CHARACTERISATION OF MAGGIE( The Price of Flowers )-TEACHER PLANNER

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The character of Maggie( The Price of Flowers )


NOTE : TEACHERS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE SUFFICIENT PRINTOUTS BEFORE USING IN A CLASSROOM

PERIOD 1

1.Discuss the social issues involved in the images

Six images given(DOWNLOAD AND KEEP IN A FOLDER NAMED PHOTOS)

 

(begging,Stealing,drug trafficking,-sand mining,bootlegging,smuggling,alcoholism)

groupwork

2.Find out five reasons why people engage in……(ONE TOPIC FOR EACH GROUP)..

begging

Stealing

drug trafficking-

sand mining

bootlegging

smuggling

alcoholism

GENERAL REASONS

POVERTY,UNEMPLOYMENT,GREED FOR MONEY,FRUSTRATION,AMBITIONS,FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

3.WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF POVERTY ?

1.People may resort to negative behavoiurs.

2. People may face the challenge positively.

4.In what way MAGIIE AND HER FAMILY were responding to poverty ?

Did they submit to poverty ?

Did they resort to the negative ways of life ?

DID THEY REQUEST THE AUTHOR FOR FINANCIAL HELP ?

Did they try to face life  courageously ?

What did Maggie do to earn a living ?

What did her mother do to help her ?

5.WHAT ASPECT OF HER CHARACTER IS EVIDENT FROM THIS VIEWPOINT ? Is she a different person ? WRITE A NOTE

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PERIOD 2

Read the following excerpts from the lesson and find out what aspect of her character is revealed.You may select from the words or phrases given in brackets

(TAKE PRINT OUTS AND SUPPLY TO EACH GROUP)

1. 'Yes,' she answered,' I work as a typist in the Civil Service

stores. Every afternoon, I come home this way. Today is

Saturday, so I am off early.'

'Shall I call you Miss Clifford or Alice? '

'I am not grown-up yet. You may call me what you like.

I am usually called Maggie.' She laughed.

'Are you very anxious to grow up?'

'Yes.'

'Tell me why.'

'When I grow up, I shall be paid more for my

work. My mother is old.'

(Confusing,understands the ways of life , determined to fight,Caring towards her mother,simple and polite,hardworking,realistic,proud and vain )

2. 'Is the work you do to your liking?'

'No. The work is very mechanical. I want work

that will make me use my head, brain work.

Like the work of a secretary.'

(Confusing,ambitious,intelligent,imaginative,satisfied,simple and polite,hardworking,realistic,proud and vain )

3. 'Maggie,' said Mrs. Clifford, 'show Mr Gupta the ring.'

'Has your brother sent you a ring?' I asked her. 'Let me

see what kind of a ring it is.'

'It is a magic ring, 'Maggie explained. 'A yogi gave it to

Frank.'

She brought it and asked, 'Can you see the past and the

future in it?'

(superstitious,manipulative,innocent,caring,selfless love,amicable,lovable,selfish)

4. 'Maggie,' I pleaded, 'please play something! I am very fond

of the violin. I have a sister at home about your age. She

used to play for me.'

'The way I play is not at all worth listening to,' Maggie

said.

My entreaties at last persuaded her to play. 'I do not know

many pieces,' she said. 'What would you like to hear?'

'Shall I choose something? All right, then, give me your

music. Let me see what you have.'

…………. I selected 'The Blue Bells of Scotland' and handed

Maggie the music. Maggie played and I hummed the tune

to myself.

When the song was over, I praised her playing lavishly as

I thanked 'Maggie has never had the opportunity to

study,' Mrs. Clifford said. 'She has learned what she knows

by herself. If our circumstances ever improve, I shall

arrange for her to have lessons.' On my way back, I was

filled with astonishment.

(hardworking, aritistic, loves music, disciplined, learns by herself,independent,talented,victorious)

5.'Mr Gupta,' the girl said, ‘I do not know what you will

think of the request I am going to make. Please forgive me

if it is very, very wrong.'

'What is it? What do you wish to ask?’

'All day yesterday, Mother kept saying that if Mr Gupta

would come and gaze into the crystal, he might learn

something about Frank. Mr Gupta is a Hindu, she said. If

only he would come, she said. That is why l wrote to you.'

