Unit 4.2 To Sir, with Love E. R. Braithwaite
Character
Major Characters Minor
Characters
• Ricky Braithwaite, Narrator • Bob Belmont • Jess Belmont
• Gillian Blanchard • Jacqueline Bender • Buckley
• Mrs. Dale-Evans • Clinty • Josy Dawes
• Denham • Selma Drew • Patrick Fernman
• Pamela Dare • Hackman • Tich Jackson
• Mr. Florian • Moira Joseph • Monica Page
• Palmer • Barbera Pegg
• Euphema Phillips • Potter
• Jane Purcell • Sapiano
• Larence Seales • Theo Watson
Summary of the Novel
‘To Sir, with Love’ is a work of fiction
based on the life of the author, E.R.Braithwaite. The main character, E.
R.Braithwaite, works as an engineer in an oil refinery. He served in the Royal
British Air Force in the war. After the war, being a black person, he was unable
to findemployment. As a last resort, he applied in a school to become a
teacher. Surprisingly, he is accepted at the Greenslade School in London’s East
End, and is set to teach the senior classes of the school.
While reading the
novel, we have to understand that the time period in which the story takes
place is very important. Braithwaite finds that even though he considers
himself British and has served in the Royal Air Force (RAF), the English do not
consider him to be one of them. This leads Braithwaite to feel bitter about the
English and colonialism, as well as about his white students.
Braithwaite’s teaching
position starts out roughly and is embarrassed time and again. He considers his
students disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous while his students
consider him to be an arrogant outsider, unfamiliar with the social environment
in which they have grown up. The students harass him from day one, slamming
their desks during his lecture, using foul language, and bullying him to a
great extent. Even the girl students do not spare a moment to harass
Braithwaite. In a reaction to that Braithwaite verbally scolds the girls for
acting in an unlady like manner and being unruly in the class.
When he understands
that his outburst has not gained him any respect and
co-operation
from the students, he changes his teaching and handling tactics and he decides
to interact with them as though they are adults and respectable persons. He
requires every girl be referred to as ‘Miss’ and that his students call him
‘Sir.’ At first, the students find this level of deference ridiculous and
unnecessary; however, they come around after only a few weeks, completely
changing both their hygiene and their attitudes towards one another. This marks
the success of Braithwaite in handling the students in a very amicable way.
To increase the class
cultural exposure, he takes them on field trips and excursions to museums and
theatres, to everyone’s surprise many of the students have never been. A white
female teacher, Gillian Blanchard, accompanies the class on these excursions;
this marks the beginning of a friendship between Blanchard and Braithwaite.
Similarly, Braithwaite’s relationship with his students is tested many a
times.
Although his students
frequently disappoint and hurt him, he learns to forgive them; the students
constantly surprise him with their maturity, empathy and knowledge.
Another facet of the
story which greatly affects its narrative lies is the heavy history of
colonialism, its dark consequences, mental and physical trauma that increases
Braithwaite’s hatred and wrath for British. He constantly feels the prejudicial
effects of colonialism while living in England after World War II, and these negative
experiences frequently shape his thoughts and actions. Braithwaite is surprised
and shocked by the conditions in which these students live, and also the
physical trauma of the war that can be seen throughout his his teaching
environment.
Theme
of the Novel
Students-teacher
relationship, prejudice and racism are the major themes of the novel.
E. R. Braithwaite
gets a job of a teacher in a rather rough and notorious school. He finds that
the students belong to a background that is not suitable for learning and their
overall development and progress. He notices that the students are in no mood
to change their attitude and behaviour. Braithwaite with his novel and creative
ideas, innovative techniques and understanding the students’ psychology,
ultimately wins their hearts in no time. Though he was bullied, harassed,
mentally and physically tortured many times, he didn’t lose his patience and
continued implementing his novel ideas and techniques that helped him to bring
a significant change in his students’ lives.
The racism prevalent
in Great Britain during the mid-1940s, the time period during which ‘To Sir,
with Love’ takes place, is of primary significance in the novel. The narrator
cites repeated incidents in which he experiences the racism of white Britons,
including encounters on the bus, at job interviews, at Greenslade School, when
searching for housing, at a restaurant with his girlfriend and so on.
