Monday, July 31, 2006
Notes and Homework Questions for "The Golden Honeymoon"
THE GOLDEN HONEYMOON—NOTES
BY RING LARDNER
RING LARDNER
• AN AMERICAN WRITER AND HUMORIST
• BORN IN 1885 IN NILES, MICHIGAN
• DIED IN 1933
THEMES AND MEANINGS
• THE MEANING OF THE STORY ISNOT IN WHAT HAPPENS BUT HOW IT HAPPENS AND TO WHOM.
• BOTH CHARLEY AND LUCY REMAIN UNAWARE OF THEIR PREJUDICES, NARROWNESS, SENTIMENTALITY, AND BORINGNESS OF THEIR LIVES.
• THE STORY IS TOLD IN 1ST PERSON POINT OF VIEW FROM CHARLEY;S PERSPECITGVE
• IT TAKES PLACE IN THE 1920’S AND THE WRITING IS IN THE FORM OF A DAILY DIARY ENTRY.
¨ The story uses language of monologue to establish the relationship between Charley and Mother and to establish the whole character of Charley.
¨ Charley is a character dominated by age.
¨ He repeats old jokes and clings to the boring details of life.
¨ The crisis of “The Golden Honeymoon” is equally narrow and querulous with age.
¨ Charley and his wife encounter her old suitor (boyfriend) and the two couples begin a rivalry at cards, checkers and horseshoes.
¨ Charley get into an argument with his wife’s old boyfriend and also gets into an quarrel with his wife which eventually ends when the other couple move onto Orlando.
¨ The writing is concerned sympathetic human interest writing.
HOMEWORK: DUE THE DAY AFTER WE COMPLETE THE STORY.
THE GOLDEN HONEYMOON by Ring Lardner
A. Write a sentence for each of the following words. Sentences must reflect the story.
1. compartment
2. berth
3. giddy
4. stroll
5. fret
B. Briefly answer the following questions.
1. Why wouldn’t Mother and the narrator be welcome at a Quaker meeting?
2. The narrator will repeat the sentence, “You can’t get ahead of Mother” several times in this story. Basing your answer on the first four paragraphs, how would you describe their relationship?
3. Which anniversary are the two main characters celebrating?
4. This story is characterized by dialect, which is the language spoken by the characters in the region where they live during the 1920s, when the story first appeared. Dialect often adds to the tone of a story. Find at least eight phrases using incorrect English on page 421 and list them.
5. When, where, and by what means does the couple’s journey begin?
6. What do all the details of the trip add to the story?
7. The golden honeymoon couple stays at a hotel in St. Petersburg. The narrator comments at length on Lewis Tent City, which is the headquarters for Tin Can Tourists. What does this discussion suggest about the public’s attitude toward campers? How ha this attitude changed? Discuss, in several sentences.
8. What civic organization is featured in this story?
9. What kinds of games do the characters in this story enjoy?
10. What past connection exists between the main characters and the Hartsells?
11. How does this past connection affect Mother and the narrator as the story progresses?
12. How do you react to the face the narrator says he feels sorry for Hartsell? Do you think he really feels sorry? Discuss, giving reasons for your answer.
13. At what game does Mr. Hartsell beat the narrator?
14. The narrator’s frustration with his wife and Hartsell finally reaches a climax on page 433. Quote the lines in which he articulates his frustration.
15. What happens after this, and how does the story end?
C. Write true or false for each of the following statements about the story.
1. The couple about whom the story was written is celebrating their golden wedding anniversary.
2. Most of the story takes place in St. Petersburg, Florida.
3. The couple appears to be in their seventies.
4. Mrs. Hartsell was formerly the narrator’s fiancée.
5. The narrator and his wife appear to have had an unhappy, stress-filled life.
D. Briefly answer the following questions.
1. Who is the narrator of the story and what person is it told in?
2. What place do these adventures occur?
3. How does Charley reveal himself as shallow, insensitive, and a bore?
4. What structure does the story take? (how is it told)
5. What is the most important person in Charley’s life?
6. Who is John H. Kramer and what is his relationship to Charley?
7. The real story of Charley’s begins after what?
8. What is Charley’s real story?
9. What status and appearance are important to Charley?
10. Who manages and carries all the money?
11. What social activities do Charley and Lucy plunge into at the park?
12. What does Mrs. Hartsell know of Lucy and Frank’s previous relationship?
13. How does Charley fell about Mr. and Mrs. Hartsell form Michigan?
14. When playing rogue, what does Mrs. Hartsell drop?
15. Charley is unbeatable at what game? What is Mrs. Hartsell’s reaction to this?
16. What game is Mr. Hartsell very good at?
17. Who blurts out the truth about Lucy’s former relationship with Frank and why?
18. The last few paragraphs of the story describe what events?
BY RING LARDNER
RING LARDNER
• AN AMERICAN WRITER AND HUMORIST
• BORN IN 1885 IN NILES, MICHIGAN
• DIED IN 1933
THEMES AND MEANINGS
• THE MEANING OF THE STORY ISNOT IN WHAT HAPPENS BUT HOW IT HAPPENS AND TO WHOM.