'If you want me to try once more, go and bring me the

ring, Maggie. Of course I'll do it.'

'But if you don't see anything again this time?' I understood

what Maggie meant. I was silent.

'Mr Gupta, I have read in books that Hindus

are extremely truth-loving. If you could bring

yourself to tell Mother only once, after looking

into the crystal, that Frank is all right, that he is alive --

will it be too much of a lie? Will it be very, very wrong?' As

she spoke, tears streamed from her eyes.

I thought it over. I am not very virtuous. I have done my

sinful things. So I decided to do this.

(communicates well,practical,wise,foolish,manipulating,sensitive,tries everything to save her mother,successful in compelling the narrator to tell a lie,a negative personality ,uses the power of words effectively,emotional,powerful in communication)

6. 'Frank is buried at Fort Monroe, near Dera-Ghazi-Khan.'

The girl's eyes were filled with tears as she spoke.

'When I go to that part of the country, I shall visit your

brother's grave and write to you.'

'It won't be troublesome for you? Or

inconvenient?' Maggie asked.

'Why should it be? Dera-Ghazi-Khan is not very far from

where I shall be. It will certainly be possible for me to go

there someday. I'll write and tell you about it.'

Maggie's face was filled with gratitude. As she thanked

me, her voice choked. She took a shilling out of her pocket

and put it down on the table in front of me, saying, 'Please

buy flowers with this shilling when you go,

and lay them on my brother's grave for me.’

In my emotion, I lowered my eyes. The child had earned

the shilling with so much toil!

( polite but compelling in argument, uses simple words with magical power, sincere and hardworking,sensational,sensitive,commanding,emotional,persuading,sacrificing,thankful,determined,deidicated )

7.But I reconsidered. Why should I deprive her

of the joy this sacrifice would give her? All that this shilling could have given her ,

she was foregoing for the love of her brother. The joy of doing it was beyond

all price. The grief in her heart would be eased a little.

What good would it do to deprive her of it? I picked up the

shilling.

'Maggie,' I said, 'I shall use this shilling to buy flowers and

put them on your brother's grave.'

Maggie stood up. 'How can I thank you?'

she said. 'Now it is time for me to go to work. Good-bye, remember to write.'

( deeply sad on the demise of  her brother  , uses simple words with magical power, sincere and hardworking,sensational,sensitive,commanding,emotional,persuading,finds joy in sacrificing,thankful,determined,dedicated ,deep love towards her brother)

 PRINT OUT S OF THE FOLLOWING TABLES MAY BE SUPPLIED FOR THE STUDENTS TO DISCUSS AND COMPLETE IN GROUPS

A.

Exercise.No	summary	Attitudes/qualities
1	Maggie handing over one shilling	.............................
2	Maggie speaking about her anxiety to grow up	....................................
3	Maggie speaking about her ambitions	......................................
4	The writer deciding to take the shilling	.......................................
5	Maggie requesting the narrator to gaze into the ring the second time	.............................................
6	Maggie requesting the narrator to gaze into the ring and “see the past and the future in it ”	.....................................
7	Maggie playing violin

OR 

B.

summary	Attitudes / Qualities
Maggie speaking about her anxiety to grow up
Maggie speaking about her ambitions
Maggie requesting the narrator to gaze into the ring and “see the past and the future in it ”
Maggie playing violin
Maggie requesting the narrator to gaze into the ring the second time
Maggie handing over one shilling
The writer deciding to take the shilling

 LEARNERS MAY BE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE SMALL PARAGRAPHS USING THE DATA AVAILABLE IN THE ABOVE SENTENCES.

Eg.

When we find Maggie speaking about her anxiety to grow up, her understanding of life and her determination to fight on is revealed.

 ........................

Period 3 :

AFTER COMPLETING THIS WORK STUDENTS MAY BE ENCOURAGED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE TEXT (ACTIVITY III,CHARACTER SKETCH,PAGE 63)

AFTER A GENERAL DISCUSSION THEY MAY BE ADVISED TO PREPARE A WRITE UP on  the character of Maggie PROVIDING RELATED EVIDENCE using the notes made in the earlier periods.