At the outset,
Braithwaite is struck by the unexpectedness of such prejudice. He was brought
up in British Guiana and he viewed himself as a British citizen, not as a black
British citizen in a British colony. When he served Great Britain in the Royal
Air Force that gave him respect and esteem in the society. The day he left the
job, he finds himself to be an outsider.
Braithwaite’s extensive
experience and education was of no use in job interviews, where he is informed
that the job has already been filled or he is overqualified for it. This
heightens Braithwaite’s sense of betrayal for the British. Interestingly, he
never lashes out physically and only rarely does he do so verbally. He exhibits
patient endurance at times, and at others he describes the way the rage inside
him is transforming into hatred so strong that he desires to hurt those who treat
him unfairly. As a result of such experiences, Braithwaite finds the students
at the Greenslade School to be a bit notorious and rough in behavior but with
proper care and treatment, all the students would surely achieve success and
desired goals in their lives.
Synopsis of the Extract
In this extract, Braithwaite recounts the half-yearly report of the Students’ Council, in which the students of the school report to the faculty and other students on what they have been studying thus far. Braithwaite’s class representatives speak knowledgeably about their coursework and place a considerable amount of emphasis on how much they have learnt about different people, cultures, customs, and the importance of international and interracial cooperation.
Miss Joseph and
Denham, both students of Braithwaite’s class, preside over the meeting. At the
outset, Mr. Florian, the headmaster, addresses the meeting with a lengthy, but
well-received presentation. One after another, each class gives a brief report
of their progress, through their chosen representatives, on what they have been
studying in each subject so far. A panel of teachers is chosen for each class
to answer any questions regarding the report submitted by the class. The lowest
class begins first, and it is obvious that as the students’ progress through
the ranks there is ‘a marked development in their ability to express
themselves’. Mr. Braithwaite’s class, being the oldest, was the last to present
their report.
Miss Joseph begins
the highest class’s proceedings by clarifying that the common theme underlying
all their studies this term is the interdependency of mankind. Potter speaks in
the field of math, focusing on how greater understanding in the world is
fostered by the use of common weights and measures. Miss Pegg and Jackson speak
on geography, and Miss Dare and Fernman discuss the subject of physiology, with
Fernman stealing the show by exhibiting a model of a human skeleton and
stressing the class conclusion that “basically all people were the same. “Miss
Dodd reports on history and Miss Joseph on domestic science. Denham creates a
stir by speaking on the required subject of P.T. and games, complaining that
the class ‘was ill-conceived and pointless.’
Mr. Weston, Mrs.
Dale-Evans, and Miss Phillips are chosen at random to answer students’
questions arising from the senior presentations. When Denham pursues his
inquiry on the necessity of requiring all students to take P.T., Mr. Weston
responds quite ridiculously, trying to bluster his way out of the subject, and
offering no coherent argument. Unexpectedly, the quiet and hesitant Miss
Phillips steps in and gives a sturdy defines of the practice, and Denham,
knowing that he has been outwitted, has no choice but to respectfully cease his
heated protest. Braithwaite is immensely satisfied with the progress of the
students of his class.
To Sir, with Love
Chapter 17
The half-yearly
report of the Students’ Council was on November 15th, and was one of the
important days in the calendar of Greenslade School. I had heard quite a deal
about these occasions and became as excited as the children as the day
approached. It was entirely their day, arranged, presented and controlled by
them. I observed the activities of my class as they prepared for it, noting
with pride the business-like way in which tasks were allocated and fitted into
a neat programme. There were whispered conferences with members of other
classes in the arrangement of it. On that day there was no assembly. The
children arrived smartly dressed and polished, and Miss Joseph and Denham, who
seemed to be the important officials for the occasion, moved about among their
colleagues ensuring that each one was ready to play his (her) part.
A bell was rung at
10.00 a.m. and everyone trooped into the auditorium to sit together in classes.
