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Characters(1) Augustus Pokewhistle:He was a conceited artist. He considered himself a gifted child, not an ordinary one as he won a prize at the age of seven. He thought himself a true artist, but he was not talented. He didn't have the soul of a true artist.

(2) The visitor (stranger):He was an immense man; he came from the furniture shop to take the bed Augustus was lying in because it wasn't paid for.

Summary

Augustus Pokewhistle was an artist. He drew drawings and painted pictures, but he was unable to sell any of them. He was not a successful artist. He failed to be famous or even make money out of his work.

Augustus had a life of misery, illness and suffering. The cause of his suffering was whether to sell his soul to earn his living or stick the soul of a true artist and die of hunger. His last decision was to take to his bed although he was at the height of his youth. He believed he'd never rise again.

One day, an immense man visited him. Augustus thought the man was a doctor sent by one of his interfering friends. He insisted on telling the man the story of his life to understand his illness to be able to save him from his suffering. The visitor interrupted Augusts many times saying, "But, But.". He wanted to introduce himself to Augustus and tell him who he was, but Augustus didn't give him the chance to do that. He was sure the stranger wasn't interested in his life story.

Augustus told the man that he was delicately brought up and that he won a prize for drawing of an animal when he was seven years old. In fact, he intended his drawing to represent the sunset over London.

His proud parents encouraged him to paint and provided him with plenty of pencils and paper. They also gave him the opportunity of studying under great painters.

At the age of twenty one, Augustus started a business as a painter of people. He painted eleven pictures of his own face. Nobody wanted to buy them. They were still hanging sadly on the wall of his sitting room. Nobody came to have their pictures painted, and he had no desire to paint any more of himself.

As he didn't succeed in painting people, he turned to paint to the country. He painted the view from the front window seven times and the view from the back window nine times.

Again he sold no pictures and he found great difficulty in earning his living. He only had a bit of money left. He was without hope and almost hungry. He decided, after severe struggle with himself, to forget his soul and paint for money. He determined to draw funny pictures for the newspapers. He got no money. He just got his drawings back. If he had a family, they'd have cried for bread. Luckily, he was single.

He tested his drawings on the cat. He put them on a line and carried the cat along in front of him. The cat laughed until he was sick.

Augustus because more disheartened. He tried to draw for advertisements. He sent his drawings off by the hundred, and all he received was a sample bottle or two and a sample card of wool. His heart was broken, so he gave up hope and determined to take to his bed and never rise again. He felt sure he'd never rise from his bed.The visitor interrupted him and told him that he was sure he would rise again from bed. He placed Augustus on the carpet. He told him that he was from the furniture shop and he had come to take the bed away as it wasn't paid for.

The aim behind this story is that people mustn't give up hope or surrender to failure. They should decide on their goals and try hard so as to achieve their goals.

Questions & answers

1. What was Augusts Pokewhistle?- He was an artist. He drew drawings and painted pictures.

2. What was wrong with Augustus? What was his suffering?- He was unable to sell any of his drawings or pictures.

3. Why was he lying in his bed?- He decided to take to his bed and never to rise again.

4. Who visited Augustus?- The man from the furniture shop.

5. What did Augustus think the man was?- He thought he was a doctor sent by one of his friends to save him from his suffering.

6. What big mistake did Augustus make when he saw the stranger?- He thought he was a doctor sent by one of his friends.

7. Why did Augustus insist on telling the stranger his life story?- . So that he might understand his illness to be able to save him from his suffering.

8. How does Augustus Pokewhistle describe his friends? Do you think he would be a nice person to have as a friend?- He describes them as interfering. I don't think he would be a nice person to have as a friend.

9. What did Augustus win at the age of seven ?

- He won a prize for the drawing of an animal.

10. "Augustus was not a successful artist since he was a child." Explain.

- He drew an animal although he intended it to represent sunset over London.

11. "Augustus was a conceited artist". Illustrate.

- He considered himself as a gifted child, not an ordinary one because he won a prize for a drawing of an animal at the age of seven. He thought highly of himself and painted pictures of his own face.

12. Who encouraged Augustus to paint? How?- His parents encouraged him. They provided him with lot of pencils and paper. They also gave him the opportunity of studying under great painters.

13. What business did Augustus start at the age of twenty one ?

- He started a business as a painter of people.

14. How did Augustus start his business as a painter of people ?

- He painted eleven pictures of his own face.

15. What would a person see if he entered Augustus' sitting room ?

- He would see eleven pictures of his own face hanging sadly on the wall.

16. Why did Augustus give up painting people ?

- Nobody wanted to buy his pictures. Nobody came to have their pictures painted.

17. What did Augustus decide to do when his business as a painter of people didn't do well ?

- He turned to painting the country.

18. To what extent was Augustus successful as a painter of the country?

- He couldn't sell any of his paintings.

19. Why couldn't Augustus sell any of his paintings when he turned to painting the country?- Because he painted 16 pictures of the views from his back and front window.20. Why did the immense man repeat the word "But" ?

- Because he wasn't interested in Augustus' life story. He wanted to tell him that he wasn't a doctor but Augustus didn't give him a chance.

21. When did Augustus forget his soul and paint for money?- . When he failed to sell any of his paintings.22. Why does Augustus describe trying to sell his drawings to the newspapers as 'selling his soul'?- Because it is against his principles as he sees himself as a true artist.23. Why did Augustus decide to sell his soul and paint for money ?- Because he lost hope and was almost hungry. He had little money left.

24. What did Augustus draw when he forgot his soul ?

- He drew funny pictures for the newspapers.

25. Why did Augustus believe it was better for him not to have a family?

- Because his wife and children would have cried for food if he had had a family.

