TO SIR, WITH LOVE

 – E.R. Braithwaite

Characters in the novel

Ricky Braithwaite (Teacher)   : Narrator

Miss Joseph and Denham       : Students

Mr. Florian                              : Head Master

Mrs. Dale-Evans                     : Teacher

 Outline of the novel:

‘To Sir, With Love’ is an autobiographical novel by E.R Braithwaite. It is based on the life of the writer. It deals with the theme of students-teacher relationship and racial discrimination (racism). The narrator Ricky Braithwaite is the main character (protagonist) in the novel. He is a teacher in Greenslade School. Being jobless after leaving the job from the Royal Air Force, he joined the school to earn his livelihood. Initially, he found himself in conflict with the students. He took his students as notorious, troublemaking, ill-mannered and disrespectful. His students also considered him as an outsider. He is harassed and bullied by the students. He also scolded them for being ill mannered and unruly. When he realized that his anger and indifference towards his students had failed to bring him any respect and cooperation from the students, he decided to change himself. He changed his teaching methods and handled the students with respect. He treated them as adults and respectable persons. He added „Miss‟ before names of the girls. This strategy brought the big change in the attitudes of the students as well as of the teacher. It brought mutual respect for each other. The students started showing maturity, empathy and knowledge. The teacher was very happy to notice this change.

 

QUESTIONS-ANSWERS 

Q. Give character sketch of Miss Joseph.

Miss. Joseph was a girl student from Braithwaite's class. On the occasion, she was well dressed like an important official. She was confident and ready for the Students’ Council. Miss. Joseph sat with the headmaster Mr. Florian on the stage. Being an anchor for the programme, she explained the Council's purpose and its activities. In her presentation, she spoke about their studies. She highlighted that in half-yearly term they had learnt the interdependency of mankind in spite of geographical locations and differences in colour, races and creeds. She presented her confidently and anchored the programme effectively.

 

Q. Give character sketch of Denham.

Denham is a student from Braithwaite's class. On the occasion, he was well dressed like an important official on the day. He seemed to be confident and ready for the occasion. Denham sat with the headmaster Mr. Florian on the stage. He anchored the programme and announced the names of the students and the subjects. He presented the report of the subject of P.T. Being a sportsperson; he criticized the limitations of space and general pattern of P.T. He highlighted the uselessness of such subject of P.T. without serious implementation. He had some stern arguments with Mr. Weston, one of the teachers in the panel selected for responding to the students‟ questions. Mr. Weston responded ridiculously to Denham by giving irrelevant answers. Denham was outwitted by another teacher, Miss Phillips. He respectfully stopped making any further heated arguments. Braithwaite was very happy and satisfied with Denham's progress.

 

Q. Give character sketch of Fernman

Fernman is a student from Mr. Braithwaite's senior class. He presented the report on the subject of physiology in his presentation of the half-yearly report,. He signals his two friends to bring a model of human skeleton on the stage. Initially, this hanging skeleton makes the meeting laugh. But as he proceeds, he speaks seriously, knowledgably about the discrimination.

 

Q. Give character sketch of Mr. Florian

Mr. Florian is the headmaster of Greenslade School. On the occasion of the half- yearly report, he gives a long speech. In his speech, he highlights the aims and policies of the school. He states the importance of the students‟ contribution to achieve the aims. He praises the students as well as insists the need for the improvement in the conduct, cleanliness and knowledge. It shows that Mr. Florian is truly a dedicated headmaster. He wants his students to make all round development.

Q. Give character sketch of Miss Euphemia Phillips.

Miss Euphemia Phillips is one of the teachers in the panel selected to respond to the questions. Apparently she seems to be brainless but while answering to the questions she proved to be the coolest and best informed of the three teachers. She was very frank and knowledgeable in her responses. She helped other teachers in giving answers to the questions. She skilfully handled the hot debate between Denham and Mr. Weston on the implementation of P.T. in school. She made some arguments on the limitations of the school as well as she focused on the need of such subjects for other students. She successfully outwitted Denham with some sugary remarks. She is presented as a skilful teacher in the extract.