Miss Joseph and Denham, the two most senior students, sat on the stage, one on
each side of Mr.Florian, who, as soon as everyone was seated and silent, stood
and addressed the school. He spoke at length, reiterating the aims and policy
of the school and of the important contribution each child could make to the
furtherance of those aims. He gave praise wherever it was indicated, but
insisted that there was yet a great deal to be done, by themselves, towards a
general improvement in conduct, cleanliness and the pursuit of knowledge. As I
listened I realized that this man was in no way remote from his school; his
remarks all showed that he identified himself with it and everyone in it. He
then wished them success with the Council Meeting and left the stage to
tremendous applause.
Things now moved
quickly into gear. First, Miss Joseph stood up, and gave a short explanation of
the Council’s purpose and its activities. Each class would report, through its
representatives, on the studies pursued during the half year which began after
Easter, a representative having been chosen for each subject. When all the
classes had completed their reports a panel of teachers would be invited to
occupy the stage and answer questions from the body of the hall on matters
arising out of the various reports. The selection of the panel, as with
everything else, was entirely at the discretion of the children and no members
of the staff knew either how many or which teachers would be invited to sit.
The reports began with the lowest or youngest class first. These were mainly
twelve-year-olds who had joined the school the previous summer. Most of them
were shy and rather frightened at standing up before the entire school, but
nevertheless they managed it creditably; they had been newly introduced to the
difficulties
of seeking information for themselves, so their report was understandably
rather short.
Class after class was
represented, and it was obvious that with each succeeding term there was a
marked development in their ability to express themselves. Much of the work was
rather elementary, but to them it loomed large because they understood it and
something of its relationship to themselves. Throughout all the reports, the
emphasis was on what they understood rather than on what they were expected to
learn. When the turn of my class came I sat up anxiously. From the list he held
in his hand, Denham called out the names of the representatives, together with
the subjects on which they would report.
Potter — Arithmetic
Sapiano — Nature
Study
Miss Pegg and Jackson
— Geography
Miss Dare and Fernman
— Physiology
Miss Dodd — History
Denham — P.T. and
Games
Miss Joseph —
Domestic Science
I felt terribly
pleased and proud to see the confident courtesy with which Denham used
the term ‘Miss’ in addressing each of the senior girls; I felt sure that this
would in itself be something for the younger ones to aim at, a sort of badge of
young adulthood. As their names were called they walked up to the stage and took
their seats with commendable gravity. Miss Joseph then gave a short address.
She said that their lessons had a particular bias towards the brotherhood of
mankind, and that they had been learning through each subject how all mankind
was interdependent in spite of geographical location and differences in colour,
races and creeds. Then she called on Potter. Potter went on to speak of the
work they had done on weights and measures; of the relationship between the
kilograms and the pound, the meter and the foot. He said that throughout the
world one or other of those two methods was either in use or understood, and
that it was a symbol of the greater understanding which was being accomplished between peoples.
Sapiano spoke of the study the class had made of pests, especially black rot on
wheat, boll weevil on cotton, and the Colorado beetle on potatoes. He showed
how many countries had pooled their knowledge and results of research on the
behaviour, breeding habits and migration of these pests, and were gradually
reducing the threat they represented to these important products. Miss Pegg and
Jackson divided the report on Geography between them. Jackson spoke first on
the distribution of mineral deposits and vegetable produce over the earth’s
surface, how a country rich in one was often deficient in the other; and of the
interchange and interdependence which inevitably followed. Miss Pegg dealt with
human relationships, stressing the problems facing the post-war world for
feeding, clothing and housing its populations. She also made a reference to the
thousands of refugees, stateless and unwanted; and to the efforts and programs
of U.N.I.C.E.F. Fernman as usual had a trump card up his sleeve. When called he
made a signal to someone off-stage, and Welsh and Alison appeared bearing a
skeleton between them, together with a sort of gallows.
When this arrangement
had been set up there was the skeleton hanging from a hook screwed into the top
of its skull, gently revolving at the end of a cord. This was somewhat in the
nature of comic relief, and the school showed its approval by laughing
uproariously. But levity soon evaporated when Fernman began to speak; his voice
was clear and precise and he had a strong sense of the dramatic. Calmly he told
them that it was a female skeleton; that was a fact and could easily be proved.
