ISG 0802 Miss Potter - chapter 11-15

[chiron]

Dear ISG members: I think we only need one more meeting to finish the rest of the book, so could you read the last five chpters in the upcoming weeks. I have already conceived of my questions for you as below:

On-line questions: Pls answer them on-line
1. Pick 10 unfamiliar words or phrases since we have more load.
2. Pick 5 good sentences.
3. What may cause Norman sick? (p.142)
4. On page 146, Mr. Heelis said, "a body'd have to be a poet, which I certainly am not." What does that mean?
5. On page 156, it sais, "empty save for a few servants floors below," where is the verb and what does the sentence mean?
6. On page 180, why did Beatrix's face become more and more pained as she wrote a new tale?
7. What makes Beatrix stop drawing after marriage? (Though I asked you the question in the very beginning, but the answer is finally revealed in the end of the story as Sherry suggested before.)
8. Do you want to keep reading novel as a regular agenda in ISG? If yes, what novel do you like to read?

Meeting questions:
1. Mr. and Mrs. Potter will not give their daughter away to Norman, do you agree their decision? If you are them, what will you do? Will you give your daughter away to a person whose background doesn't well match her even though they think they love each other at that time?
2. On page 144, Mrs. Potter was not happy to see her daughter's happiness. When did someone else's happiness drive you mad in the similar way?
3. On page 178, Mrs. Potter wondered where did her daughter get the money to buy those farms. Mr. Potter reminded her she's the only one who didn't know that daughter was famous. Have you ever underestimate someone (including your family or closest friend like Mrs. Potter to her daughter), or totally misjudge someone's ability, background, etc.? When ,where and how?
4. On page 180, Beatrix regained her ability to draw as it had happened when she was very young. When you were young, what were you good at? Have you lose it now or not?
5. Do you like this novel, have you seen its movie? If yes, do you like its movie, why or why not? Do you prefer movie or novel?

[chiron]

On-line questions: Pls answer them on-line
1. Pick 10 unfamiliar words or phrases since we have more load.

1. do the trick p.136 -to achieve the desired result; do the job
ex: We doubt the marriage will do the trick.
2. give way p.141 -to yield the right of way
ex: As spring flowers gave way to summer phlox.
3. catch one's death (of cold) p.142 -to contract a cold, a common respiratory infection; to catch a serious cold
ex: You will catch your death.
4. for dear life p.150 -desperately or urgently
ex: She pushed past Harold and embraced Beatrix, holding on to her as if for dear life.
5. in somebody's employ p.154 -to work for somebody
ex: Hilda had been in the Potter's employ.
6. draw on p.155 -to use information, experience, knowledge etc for a particular purpose
ex: Hilda, drawing on her much longer tenure than Jane, felt she had earned the right to step out of line.
7. make a go of p.164 -to achieve success in
ex: So many farmers can't make a go of it.
8. of late p.175 -recently
ex: Craven's Mill, of late, owned by the Misses Prudence.

9. immediate family p.150 (n) -Spouse, parents and grand parents, children and grand children, brothers and sisters, mother in law and father in law, brothers in law and sisters in law, daughters in law and sons in law. Adopted and step members are also included in immediate family.
10. jack-the-lad p.171 (n) -A "jack-the-lad" tends to be a male (or a butch lesbian) who's a bit of a bad boy, or so he thinks. The typical stereotype would be a guy who walks about thinking he owns everything (tend to be rather dashing and have multiple tattoo's), and feeds on attention.
ex: Mr. William knows these whereabouts better'n any Jack-the-lad.

2. Pick 5 good sentences.

1. Beatrix floated across the lawn carrying her sketch pad and her paintbox. p.147
2. Before he could move, however, the carriage leapt forward. p.148
3. A train belching smoke slashed through the magnificent Lake District landscape, back to London. p.149
4. Life is so said, but can't give into it. Can always lay new eggs. p.157
5. Beatrix stood, alone and unchaperoned, on a hilltop in the Lake District, drinking in the power and the peace of the exquisite and spectacular view from Hill Top Farm. p.162

8. Do you want to keep reading novel as a regular agenda in ISG? If yes, what novel do you like to read?

Yes, I would like to read <The Reader>, <Slumdog Millionaire> or <My Sister's Keeper>.

[Kooper]

1. Pick 10 unfamiliar words or phrases since we have more load.
be taken aback (by sth): to be very surprised or shocked by sth (p.188)
Ex: I was rather taken aback by her honesty.
meticulous [adj]: very careful and with great attention to every detail (p.178)
Ex: He has always been so meticulous about his appearance.
crestfallen: sad and disappointed about sth (p.171)
Ex: He came back looking crestfallen.

2. Pick 5 good sentences.
William Heelis made no attempt to hide his eagerness. (p.164)

3. What may cause Norman sick? (p.142)
My wild guess is that Norman picked up a cold right after the day he saw Beatrix off at the train station. There was a heavy downpour around the moment when the Potter family was about to depart from London. Being hardly able to arrive at the station before Beatrix’s leave, Norman failed to bring an umbrella with him and became totally soaked. He, as a result, went down with persistent cough ever since.

4. On page 146, Mr. Heelis said, "a body'd have to be a poet, which I certainly am not." What does that mean?
I'm afraid I have no idea.

