I. HATRED OF BANFORD (l. 1-199)

1

_ “Striding downhill at a great pace, and even running a few steps now and then, in her great solicitude and desire to come to the rescue of the little Banford. The boy watched

her with rage in his heart.”

2

a) Negative comments about Banford: a, c, f, g

b) Wishes: b, d, e

C) Threats: h, I, j 

3  It’s not completely clear, but both is the best answer – the narrator directly (They were evidently good friends) and Henry as free indirect speech (i.e. Henry realised they were evidently good friends).

4

_ March: outspoken; rather scolding in her tenderness; robust; reckless; sarcasm; tender defiance; a certain fire

_ Banford: murmuring; rather vaguely; fretful; a queer, plaintive

hitch in her voice; bitterly

6

a. "that boy [...] so cheaply." (l. 55-78)

b. "I believe you only do it to spite me."

7

 _ Yes. He wasn’t at all surprised about what they said about him (“The things people said about him always missed him personally.”), but he was surprised at their way with one

another. His strong feelings for March then burst out.

_ Perhaps yes, but just in a subdued manner – watching,

he’s not ready to attack.

8

a, c, f, e, h, g, d, i, b, j

9  He felt […]; hoped […]; wanted […]; It seemed to him […]

10

Henry

colour of his face: very ruddy (and vivid).

Eyes: blue, shining, watching keenly

Clothes: long-sleeved waistcoat.

Face like: a piece of the out-of-doors come indoors

March

Clothes: a dress of dull (bluey-) green silk, with a line of gold stitching round the top and round the sleeves, and black silk stockings.

Shoes: small patent leather, with little gold buckles.

Face: blushing all the time.

Throat: white, soft.

Effects on Henry: surprise; unable to take his eyes off her; looks her up and down; eats but forgets his tea; her form is so soft and womanly, her legs soft

11

_ When he makes a little noise, it makes her simply squirm.

_ She hates it and cries fretfully, “oh, for Goodness’ sake, say something, somebody” (l. 188). It might be a funeral.

_ c She can’t bear looking at it.

12 _ She remembers her dream, suddenly recalling the thought of Banford in the wood-box for a coffin, and says aloud with a twisted smile that the word “breaks” her dream [which seems

to mean she now wishes it were true]. She lies to her (and incidentally to Henry) to cover up her real feelings now and in the dream.

II. THE LAST EVENING (l. 200-265)

1  Rather quiet, and friendly.

2  Shy and rather awkward; unpeeled; rather exposed; almost improper.

3

_ Outwardly: Practically nothing to say; she has prepared a “special” supper – a little cold meat. But when the other two want to go outside, she stands up (rises “to her feet for battle”) and becomes: “like a fighting cock.”

_ Inwardly: Seemed still, perhaps friendly not wanting to be disagreeable a bit sorry for the boy wanting to be as nice as she could.

4

_ face: wide, cat-shaped.

_ look: obstinate.

_ eyes: watchful, shining like a cat’s.

_ actions: gets up to look for the she-fox, invites March to come with him.

_ voice:

-to (a) Banford: “speaking with an odd, sharp yelp”

(l. 250); “so much anger and contempt

and fury” (l. 261).

-to (b) March: “soft and warm and coaxing” (l. 241-242);

“so much tenderness and proud authority”

(l. 262-263).

5

_ The last supper.

_ The everlasting tea.

_ God and life. For example, in the Book of Psalms, we have “even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God” (90, 2). And in The Gospel According to St John: “For God so loved, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but

have everlasting life” (3, 16).

_ “Banford did not want to be disagreeable.” “He wanted her to go to bed. She was usually the first. But […].”

6 _ By Banford’s burst into a long wail and a spasm of sobs.

_ “an agony of weeping”.

III. IT WAS WONDER MADE HER ATTEND l. (266-318)

1

_ “But the boy had March’s arm in his grip.” (l. 272)

_ “So he drew March slowly through the doorway.” (l. 278)

_ “he holding her soft and firm by the arm” (l. 284-285)

_ “The boy let go of her […]. But he seized her again.” (l. 288-289)

_ “He still gripped her.” (l.296)

_ “And with his hot grasp he took her hand and pressed it under his left breast.” (l. 301-303)

_ “she felt the deep, heavy, powerful stroke of his heart.” (l. 304-305)

2   

A- b, f

B- a, c, d, e, g, h

3

_ “And your heart too, and mine as well.” (l. 294-295)

_ “‘Your heart?’ said March.” (l. 296)

_ “Isn’t it as good as her heart?” he said. “Or do you think it’s not?” (l. 208-209)

_ “‘Your heart?’ she said again, incredulous.” (l. 300)

IV. WHY SHOULDN’T WE MARRY? (l. 319-504)

1

_ “He should have a beating heart!”

_ “He should have his arm round her, outside the blanket!”

2

_ To hold her hand.

_ He trembles.

_ He was young.

3

 _ “I should like to have you there with me […] at the back of me, all my life.” (l. 335-337)

_ “I’ve never met one I really wanted for good. You see, I’m thinking of all my life” (l. 341-342); “Only when I think of my life, and of you, then the two things go together.” (l. 349-350)

4

_ with fear.

_ with dread.

5

 _ “Her kind of witless humour” and his never knowing “what she meant”

– for example, when she refers dryly to his wanting to spend their whole life together as “old age pensions.”

_ Probably she didn’t quite know herself.

_ He says very directly “I don’t want you to make fun of me […] because just this minute I’m serious.”

_ “as if she gave in because she was tired.”

_ “A hot wave rose in his heart.” “His heart was hot and clamorous.” “silent, unconscious, with all the blood burning in all his veins, like fire in all the branches and twigs of him.”

_ Young, and frightened, and wondering, and very tired.

_ She “could stay with him” and “had married him already, and it was all over.” “If only she could sleep in his shelter, and not with Jill.” He would “save her” from Jill. “She felt so strangely safe and safe and peaceful in his presence.”

_ “he seemed to occupy all herself with his queer, bright look.”

6

_ A cat: his eyes are like a cat’s when suddenly she sees something and stares.

_ A dog: March recalls that when laughing his nose looks “as a puppy does when playfully growling.”

7 _ She feels intensely forlorn, that she has nothing of Henry when he isn’t physically presence.