But he could not say with any assurance whether she had been Chinese or French
or German or Greek; nor could he say if she had been brown or white or a
mixture of both. And from that, he said, the class had concluded that basically
all people were the same; the trimmings might be different but the foundations
were all laid out according to the same blue- print. Fernman was wonderful; he
had them eating out of his hand. Miss Dare’s contribution was something of an
anti- climax after Fernman’s Performance, and she seemed to realise it. She spoke
about the problems which all humanity has to face in terms of sickness and
disease, and of the advantages gained by interchange of knowledge, advice and
assistance.
Miss Dodd reported on
the period of History the class had studied – the Reformation in England. She
told of the struggles of men of independent spirit against clerical domination
and of their efforts to break from established religious traditions. From those
early beginnings gradually grew the idea of tolerance for the beliefs and
cultures of others, and the now common interest in trying to study and
understand those cultures. Denham’s report was a bit of a shock. He severely
criticised the general pattern of P.T. and games, emphasising the serious
limitations of space obtaining and the effect of that limitation on their games
activities. He complained that the P.T. was ill-conceived and pointless, and
the routine monotonous; he could see no advantage in doing it; a jolly good
game was far better. Apparently he was voicing the opinions of all the boys,
for they cheered him loudly. When the reports were over, Denham called two
children at random from the audience and asked them to write the name of each
teacher,
including the Head on a slip of paper.
These slips were
folded and placed in a hat, juggled vigorously, and then withdrawn one by one.
The names were called: Mr. Weston, Mrs. Dale-Evans, Miss Phillips Denham and Miss Joseph
led the others off the stage and the teachers took their seats, Weston big and
bushily untidy between the two women. Then the questioning began. I believe I
would have gone a long way to see what followed; it was an experience which I
shall not easily forget. The questions were mostly from the two top classes,
probably because the young children were either too timid or too uninformed to
formulate their questions. The teachers had no briefing, and were often caught
out stammering in their indecision. But here again, I received a big surprise.
The frilly, seemingly brainless Miss Euphemia Phillips proved to be the coolest
and best informed of the three. She dealt with questions put to her with candor
and authority, and would often intervene skillfully to assist one of the others
without causing embarrassment. Weston cut a very ridiculous figure. In the face
of Denham’s blunt criticisms and Fernman’s adroit questioning, he found himself
completely nonplussed and tried to bluster his way out with a show of offended
dignity. He could not effectively support the P.T. exercises, for which he was
partly responsible, as having any definite physical advantage. Denham was a
trained boxer, and insisted that such exercises were only advantageous if
practiced daily and for more sustained periods; P.T. twice weekly for twenty
minutes was a waste of time, he asserted. Once again Miss Phillips took the
reins and her stock promptly shot up a hundredfold. She reminded the school
that every subject, including P.T. and games, had been carefully considered and
fitted into the teaching timetable so that each student received maximum
benefit from it. The school with its limited facilities must be considered in
terms of the greatest good for the greatest number, and it would be beyond
anyone’s powers to please everybody. ‘Some of you,’ she concluded, fixing
Denham with innocent eyes, ‘are fortunate in your own fine physical development
and do not really need the few meagre helpings of P.T. and games which this
school can offer; try to remember that there are others for whom our program is
ideally suited. It may be that some of you older boys might even be able to
help in that respect.’ Denham was not to be put off by these sugary remarks,
and rose in reply. ‘Then why do we have to do P.T.? Why don’t they take only the
kids who need it? The rest of us can have a game of football or something,
’stead of doing a lot of daft things that’s no good to us!’ This was a poser,
but she came right back at him, her baby-blue eyes twinkling in her delight at
this crossing of staves. ‘Let’s say it is as much an exercise of the mind as it
is of the body, Denham. The whole timetable in this school is meant to help you
in the world after you leave here, and doing what you are told in spite of not
liking it, is part of the training. I feel sure that you will see the point in
that.’ That stopped him. Poor Denham knew that he’d been outwitted but he could
do nothing about it and sat looking rather rueful, while Miss Phillips’ smile
broadened; this frilly, innocent-looking puss had gobbled her canary without
leaving the tiniest feather.