5. On page 156, it sais, "empty save for a few servants floors below," where is the verb and what does the sentence mean?
ditto

6. On page 180, why did Beatrix's face become more and more pained as she wrote a new tale?
Miss Potter had no longer felt fulfilled by living in a fantasy world of her own. She, in the real world, had already built strong connections with real people like Millie, had found her true love Norman and afterward had suffered from the heartbroken loss of Norman, which could never be made up for. After Miss Potter experienced all these strong tangible emotions, the one brought by her made-up stories became too superficial and intolerable to her.

7. What makes Beatrix stop drawing after marriage? (Though I asked you the question in the very beginning, but the answer is finally revealed in the end of the story as Sherry suggested before.)
It's the same reason as what have been stated in my answer to question six.

[Sherry Liao]

3. What may cause Norman sick? (p.142)

The heavy rain. The ailment then turned into a serious cold and took Norman's life later.

4. On page 146, Mr. Heelis said, "a body'd have to be a poet, which I certainly am not." What does that mean?

I think "a body" means "a person" here. Beatrix asked why Hill Top Farm was heartbreaking and Mr. Heelis thought it took talent of a poet to describe his affections toward Hill Top Farm.

[Cambridge]body: (old-fashioned) a person
Ex.: How is a body supposed to live in these conditions?

5. On page 156, it sais, "empty save for a few servants floors below," where is the verb and what does the sentence mean?

There is no verb here. The verb is in the later sentence:
"In the darkened Potter house, empty save for a few servants floors below, Beatrix Potter simply went mad."

I think "save for" means "except for" here. It means that in the darkened and empty (although there were a few servants downstairs) Potter house, Beatrix had gone crazy.

[Cambridge]save (also save for): (formal or old-fashioned) but or except for
Ex.: They found all the lost documents save one.

6. On page 180, why did Beatrix's face become more and more pained as she wrote a new tale?

She had reached the limit of her ability to create new tales. Making stories was once a walk in the park for her, but she later found that she could no longer create childlike stories.

7. What makes Beatrix stop drawing after marriage? (Though I asked you the question in the very beginning, but the answer is finally revealed in the end of the story as Sherry suggested before.)

Actually Beatrix stoped drawing almost after Norman died (Based on the novel, Beatrix only had one creation after Norman's death). I think it's because Beatrix has experienced love, loneliness and pain, and the sensations had changed her in all aspect. She was no longer a lonely but innocent girl creating endearing stories of her own.

8. Do you want to keep reading novel as a regular agenda in ISG? If yes, what novel do you like to read?

I am not so sure if I want it as a regular one. But we may give it another try.

[Sherry Liao]

1. Pick 10 unfamiliar words or phrases since we have more load.
2. Pick 5 good sentences.

For me, this is absolutely a lovely novel and the last five chapters are most intriguing. It's enjoyable to read the novel but painful to stop and look up for dictionary or sort out new words and sentences for the assignment... May I skip these parts?

[Sherry Liao]

I would say that the most impressive part of this novel is the arrangement of the secret engagement. As we know, the author visited Miss Potter's house and read a lot of materials before making the novel. The marriage of Miss Potter and Mr. Heelis is real; however, I believe no evidence shows that there was once a relationship between Miss Potter and Norman. The author simply created this part (though the fantasy is quite touching). The plot that Miss Potter and Norman were secretly in love and engaged is not against the history, but makes everything of the story quite reasonable.

What do you think?

[janet12tw]

1. Pick 10 unfamiliar words or phrases since we have more load.
2. Pick 5 good sentences.
(p139) Later, when the first crocus peeped through the melting snow, Beatrix, accompanied by Miss Wiggin, enter the offices of Warne and Co..
(P140) Still later, when tulips and jonquils blacketed the parks, and Kengsington Gardens had exploded into forsythia, Beatrix and Norman were at the print shop once again driving the printer crazy mixing colors.
(P141) The Potters settled into their compartment, but Beatrix lingered on the platform.
(P178) He ran out to stand beside them, froze, and the camera flashed.

3. What may cause Norman sick? (p.142)
Because he went to see Miss Potter off without bringing an umbrella or raincoat while the rain is pouring down outside.

4. On page 146, Mr. Heelis said, "a body'd have to be a poet, which I certainly am not." What does that mean?

5. On page 156, it says, "empty save for a few servants floors below," where is the verb and what does the sentence mean?
It means "The room is empty, except for a few servants floors below."

6. On page 180, why did Beatrix's face become more and more pained as she wrote a new tale?
Because it reminds her of the death of Norman.

7. What makes Beatrix stop drawing after marriage? (Though I asked you the question in the very beginning, but the answer is finally revealed in the end of the story as Sherry suggested before.)
Because she lost Norman who has bring her joy to her life and great pain after his death.

8. Do you want to keep reading novel as a regular agenda in ISG? If yes, what novel do you like to read?
Yes, My Sister's Keeper.

[Just JJ]

Vocas:
01.Muttering (from: The servants could even hear Beatrix muttering to herself P.l56)
喃喃自語;獨自怨言
Ex: There has been a lot of muttering about the new book.

02. Stammer
(to pronounce with difficulty or hesitation)
EX: He stammered his thanks.

Sentences:
01. For pity’s sake! (P.155)

02.The Potters had always been a strange family, but this was oddness indeed. (P.155)

03. Beatrix began, but she did not know how to finish the thought. (P.151)