 

Q. Give character sketch of  Ricky Braithwaite/ the narrator/ the teacher.

In the beginning of his career as a teacher, Braithwaite is harassed and bullied by the students. After realizing that his indifference and anger has not brought any respect to him from the students, he changes his teaching techniques and handles the students respectfully. This brings positive changes in teacher-students‟ relationship. On the day of the school‟s half-yearly report, he becomes very excited. He becomes very anxious about the presentation of his class. Braithwaite is a good teacher. He feels pleased and proud to notice the confidence, courtesy and other positive changes in his students.

 

Q. Compare the characters of Miss Joseph and Denham

Ans. Miss. Joseph and Denham, the students from Braithwaite's class, were smartly dressed like important officials on the occasion of the half-yearly report. Both sat on the stage with the headmaster Mr. Florian. They had the charge of anchoring the programme. They seemed to be confident and ready for the meeting.

Miss Joseph explained the Council's purpose and its activities. In her presentation, she spoke about their studies. She highlighted that in this term they had learnt the interdependency of mankind in spite of geographical locations and differences in colour, races and creeds. She presented her confidently and anchored the programme effectively.

Denham, being an anchor, announced the names of the students and the subjects. Being a sportsperson, he presented the report of the subject of P.T. but criticized the limitations of space and general pattern of P.T. He had some stern arguments with Mr. Weston on the topic of P.T. Mr. Weston responded ridiculously to Denham by giving irrelevant answers. Denham was outwitted by another teacher, Miss Phillips. He just like any good student respectfully stopped making further heated arguments.

Q. Give character sketch of Dale Evans.

Ans. Dale-Evans is the teacher in the extract. On the occasion of half-yearly report of Students' Council some teachers were to be selected in the panel to answer the questions of the students. Mrs. Dale-Evans was one of the teachers in the panel. Couple of lines in support my answer are: The names were called: Mr. Weston, Mrs. Dale-Evans, Miss. Phillips. Denham and Miss Joseph led the others off the stage and the teachers took their seats.

Q. The narrator played a significant role in bringing a significant change in the students. Explain the statement by citing some references from the extract.

The students in Braithwaite's class were ill mannered, notorious, unruly and mischievous. They were not ready to change their behaviour. The students deliberately tortured the teacher. After being harassed and bullied by the students, the teacher realized that his anger had not brought any respect for him from the students. So, he changed his teaching methods. He started handling his students with respect. They were treated as adults and respectable persons. Initially, the students found it ridiculous, but they noticed positive changes among themselves. This change made the students confident. They started taking responsibility. All the students from Braithwaite's class became serious about the problems of racial discrimination. These things are explicitly found in their presentations. They highlighted the importance of the interdependency and brotherhood of mankind. They boldly commented on the problem of discrimination based on geographical location, colour, races and creed. Few statements from the extract in support of these significant changes in the students are:

“The children arrived smartly dressed polished, and Miss Joseph and Denham, who seemed to be the important officials for the occasion.”

“I felt terribly pleased and proud to see the confident courtesy with which Denham used the term „Miss‟ in addressing each of the senior girl.”

Q. Fernman brought a comic relief in the Students’     Council programme. Explain.

Ans. Fernman, a student from Braithwaite's class, made presentation of the subject of physiology. This episode on the half-yearly report day brought a comic relief in the Student's Council programme. Earlier presentation by other students made the atmosphere somewhat serious by making comments on the issues of bias towards the brotherhood, interdependency of mankind, racial discrimination in their lessons. Fernman, at the beginning of his presentation, signalled his two friends to bring a skeleton. They made an arrangement to hang the skeleton to a hook screwed into the top of its skull. This hanging skeleton gently revolved at the end of a cord. The students in the auditorium laughed at this sight which brought a comic relief into the meeting.

Q. Describe in brief the purpose of organizing the half-yearly report programme of Student’s Council.     

Greenslade School organizes the half-yearly report programme on 15^th November. Since it is an important day in the calendar of the school, it has some purposes. We can easily realize these purposes from the narration of the event. Since this day is completely arranged, presented and controlled by the students, the purposes are to boost the confidence in the students, to develop their stage daring. The day gives them opportunities to learn the skills of planning and execution. Another purpose is to convey the aims and policies of the school to students through the headmaster‟s speech. The most important purpose of the day is to give the students an opportunity to present their study report to the school. It also gives them platform to express their views and to put their questions to the teachers.

