A Man who had No Eyes

Summary Parsons and Markwardt both were labourers and both loved in Westbury. They worked in the firm run by some capitalist owner. They led hand to mouth life apparently when on one-day unfortunate bloody disaster occurred. There was a chemical explosion in which hundred and eight human lives were lost and over fifty people were rendered blind. A the time of explosion Parsons and Markwardt were in C-shop. Due to explosion the place was filled with dangerous poisonous gases. All the people in C-shop ran for their lives Parsons escaped unhurt probably and Markwardt hauled back on Parsons rushed out of C-shop and later was blinded by the effect of poisonous gases. For many years this disaster was not even mentioned in newspapers and the disaster was forgotten by the people. Parsons was fortunate; he was not all hurt in the explosion. He worked hard and became a successful insurance salesman and led a prosperous complacent life. Markwardt became blind beggar and walked in the streets with the help of battered cane and thumped his way before him. He became a shaggy thick necked person. His coat was greasy. He wore a black pouch slung over his shoulders which he carried cigarette lighters and sold them to passers by for one buck. Fourteen long years passed when by chance accidentally Markwardt collide with Parsons and he offered a lighter for sale to Parsons and also begged for help. Parsons gave two half dollar coins to Markwardt, which he readily pocketed. By chance Markwardt asked Markwardt about the cause of his blindness. Markwrdt mentioned the Westbury chemical explosion and C-shop. Then Parsons recognized Markwardt. Parsons pitied the plight of Markwardt. Markwardt recollected all past events and in a painful voice uttered "You got away but i am blind! Do you hear? I'm ..." People overhead blind Markwardt in the street and turned and started looking the two persons. Parsons felt slightly awkward and remarked "Well - do not make such a row about it Markwardt - so Am I!" Difficult Words Shaggy ----------------- With long hair Splayed ---------------- turned outwards Reminisce -------------- to recollect the memory about the past events. Futile ----------------- useless Boorish ---------------- rude Haul ------------------- to pull with difficulty Wearily ---------------- in a tired way

Question and Answers Q.1 What is the difference in the description between the blind beggar and the insurance salesman? Ans. There was an obvious difference in the exterior of the blind beggar and the insurance salesman. The blind beggar was shaggy, thick-necked and dirty. He wore black pouch slung over his shoulder. In that pouch, he kept something (cigarette lighters) to sell. He assumed the role of a professional beggar. The insurance salesman was young, handsome, neat and clean and smartly dressed. He wore a clean and tidy gray suit and gray hat. He also kept Malaeca stick with, as he was blind too.

Q.2 What did Mr. Parsons feel when he heard the blind man approach and why? Ans. Mr. Parsons felt immense sympathy for the blind because he knew that pain and misery of being as he himself got blind in an accident at his work.

Q.3 Why was blind beggar always eager to narrate his tale of how he lost his sight? Ans. He always ready to narrate his story because he looked more a professional beggar who always told his tragic stories to get money from people, arousing people's pity for him and extracting money from them.

Q.4 Do you think Mr. parsons is blind? If yes, then how did you recognize who the beggar was? Ans. Yes, Mr. Parson he told that he was blind too. Besides, he also kept a stick with him like other blind people. Mr. Parsons recognized the beggar's identity when he mentioned the name of Westbury. Mr. Parsons even remembered the name of the blind man as Markwardt. It was Markwardt who had trampled him to escape hurriedly from the place.

Q.5 What is the moral of the story? Ans. The moral of the story is that a man who has the will can do great deeds even he is handicapped.

A MAN WHO HAD NO EYES TELLS THE EVENTS OF A CHANCE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN TWO MEN ON THE STREET. ONE IS A RESPECTABLE GENTLEMAN AND THE OTHER IS A HOMELESS MAN. IN THE STORY, THE HOMELESS MAN TRIES TO EARN THE GENTLEMAN'S SYMPATHY.