I began to understand
how it was that so slight a creature could cope so effectively with her class.
Soon after this, as the morning ended, the Head went on to the stage and closed
the proceedings, expressing his pride in all the children and his deep
appreciation of their efforts.
- E. R. Braithwait
Source: SYJC TEXTBOOK
(B) Write the answers of
the following questions in about 50 words : (4)
1. Write a short note
on the ‘Theme’ of the novel/extract “To Sir with Love”.
Ans. Student
teacher relationship, prejudices and racism are some of the major themes of
this novel. When the protagonist E R Braithwaite gets a job of teacher in East
End school he notices that the students coming to his class were notorious and
had no schooling background. They were not in a mood to change their behaviour
and attitude. Braithwaite with his innovative ideas and by understanding
student’s psychology wins their heart in a short time. Though students harassed
him, bullied him, he didn’t lose his patience. He continued with his novel
methods of teaching and it brings change in behaviour of his students.
During the first half of the 20th century racism was prevalent in Great Britain
and during this time only the noel has set up. Hence it is of primary
importance in the novel. At many occasions narrator has cited examples of
racism with him by white Britons, including encounters on the bus, at job
interviews, at Greens lade School, when searching for housing, at a restaurant
with his girlfriend and so on. Initially he was shocked by these
unexpected prejudices as he was brought up in British Guiana and he used to see
himself as British Citizen and not as a black British citizen in a British
colony. When he had served in British Air Force that had given him
respect and honour in society but the bitter truth he found the day he left the
job he found himself as an outsider in Britain.
Even at job interviews he was always
told that the job has already been filled or he is overqualified for the job.
This increases his hatred for British. He never showed it openly. He desired to
hurt those who treat him unfairly. Because of this he finds his students bit
notorious and rough in behaviour but with proper behaviour and care and
treatment all his students would achieve success and desired goals in their
lives.
2. Write a short
character sketch of Ricky Braithwaite, narrator of the novel “To Sir with
Love”.
Ans. E R Braithwaite is
a British man who tells the story of his first year of teaching at Greens lade
secondary school. Prior to become a teacher, he served six years in the
military and after the military he applied for many engineering jobs. He had
trouble to find job of prejudice. An encounter with a stranger on a park bench
led Braithwaite towards a teaching career. The man believed that the skin
colour would not matter in a teaching profession and post-war London had a
teaching shortage. Braithwaite had some insecurity when he starts teaching but
slowly he become confident of his teaching abilities. He genuinely cares about
the students and earns their respect. By the end of the school year,
Braithwaite is a beloved, warmly accepted teacher who becomes well-known in the
community. Braithwaite is an intelligent, sensitive man who is able to motivate
his students.
3. Half – yearly report
of the student’s council :
Ans. The half yearly
council report of the student’s council was on Nov. 15 th. It was one of the
most important days in the calendar of Greenlade school. It was entirely
students’ day, arranged, presented and controlled by them. There was an assembly
on that day. Miss Joseph and Denham who seemed to be important official for the
occasion. At 10.00 a.m. everyone gathered together into the auditorium. Mr.
Florian spoke at length reiterating the aims and policy of the school and of
the important contribution each child could make to the future of the school.
After the speech, there was a thunderous applause. Miss joseph gave a short
explanation of the student’s councils purpose and its activities. When all the
classes had completed their reports, a panel of teachers would be insisted to
occupy the stage and answer the questions from the body of the hall on matters
arising out of the various reports.
4. Fernman bought a
comic relief in the students’ council .Explain.
Ans. Fernman as usual had a trump card up his
sleeves, when called he made a signal to someone off stage, and welsh and
Alison appeared bearing a skeleton between them together with a sort of
gallo9ws.