• BOTH CHARLEY AND LUCY REMAIN UNAWARE OF THEIR PREJUDICES, NARROWNESS, SENTIMENTALITY, AND BORINGNESS OF THEIR LIVES.
• THE STORY IS TOLD IN 1ST PERSON POINT OF VIEW FROM CHARLEY;S PERSPECITGVE
• IT TAKES PLACE IN THE 1920’S AND THE WRITING IS IN THE FORM OF A DAILY DIARY ENTRY.
¨ The story uses language of monologue to establish the relationship between Charley and Mother and to establish the whole character of Charley.
¨ Charley is a character dominated by age.
¨ He repeats old jokes and clings to the boring details of life.
¨ The crisis of “The Golden Honeymoon” is equally narrow and querulous with age.
¨ Charley and his wife encounter her old suitor (boyfriend) and the two couples begin a rivalry at cards, checkers and horseshoes.
¨ Charley get into an argument with his wife’s old boyfriend and also gets into an quarrel with his wife which eventually ends when the other couple move onto Orlando.
¨ The writing is concerned sympathetic human interest writing.
HOMEWORK: DUE THE DAY AFTER WE COMPLETE THE STORY.
THE GOLDEN HONEYMOON by Ring Lardner
A. Write a sentence for each of the following words. Sentences must reflect the story.
1. compartment
2. berth
3. giddy
4. stroll
5. fret
B. Briefly answer the following questions.
1. Why wouldn’t Mother and the narrator be welcome at a Quaker meeting?
2. The narrator will repeat the sentence, “You can’t get ahead of Mother” several times in this story. Basing your answer on the first four paragraphs, how would you describe their relationship?
3. Which anniversary are the two main characters celebrating?
4. This story is characterized by dialect, which is the language spoken by the characters in the region where they live during the 1920s, when the story first appeared. Dialect often adds to the tone of a story. Find at least eight phrases using incorrect English on page 421 and list them.
5. When, where, and by what means does the couple’s journey begin?
6. What do all the details of the trip add to the story?
7. The golden honeymoon couple stays at a hotel in St. Petersburg. The narrator comments at length on Lewis Tent City, which is the headquarters for Tin Can Tourists. What does this discussion suggest about the public’s attitude toward campers? How ha this attitude changed? Discuss, in several sentences.
8. What civic organization is featured in this story?
9. What kinds of games do the characters in this story enjoy?
10. What past connection exists between the main characters and the Hartsells?
11. How does this past connection affect Mother and the narrator as the story progresses?
12. How do you react to the face the narrator says he feels sorry for Hartsell? Do you think he really feels sorry? Discuss, giving reasons for your answer.
13. At what game does Mr. Hartsell beat the narrator?
14. The narrator’s frustration with his wife and Hartsell finally reaches a climax on page 433. Quote the lines in which he articulates his frustration.
15. What happens after this, and how does the story end?
C. Write true or false for each of the following statements about the story.
1. The couple about whom the story was written is celebrating their golden wedding anniversary.
2. Most of the story takes place in St. Petersburg, Florida.
3. The couple appears to be in their seventies.
4. Mrs. Hartsell was formerly the narrator’s fiancée.
5. The narrator and his wife appear to have had an unhappy, stress-filled life.
D. Briefly answer the following questions.
1. Who is the narrator of the story and what person is it told in?
2. What place do these adventures occur?
3. How does Charley reveal himself as shallow, insensitive, and a bore?
4. What structure does the story take? (how is it told)
5. What is the most important person in Charley’s life?
6. Who is John H. Kramer and what is his relationship to Charley?
7. The real story of Charley’s begins after what?
8. What is Charley’s real story?
9. What status and appearance are important to Charley?
10. Who manages and carries all the money?
11. What social activities do Charley and Lucy plunge into at the park?
12. What does Mrs. Hartsell know of Lucy and Frank’s previous relationship?
13. How does Charley fell about Mr. and Mrs. Hartsell form Michigan?
14. When playing rogue, what does Mrs. Hartsell drop?
15. Charley is unbeatable at what game? What is Mrs. Hartsell’s reaction to this?
16. What game is Mr. Hartsell very good at?
17. Who blurts out the truth about Lucy’s former relationship with Frank and why?
18. The last few paragraphs of the story describe what events?
# posted by Sister Pat / English @ 5:48 AM 
