Домашнее чтение, Уильям Сомерсет Моэм «Узорный покров», главы XXXIV - XXXVIII, 4,5,6 (Сочинение на свободную тему)

4. What kind of person was Waddington apart from being a funny old boy?

Honestly, reading the previous chapters I thought that Waddington was only a pretty chucklehead, but now I understand that he is quite smart and insightful. He had made many truthful statements about Charles judging by his behaviour. He didn’t get under the magic of his charm, and he didn’t follow a common opinion blindly.

5.

etell the incident with salad and comment on it.

One evening Walter came back earlier than usual, asked Waddington to stay for dinner. They had their soup and fish and then with the chicken, a fresh green salad was handed to Kitty by the boy.

Waddington was in shock. It wasn’t allowed to eat fresh vegetables because there was a high probability of getting infected. Waddington refused eating salad. He said he wasn’t to commit suicide. It was true that they ate salad every night. Two days after their arrival the cook sent a salad and Kitty, without thinking, took some. Walter warned her about the danger of being killed by cholera.

ut Kitty wondered if it wasn’t the idea. So she began to eat it coolly. Walter helped himself as well.

6. How shrewd was Waddington, ’ judgement on Walter and Kitty’s relations?

Comment on Waddington’s remark : ‘It interests me to see you together. I sometimes wonder how you behave when you’re alone. When I’m there you’re are acting, both of you, and acting damned badly, by George. You’d rather …. get thirty bob a week in a touring company if that’s the best you can do’

Surprisingly Waddington’s judgment was quite shrewd. He understood that Kitty and Walter were wearing masks when he was in their house. Their artificial and cold behaviour reflected that something had happened between them. So in his remark, he compared them with bad actors who were unable to hide their true feelings. Something in the way they acted reflected their nature. This remark described Waddington as a person who easily analyzes people and sees something which they tend to hide.