.
C
III.
R
– 7,8,11,12
W –
1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10
IV.
|
|
SEX
|
AGE
GROUP
|
|
BOY(MALE)
|
GIRL(FEMALE)
|
UNDER
16
|
OVER 16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hazel
|
|
X
|
|
X
|
|
Etta
|
|
X
|
|
X
|
|
Mick
|
|
X
|
X
|
|
|
Bill
|
X
|
|
|
X
|
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