Mr M S Ndlovu
Grade 12 Short story Analysis 1. The man hood
The Author
The author: John Wain• John Wain (1925) • John Wain, born in Stroke-on-Trent in the north of England, is both a poet and a novelist and a short-story writer. He was also a lecturer in English literature at Reading University from 1949-55. Wain is a prolific writer and has produced four volumes of poetry, six novels, and two collections of short stories as well as works of criticism and an autobiography. His stories are generally concerned with ordinary people faced with the problems and decisions that make everyday life so complex. • Manhood" written by John Wain, a well-known novelist and a distinguished poet. John Wain is a realistic writer, aware of the social problems and the social conflicts of today.
The Man hood was published: 1980 as a single short story
Background & Setting:
*The story is set in a rural part of England in the Willison home.
*The events take place over 12 to 18 months.
*The story start with the father (Mr Willison) and Son (Rob) on a bicycle ride from the woodland into the open country.
The story continues at Mr and Mrs Willison’s house
Language/Style:
*The story is told in third person narrator (omniscient)
*Dialogue reveals the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and reasons for acting the way they do.
*Colloquial language helps the reader identify with the characters. (“To hell with Baroness Summer skill!”, “All right”)
Plot
*The plot revolves around Mr Willison’s obsession with developing Rob’s physique and masculinity. He trains Rob for the boxing tournament. The story builds to a climax as the readers along with Mr Willison, believe Rob is training for the tournament.
Brief summary of plot:
The story deals with the awkward relationship between a father and his son. The father is very ambitious. He wants to make a good athlete from his son because when he was young he had to study, for fear of unemployment. He never had the chance to box or to row; he
The Author
The author: John Wain• John Wain (1925) • John Wain, born in Stroke-on-Trent in the north of England, is both a poet and a novelist and a short-story writer. He was also a lecturer in English literature at Reading University from 1949-55. Wain is a prolific writer and has produced four volumes of poetry, six novels, and two collections of short stories as well as works of criticism and an autobiography. His stories are generally concerned with ordinary people faced with the problems and decisions that make everyday life so complex. • Manhood" written by John Wain, a well-known novelist and a distinguished poet. John Wain is a realistic writer, aware of the social problems and the social conflicts of today.
The Man hood was published: 1980 as a single short story
Background & Setting:
*The story is set in a rural part of England in the Willison home.
*The events take place over 12 to 18 months.
*The story start with the father (Mr Willison) and Son (Rob) on a bicycle ride from the woodland into the open country.
The story continues at Mr and Mrs Willison’s house
Language/Style:
*The story is told in third person narrator (omniscient)
*Dialogue reveals the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and reasons for acting the way they do.
*Colloquial language helps the reader identify with the characters. (“To hell with Baroness Summer skill!”, “All right”)
Plot
*The plot revolves around Mr Willison’s obsession with developing Rob’s physique and masculinity. He trains Rob for the boxing tournament. The story builds to a climax as the readers along with Mr Willison, believe Rob is training for the tournament.
Brief summary of plot:
The story deals with the awkward relationship between a father and his son. The father is very ambitious. He wants to make a good athlete from his son because when he was young he had to study, for fear of unemployment. He never had the chance to box or to row; he