As promised, here are some observations on the passage from Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford, as referenced in the previous post:
🖋️ Gaskell’s style here is more conversational than most classic novel’s styles are. This is because the story is narrated by one of the book’s characters.
🖋️ Gaskell uses the word ‘very’ several times in the second sentence. While this is not usually recommended, she is using it effectively here to emphasise how disappointed Mary (the narrator) felt when she noticed the small portions after being so hungry.
✍️ # TIP: You can sometimes use certain words repetitively if you are trying to emphasise a point – just don’t use this approach too often!
🖋️ Gaskell uses the word ‘beg’ to describe Carlo’s whining and barking for food. Usually ‘beg’ refers to an action where a person, rather than an animal, is actually asking repeatedly and eagerly for something they need. By using ‘beg’ here, Gaskell reminds us in a subtle way that Mrs Jamieson and her helper Mr Mulliner treat Carlo as seriously as if he were a person.
In a post with a photo of my little milk jug, it is fitting to finish quoting the passage referenced in my last post:
We learn that Mrs Jamieson gives her dog a bowl of tea with cream (since he refuses to drink tea with milk only), while she simply offers tea with milk to her guests – the plain choice at a tea party!
📘’She accordingly mixed a saucerful for him, and put it down for him to lap; and then she told us how intelligent and sensible the dear little fellow was; he knew cream quite well, and constantly refused tea with only milk in it: so the milk was left for us; but we silently thought we were quite as intelligent and sensible as Carlo, and felt as if insult were added to injury when we were called upon to admire the gratitude evinced by his wagging his tail for the cream which should have been ours.’
As always, if you have any questions please feel free to let me know via the contact form.
P. S. Can you recognise another famous literary character on my milk jug (a clue: he has long ears, a hearty appetite and a little blue jacket)?
