UNIT 4.2 TO SIR WITH LOVE

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.