The Pieces of Silver - Karl Sealy The story: Pieces of Silver begins as the school bell is rung and the boys line up in the playing field for inspection by their teachers. An assembly is called where the acting head, Mr. Chase, asks for contributions to the retiring head’s present. The retiring head is called Mr. Megahey. The boys give their contributions, although many of them are poor and their families cannot afford to part with any money. The boys who do not contribute are brought up onto the stage and humiliated by being marked with a white X on their foreheads. They are told that if they do not contribute to the collection the following day they will suffer further humiliation, Clement, who is one of the boys singled out by Mr. Chase, goes home to his family to ask for some money. His father refuses, however, because they are poor and need all the money they have for themselves. Evelina is Clement's sister; they are close and she cares for her brother like a mother. She supports him by suggesting that they go singing to raise some money. They do this and raise a decent sum of money. The last house they call at is a pretentious red brick building which turns out to be the home of the retiring headteacher, Mr. Megahey. He gives them a generous donation of sixpence, their biggest of the night. The next day at school Mr. Chase eyes the boy’s bowed heads’ as they stand on the platform in anticipation of further humiliating them, To his surprise, Clement presents eight pieces of silver to him saying ‘there is one for each of us’. The final impression ‘we are left with is one of hope and triumph, ek The action of this story covers twenty-four hours in the life of Clement Dovecot from one morning at school to the next. Queensbury Upper School English Department 3Themes: poverty family relationships the cruelty of officials unfairness suffering and hardship education/pupil/teacher relationships Impressions of Clement’s school: the boys are reluctant to attend and live in fear of punishment the teachers are casual, self-important and badly educated themselves the pupils are drilled as if they are in the army the discipline is violent and unfair the teachers enjoy humiliating their pupils Impressions of Clement’s home: his family has very little to cat their home is tiny and run down. they have very little money to spend the children have to make do with what they have got Evelina was unable to carry on with her schooling Language: the use of contrast — different characters and settings irony simile and metaphor adjectives/verb phrases Links with other stori © the presentation of the Headmaster in ‘Dead Men’s Path’. * the effects of poverty on family life in “The Gold-Legged Frog’. Key terms: © dialogue «irony © contrast ‘© characterisation © dialect’non-standard English rhetorical questions Queensbury Upper School English DepartmentCharacters — what are they like? Mr. Chase: ‘he is ‘stout and pompous’ + the smaller boys “straightened and stiffened under his cold gaze” * when he sings he emits ‘an untrue, faltering note” ‘he shows the ‘gleaming gold of his teeth’ * heis “fierce-eyed and unsmiling’ ‘he threatens the boys with the ‘lash’ * he enjoys making the ‘hapless boys the laughing stock of their schoolftiends’ ‘he eyes their ‘bowed heads in enjoyment’ Evelina: ‘she picks at her ‘coarse food” ‘she has a ‘close bond of understanding and companionship’ with Clement * Clement feels the ‘cheering warmth of her arms” she listens to him ‘as attentively as a mother’ ‘© she puts her lips down to his ‘harsh curls’ her voice is ‘clear and true’ ‘she lets out the laughter that has been ‘welling inside her” she says ‘Now I going to tell you how we’ll fix that brute, Mr. Chase.” The plot — conflicts and twist: Clement has to stand on the platform in assembly, with a cross drawn on his forehead, and is made to recite a speech on ingratitude in front of 400 pupils. In view of this you should consider: « Mr. Chase’s treatment of Clement ‘the idea of forcing children to give money for the Headmaster’s leaving present ‘the reasons why Clement is unable to make a contribution The irony of a boy like Clement giving money to a man like Mr. Megahey Queensbury Upper School English Department 5