A Man Who Had No Eyes

Mackinley Kantor Main Character: Mr. Parsons is the main character. He is in his early forty's (more or less) and is a very respected, successful business man. He sells insurance. He is blind, but you can't tell. He isn't bitter about being blind, he's just proud of his success. Minor Character: Markwardt is a minor character. he is a blind beggar that's sort of chubby, wears greasy clothes, and had a black sack slung over his shoulder. He sells cigarette lighters and tells people how he lost his vision for money. His story about losing his vision is the other way around, he just tells it dishonestly so that people will feel pity and give him money. Setting: The story is set in New York on a nice Spring day. The two men converse outside of the hotel Mr. Parsons was staying at. The men talk outside on the sidewalk. Conflict: As Markwardt begins telling his story, Mr. Parsons notices something familiar yet untrue about it... Plot Summary: 1. On a nice Spring day in New York, Mr. Parsons walks out of a hotel and is approached by a blind beggar. 2. The beggar wants to sell Mr. parsons a cigarette lighter. Even though Mr. Parsons doesn't smoke, he buys one to give as a gift. 3. Mr. Parsons asks the beggar how he lost his vision and so the beggar begins his story. 4. Markwardt says that he was in the C shop explosion. He says he was trying to escape, but a bigger man pulled him back and got in front of him. 5. Markwardt expects pity money, but Mr. parsons says the story is a lie. 6. Mr. Parsons says that Markwardt (the beggar) pulled him back and climbed over Mr. Parsons. Mr. Parsons was the one left in all the toxic gases. 7. Mr. Parsons informs Markwardt that he too was blinded in the explosion and Markwardt is shocked. Climax: Markwardt says that a bigger man pulled him back to climb over him and escape. Mr. Parsons says to Markwardt that it's the other way around... Conclusion: Mr. Parsons confronts Markwardt of lying and Mr. Parsons reveals that he is also blind. Response: This was a nice story that described irony very well. It was ironic that Mr. Parsons was blinded too and that he was also in the C shop explosion.

STUDY QUESTIONS 1. How did Mr. Parsons and Markwardt meet? Mr. Parsons met on a nice Spring day outside of a hotel. Mr. Parsons left the hotel and Markwardt approached him wanting to sell a cigarette lighter. 2. How could you tell Mr. Parsons was blind before he revealed it at the end of the story? Mr. Parsons had to press the cigarette lighter money into Markwardt's hand. Mr. Parsons' was a small clue, but they were in fashion so it wasn't too obvious. 3. What did Mr. Parsons look like? Mr. parsons wore a spotless gray suit, a matching gray hat, and a fashionable black malacca stick. 4. What did Markwardt look like? Markwardt was kind of chubby, he wore a greasy jacket and a black sack full of cigarette lighters slung over his shoulder. 5. What are the differences between Markwardt and Mr. Parsons? (name three) Mr. Parsons' clothes were clean and spotless, while Markwardt's clothes were greasy and dirty. Mr. Parsons used educated language (correct language, etc.) and Markwardt used uneducated language (incorrect grammar, etc.). Also, Mr. Parsons wasn't bitter about losing his vision, Markwardt on the other hand, blamed the loss of his sight on the government and was quite bitter about it. 6. What was ironic in this story? It was ironic that, after 14 years, Mr. Parsons and Markwardt met up again. The most ironic thing was Mr. Parsons was blind too. 7. Who was dishonest, how could you tell? Mr. Parsons was very honest. Markwardt was the dishonest one. He changed his story around to make people feel pity for him so that they'd give him money. It was a good thing Mr. Parsons caught him lying so that he could be set straight. 8. What did Markwardt say that was a lie? Markwardt claimed that while he was trying to escape the explosion, a bigger man pulled him back to get in front of him and left him there in the toxic gases. This was not true, Markwardt was bigger than Parsons. Markwardt had pulled Parsons back to get in front and had left Parsons on the floor with all the toxic gases.