Q.   Write in your own words the entire half-yearly  report programme of Students’ Council.

The half-yearly report programme of Students‟ Council was organized on 15^th November. It was arranged, presented and controlled by the students only. The anchors, Denham and Miss Joseph, were smartly dressed and polished like some important officials on the occasion. At 10.00 am all students arrived at the auditorium. Mr. Florian, the headmaster of the school, gave a speech. Miss Joseph gave a short address on brotherhood and interdependency of mankind in spite of colour, races, creeds and geographical location. Potter spoke about the greater understanding among the people through the use of weights and measure. Ferman brought a comic relief through the episode of skeleton. Miss Dare spoke about the problems of sickness and disease in the world. Miss Dodd highlighted need of History to understand the beliefs and cultures of other. At the end Denham has some arguments with Weston. Denham criticized the P.T. exercises. Miss Philips tried to convince him about the timetable and limitations of the schools. In the end of the program the narrator finds him pleased with the performances by his students.

Q.    Describe the question-answer session that took place at the end of the extract.

The end of the extract mainly consists the question-answer session between Denham and the teachers- Weston, Miss. Phillips. Denham criticizes the P.T. exercises for having any physical advantages. Weston answered almost with offended dignity.

Denham insisted on daily exercises and said that exercise twice a week is a waste of time. Miss. Philips tried to convince Denham about the school timetable and limitations of the school with some sugary remarks. At the of question-answer session Denham stops arguing for being outwitted by Miss. Philips.

Q.   The incidents in the extract occurred at a particular place. Explain significance of that place in your own words.

Or

Explain how the setting of the extract contributes to         the theme of the novel.

    The incidents in the extract occurred at the auditorium of Greenslade School. This setting has a great significance in the development of the themes of teacher- student relationship and racial discrimination. The school plays a vital role in the development of the students and their understanding of the world. After a hostile and indifferent treatment by the teacher as well as the students, the teacher changed his attitude and methods to handle the students. This marked the beginning of mutual respect for each other. In the course of time students started taking responsibilities, they started thinking about the problems in the world. Teacher also found it interesting to notice the changes. The theme of racial discrimination is also developed in this setting. Initially, the teacher, being a black, was treated badly by the students. The teacher also showed indifference towards the students because his previous experiences of racial discrimination. But when they developed mutual respect for each other, students realized the problems of discrimination made on the basis of race, colour and geographical locations. In the presentation students made critical comments on many problems and made the school think about them. The setting of school is apt for development of such themes.

Q. ‘When the turn of my class came I sat up  anxiously’. Why was the narrator anxious? Explain the statement by citing suitable references from the extract.                                        

On the occasion of the half-yearly report of the Student‟s Council, the students from all the classes presented the report. The narrator was the teacher of the upper class. He had seen the meticulous preparations made by his students. They planned the program, they distributed the work and worked hard for the program. His students- Miss Joseph and Denham- were the anchors for the program. His other students were also going to present the reports of other subjects like math, geography, history and physiology. So he was very eager to see the performance of his students. One more reason for his anxiousness was his relations with his students. After dreadful experiences in the treatment by students, the narrator and the students had developed a mutual respect for each other. The students got changed. They started showing interest in the studies. They took responsibility. There was good change in their habits and hygiene. For the first time, his students were going to present with some changed attitude, so, the narrator was anxious when the turn of his class came.

Q. Explain in brief the theme of the extract.          

Or

      The relationship between the teacher and the students is highlighted in the extract. Illustrate with suitable examples from the extract. 

The extract from the novel „To Sir, with Love‟ deals with the themes of the teacher-student relationship and racial discrimination. Initially, the relationship between the teacher and the student was not good. The teacher was harassed by the students. Teacher also showed prejudiced attitude towards the students. He scolded them for their undisciplined behaviour. This bitter relationship between the teacher and the students was caused by the racial discrimination. The narrator was rejected at several job places because he was a black. This experience affected his relations with the students. But once he changed his attitude and methods of handling the students, a mutual respect got developed between them. The students started showing changes in their habits, hygiene, studies and their attitude towards the outer world full of problems. In their presentation, they overtly expressed their views on the problems in the world. The teacher found it pleasing to notice these changes in his students. When it was his class‟s turn for presentation, he became very anxious. These and many evidences in the novel focus on the theme of relationship between the teacher and the students.