Achilles
by Gerald Malcolm Durrell
1. Match the idioms given below with their meanings.
=
|
Idioms |
Meanings |
|---|---|
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a. have one’s back to the wall |
i. have a defect in one’s character. [c] |
|
b. have a chink in one’s armour |
ii. have no means of escape. [a] |
|
c. have a feet of clay |
iii. harm or cause harm to oneself. [d] |
|
d. shoot oneself in the foot |
iv. have a small weakness or fault. [b] |
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Quick Answers
1. Complete the following sentences.
a. The narrator first met the Rose-Beetle Man on a lonely road leading to one of the remote mountain villages.
b. The Rose-Beetle Man carried, on his back, bamboo cages full of pigeons and young chickens and several mysterious sacks.
c. The narrator liked the small tortoise because it seemed more lively than the others.
d. The narrator says that Achilles is an intelligent beast because he learned his name soon and he was with a sense of humour.
e. Achilles liked human company as he was living among many human beings.
Reference to context
2. "He held up both hands, fingers spread out. I shook my head firmly and held up two fingers, unconsciously imitating him."
a. Who are the two people referred to here? What were they doing?
= The narrator and the Rose-Beetle Man are the two people referred to here.
They were bargaining on the price of the little tortoise.
b. Why were they not having a verbal conversation?
= They were not having a verbal conversation because the Rose-Beetle Man could not speak.
c. What was the result of their interaction?
= The Rose-Beetle Man agreed to give the little tortoise at the rate of five. Then the narrator informed that he is agree to take it for five but he had no money with him. So, the Rose-Beetle Man had to come to narrator's house and take the money from there.
3. "But the fruit that Achilles liked best was wild strawberries."
a. How did the narrator know that Achilles liked this fruit the best?
= The narrator knew that Achilles liked strawberries best as he would become hysterical at the mere sight of them.
b. How did Achilles eat this fruit, both the small and the big ones?
= Achilles could devour the small strawberries at a gulp because they were the size of a fat pea. But if he would have been given a big one, he would grab the fruit and, holding it firmly in his mouth, stumble off at top speed until he reached a quiet spot, where he would eat at leisure.
c. What would Roger do to Achilles after he was fed?
= After he was fed, Roger would creep up to Achilles and lick him vigorously to get the grape-juice that the reptile had dribbled down on himself.
4. "... the family wandered about the olive-groves, shouting, 'Achilles... strawberries, Achilles...' At length, we found him."
a. How had Achilles escaped?
= Achilles escaped as the garden gate was left open on that day.
b. Explain why the family shouted 'strawberries' during their search.
= The family shouted 'strawberries' during their search as Achilles liked to eat strawberries the best. So they thought that he must be at the strawberries tree.
c. Where did the family finally find Achilles? What had happened to him?
= The family finally found Achilles in a well.
He had fallen into the well, the wall of which had long since disintegrated. He seemed quiet dead to the narrator and his family.
Read, reflect and write
5. Describe how the Rose-Beetle Man was dressed.
= The Rose-Beetle Man's dress was fantastic. On his head was a hat with a wide, floppy brim. His shirt was worn. Round his neck dangled a cravat of startling blue satin. The pockets of his coat bulged, the contents almost spilling out. His patched trousers drooped over a pair of leather shoes with upturned toes. This extraordinary character carried on his back bamboo cages full of pigeons and young chickens and several mysterious sacks.
6. How did the narrator react when he realized that the Rose-Beetle Man could not speak? What does this tell you about the narrator?
= When the narrator realized that the Rose-Beetle Man could not speak, he carried on a conversation with him standing in the middle of the road by making certain signs and expressions. The Rose-Beetle Man also replied him with a clever pantomime.
This tells that the narrator was a kind boy. He had lots of empathy for people. He was intelligent too. As soon as he had knew that the man was dumb, he started to communicate with him in the language he is comfortable in.
7. How did Roger feel at Achilles' funeral? Support your answer from the examples from the story.
= Roger felt very happy at Achilles' funeral. He insisted on wagging his tail throughout the burial service instead of the protest of the narrator.
Achilles loved grapes as much as Roger did, so there was always great rivalry between them. Achilles would sit mumbling the grapes in his mouth, the juice running down his chin and Roger would lie watching him, his mouth drooling saliva.
8. Do you think that the narrator was an animal lover? Give a reason for your answer.
= Yes, I think the narrator was definitely an animal lover. He choose the little tortoise with a shell the size of a tea-cup. He loved it so much and wished to take it home. The fact that he had no money on him did not worry him. He would simply tell the Rose-Beetle Man to call at the villa for payment.
Then he took it to him home and named it as Achilles. He took great care of it. He fed it. He had another pet, a dog named Roger. The narrator knew the favourite food of his pets. The day on which Achilles was lost, all the family members along with the narrator went out to look for him. Unfortunately, they found it dead. They did not simply throw the corpse away. They buried the corpse of Achilles under a small strawberry plant as Achilles was fond of strawberries.
Not long after Achilles had been died, the narrator obtained another per from the Rose-Beetle Man. That time, it was a pigeon, who was named Quasimodo. And thus began the next round of adventure with pets in their family.
9. Extended writing: How do you know that Achilles was very special to the narrator? Support your answer with instances from the story.
= Achilles was very special to the narrator. He choose the little tortoise with a shell the size of a tea-cup. He loved it so much and wished to take it home. The fact that he had no money on him did not worry him. He would simply tell the Rose-Beetle Man to call at the villa for payment.
Then he took it to him home and named it as Achilles. He took great care of it. He fed it. He gave it grapes, strawberries and many other fruits. He kept his notice always on Achilles. He knew that Roger may be dangerous to it. He kept Achilles away from him. Achilles became uncomfortable when Roger used to lick it. Then the narrator used to remove Roger from him.
The day on which Achilles was lost, all the family members along with the narrator went out to look for him. Unfortunately, they found it dead. They did not simply throw the corpse away. They buried the corpse of Achilles under a small strawberry plant as Achilles was fond of strawberries. One of the family member of the narrator, called Larry, read a short funeral address in a trembling voice.
Roger was quite happy in the death of Achilles. He insisted on wagging his tail throughout the burial service. Then the narrator protested and tried to stop him as it was really a matter of grief to him.
About the Author:
Gerald Malcolm Durrell (1925-1995) was born in Bihar, India, but his family shifted to England after his father's death in 1928. Apart from being a renowned author, naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist and television presenter, Durrell was talented artist and caricaturist too. Mostly autobiographical in nature, his work reflects his love for nature and all animals. This story is a part of the collection of stories in My Family and Other Animals.