When this arrangement had been set up there
was the skeleton hanging from a hook screed into the top of its skull, gently
revolving at the end of a cord. This was somewhat in the Nature of comic
relief, and the school showed its approval by laughing uproariously. But levity
soon evaporated, when Fernman began to speak, his voice was clear and precise
and he had a strong sense of the dramatic. Calmly he told them that it was a
female skeleton that was a fact and could easily be proved. But he could not
say with any assurance whether she had been Chinese or French or German or
Greek nor could he say if she had been brown or white or mixture of both.
5. Give a brief character
sketch of Denham.
Ans. Denham criticised the general pattern of P.T and games,
emphasising the serious limitations of space obtaining and the effect of that
limitations on their games activities. He explained that the P.T was
ill-conceived and pointless, and the routine monotonous. He could see no
advantage in doing it; a jolly good game was for better. Apparently, he was
voicing the opinions of all the boys, for they cheered him loudly. Denham was a
trained boxer and insisted that such exercises were only advantageous if
practised daily and for more sustained periods. According to him, P.T twice a
week for twenty minutes was a waste of time.
6. Miss. Phillips’ opinion
about the importance of P.T.
Ans. According to Miss. Phillips, every subject, including P.T and games
had been carefully considered and fitted into the teaching timetable so that
each student received maximum benefit from it to the school with its limited
facilities must be considered in terms of the greatest good for the greatest
number and it would be beyond anyone’s powers to please everybody,’ some of
you” she concluded, fixing Denham with innocent eyes “ are fortunate in your
own fine physical development and do not really need the few meagre helping of
P.T and games which this school can after. She insisted that there are others
for whom our programme is ideally suited.
7. Miss. Dodd on the periods
of History.
Ans. Miss.Dodd reported on the period of History the class had studied,
the Reformation in England. She told of the struggles of men of independent
spirit against clerical domination and of their efforts to break from
established religious traditions. From those early beginnings gradually grew
the idea of tolerance for the beliefs and cultures of others and the now common
interest in trying to study and understand their culture.
8. Braithwaites’ approach
towards his students.
Ans. Braithwaite’s teaching position starts out
roughly and is embarrassed time and again. Initially, he considered his
students disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous while his students
consider him to be an arrogant outsider, unfamiliar with the social environment
in which they have grown up. The students harass him from day one, slamming
their desks during his lecture, using foul language, do not spare a moment to
harass Braithwaite. In a reaction to that Braithwaite verbally scolds the girls
for acting in an unladylike manner and being unruly in the class.
But when
Braithwaite understood that his outbursts have not gained him any respect and
cooperation from the students, he changed his teaching and handling tactics and
decided to interact with them as though they are adults and respectable
persons. He expected every girl be referred as, “Miss’ and that his students
call him, “sir” ,At first, the students from this level of deference ridicules
him. However, they came around after only a few weeks, completely changing both
their hygiene and their attitudes towards one another. Although his students
frequently disappoint and hurt him, he learnt to forgive them. The students
constantly surprised him with their maturity, empathy and knowledge.
9. Character sketch of
Mr. Florian.
Ans. Mr. Florian is the headmaster of Greens lades school. On the
half-yearly report of the students’ council he addressed the students. It was a
lengthy but well-received presentation. He spoke at length, reiterates the aims
and policy of the schools and of the important contribution each child could
make to the furtherance of those aims. He gave praise wherever it was indicated
but insisted that there was yet a great deal to be done by themselves towards a
general improvement in conduct, cleanliness and the pursuit of knowledge.
10. Describe the
discussion between Miss. Joseph and Denham.
Ans. Denham severely criticised the general pattern of P.T and games
emphasising the serious limitations of space obtaining and the effect of that
limitation on their games activities. He insisted that such exercises were only
advantageous if practised daily and for more sustained periods. P.T twice weekly
for twenty minutes was a waste of time. Miss Joseph reminded that school that
every subject including P.T and games had been carefully considered and fitted
into the teaching timetable so that students received maximum benefit from it.
Denham insisted that those who need should opt P.T. Rest of the boys can play
other sports. For Miss. Joseph it is as much an exercise of the mind as it is
of the body.