26. What would Augustus do if he had the soul of a true artist ?

- He would die rather than sell his soul for money.27. How did he test his funny pictures?- He put the pictures on a line and carried his cat which laughed until it was sick.

28. What did Augustus get when he sent his drawings for the newspapers ?

- He got no money. He just got his drawings back.

29. What did Augustus do when he became more and more disheartened ?

- He tried drawing for advertisements.30. What was Augustus' last decision ?

- He decided to take to his bed and never to rise again.31. What made Augustus decide to take to his bed ?

- Nobody wanted to buy his paintings. He was without hope and always hungry.

32. Why is the man from the furniture shop certain that Augusts will rise again from his bed ?

- Because he has come to take the bed away as it hasn't been paid for .

33. Do you think that the reader should feel sympathy for Augustus Pokewhistle or not ? Give reasons for your answer .

- No, because he was not a true artist but a conceited person.

B) Quotations1. You are the doctor, I suppose. a) Who said this, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) In the speaker's opinion, by whom was that man sent ?

- By one of his friends.

c) What did the speaker determine to tell that doctor ? Why ?

- He determined to tell him his life story to understand his illness to be able to save him from his suffering.

2. "It is kind of you to come, but I don't think you can help me."

a) Who said this, to whom? b) What did the speaker think that person was? c) Why did the speaker believe that person wouldn't be able to help him?

3. "However, as you are here, I will tell you what is wrong with me." a) Who is the speaker? Who is the addressed person?

- Augustus is the speaker. The visitor is the addressed person. b) What was wrong with the speaker?- He drew drawings and painted pictures, but he couldn't sell any of them. c) Why did the speaker want to tell the addressed person the story of his life?- to understand his illness to be able to save him from his suffering.4. "But I suppose you have been sent here by some interfering so-called friend of mine to save me from my suffering."

a) Who did Augustus think the man was? b) What did Augustus think of his friends? c) What does the visitor actually do? Why did he visit Augustus?5. "And you can not understand my illness unless I tell you the story of my life."

a) Who said these words, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) What did the speaker think that man was?

- He thought he was a doctor.

c) Was the man interested in the speaker's life story? Why? Why not?- No, he wasn't because he always interrupted him saying, "But , But "

6. "At the age of seven, I won a prize for a drawing of an animal."

a) Who was the speaker and who was the addressed person? b) What did the speaker intend his drawing to represent? c) What did that drawing show Augustus was?7. "At the age of twenty one, I started a business as a painter of people." a) Who said this, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) How did the speaker start his business as a painter of people?

- He painted pictures of his own face.

c) Did the speaker's business as a painter of people do well? Account for your answer.

- No, because he only painted pictures of his own face.8. "May I mention that there is a certain repetition in your remarks ?" a) Who said this question, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) What remarks did the second person repeat?

- "But , But ." c) Why did the second person want to interrupt the speaker?- Because he was not interested in his life story. He wanted to introduce himself but the speaker didn't give him the chance.9. "Let me finish, and then you can say but as often as you like." a) Who is the speaker and who is the second person? b) What did the speaker want to finish? Why? c) Why did the second person say the word "But" so often?10. "I turned from painting people to painting the country."

a) Who said this, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) Why did the speaker turn from painting people to painting the country?

- Because he couldn't sell any of his work.

c) Did he manage to sell any of his paintings? Why? Why not?- No, he didn't because he painted the views of his front and back windows.

11. " I decided, after a severe struggle with myself, to forget my soul and paint for money."

a) Who said this, to whom? b) What was the speaker's struggle? c) Why did he decide to forget his soul and paint for money ?

12. "If I had had the soul of a true artist, I would have died rather than do such a thing."

a) Who said this, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) What did the speaker blame himself for ?

- He blamed himself for selling his soul.

c) Did the speaker have the soul of a true artist ? Account for your answer.

- No he didn't because he forgot his soul and painted for money.

d) What did the speaker do to earn money?

- He drew funny pictures for the newspapers.

13. "Then I became more and more disheartened."

a) Who said this, to whom ?

b) What did the speaker do when he became disheartened ?

c) What did the speaker receive for his drawings ?

14. "So I gave up the struggle. My heart was broken and I determined to take to bed, never to rise again." a) What did Augustus struggle not to do?

- He struggled not to sell his soul for money. b) Why did Augustus determine to take to his bed?

- Because he failed to sell any of his work as a painter.

c) Was Augustus right in giving up the struggle?- No, he wasn't right. He must not give up hope or surrender to failure.

15. "You can not help me, doctor."

a) Who said this, to whom?

- Augustus said this to the visitor.

b) Why did the speaker believe the addressed person wouldn't help him?

- Because he lost hope in life and almost depressed.

c) Was the addressed person a doctor ? What was he actually? Why did he come?- He wasn't a doctor. He was from the furniture shop. He came to take the bed.

16. "And I feel certain that you will."

a) Who said this to Augustus?

- The visitor said this to Augustus.

b) What did the speaker feel certain Augustus would do?

- He felt certain Augustus would rise from the bed. c) Why did the speaker feel certain Augustus would?- Because the bed wasn't paid for.17. "I've come to take it away."

a) Who said this, to whom?

- The visitor said this to Augustus. b) What does "it" refer to?

- It refers to the bed Augustus was lying in.

c) Why had the speaker come to take it?- Because it wasn't paid for.

18. "I'm from the furniture shop, and the bed isn't paid for."

a) What did Augustus mistake the man for?

- He mistook him for a doctor. b) Why did the man from the furniture shop visit Augustus?

- To take the bed as it wasn't paid for.

c) Where did the man put Augustus?- He put him on the carpet.PAGE 1