Lesson18+19+20 - Weekend

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Weekend

Fay Weldon
Audio: Fay Weldon Reads ‘Weekend’
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/weekend.mp3

LESSON18 Q. 4

BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT IT IS EXPECTED OF HER, AND SHE TRIES TO LIVE UP TO THE IMAGE OF SUPERWOMAN. BAD CONSCIENCE MIGHT ALSO PLAY A ROLE: SHE FEELS THAT THE HOUSEHOLD IS HER SOLE RESPONSIBILITY, NO MATTER HOW BUSY SHE IS AT WORK.

I AGREE – THE PICTURE SHE GIVES OF MEN IS VERY UNFLATTERING: LAZY, INCONSIDERATE, SELFISH.

BUT FAY WELDON DOESN’T SEEM TO ME TO LIKE HER FEMALE CHARACTERS MUCH EITHER. MARTHA PUTS UP WITH FAR TOO MUCH. SHE DOESN’T STAND UP FOR HERSELF, SHE LETS HERSELF BE TREATED LIKE A SLAVE.

LESSON18 Q. 6:

THIS IS A VERY TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE WITH VERY FIXED ROLES, AND APPARENTLY NEITHER MARTIN NOR MARTHA QUESTION THE STATE OF AFFAIRS: THE HOUSEWORK IS MARTHA’S RESPONSIBILITY. BUT MARTIN IS NOT BLIND TO MARTHA’S WORKLOAD – WE SEE THAT FROM THE FACT THAT HE WANTS MARTHA TO ASK MRS HODDER TO DO MORE.

Yes. At least he does not show that he is concerned about it. It is him who puts a lot of the pressure on her. I think he wants his family to be completely perfect, even though it is impossible, and he gives the responsible of improving their family to his wife

LESSON18 Q. 8:

MARTHA IS PARTLY TO BLAME, I AGREE. BUT MARTIN HAS TO TAKE MOST OF THE BLAME: IT WAS MARTHA’S BIRTHDAY, HE HAD INVITED HER OUT. IT IS VERY UN-GENTLEMANLIKE OF HIM TO EXPECT THE BIRTHDAY GIRL TO DO THE DRIVING AFTER THEIR CELEBRATION. THIS IS ONE OF MANY PROOFS OF MARTIN’S SELFISHNESS.

LESSON18 Q. 11:

YOU SEEM TO FORGET THAT MARTIN TALKS ABOUT THE HIPS OF THE CAR. “YOU’RE TOO WIDE ABOUT THE HIPS”, HE SAYS. NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT A CAR DOESN’T HAVE HIPS, BUT WOMEN DO. I THINK IT IS PERFECTLY UNDERSTANDABLE THAT MARTHA FEELS HURT BY THIS REMARK. EVEN IF IT IS MEANT AS A JOKE.

LESSON18 Q. 14:

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE TAKEN OVER THEIR FATHER’S ATTITUDE TO THEIR MOTHER: LETTING HER DO ALL THE WORK, LAUGHING AT HER, NOT TAKING HER QUITE SERIOUSLY AS A PERSON. THE CAR TRIP TO THE WEEKEND COTTAGE SHOWS EXAMPLES OF THAT.

LESSON18 Q. 17:

A LITTLE THINKING OR A LITTLE PLANNING WOULD PREVENT ACCIDENTS. IF THEY HAPPEN ANYWAY, IT IS BECAUSE YOU SUBCONSCIOUSLY WANT THEM TO HAPPEN – AND THEY CAN BE SEEN AS A WAY TO GET OUT OF DOING WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO DO. THAT WOULD BE MARTIN’S REACTION IF MARTHA HAD AN ACCIDENT. A Freudian slip, or parapraxis, is an error in speech, memory, or physical action that is interpreted as occurring due to the interference of some unconscious ('dynamically repressed') wish, conflict, or train of thought. The concept is thus part of classical psychoanalysis.

As a common pun goes, "A Freudian slip is when you mean one thing, but you say your mother."

Slips of the tongue and the pen are the classic parapraxes, but psychoanalytic theory also embraces such phenomena as misreadings, mishearings, temporary forgettings, and the mislaying and losing of objects.

LESSON18 Q. 19

“TO POUT” IS NORMALLY USED ABOUT CHILDREN WHO ARE UPSET BECAUSE THEY CANNOT HAVE WHAT THEY WANT. SO WHEN THE AUTHOR USES IT ABOUT MARTIN SHE IS IMPLYING THAT HE IS CHILDISH, THAT HE GETS CROSS AND SULKY WHEN HE DOESN’T HAVE HIS WAY.

LESSON18 Q. 20

WHY DOES SHE IGNORE THE FACT THAT HE IS POUTING LIKE A CHILD? MY ANSWER IS THIS: SHE FEELS THAT SHE HAS TO ACCEPT HIM THE WAY HE IS – SHE FEARS THAT SHE WOULD BE WORSE OFF WITHOUT HIM.

Q. 21:

MARTHA’S MOTHER WAS MENTALLY ILL, SO MARTHA’S CHILDHOOD WAS VERY LONELY AND SECLUDED. MARTIN HAS GIVEN HER THE NUCLEAR FAMILY AND LIVELY SOCIAL LIFE THAT SHE HAS ALWAYS LONGED FOR, SO SHE WILL PUT UP WITH ANYTHING IN ORDER TO KEEP IT.

LESSON18 Q. 22

IF MARTHA DOES NOT GET HOME EXACTLY ON TIME, SHE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE WORK THAT IS EXPECTED OF HER. IF SHE DOES NOT STICK TO HER SCHEDULE, HER WORKLOAD WILL OVERWHELM HER. SHE CANNOT AFFORD TO WASTE A MINUTE.

WEEKEND PART 2

LESSON19 Q. 2

MARTIN TAKES MARTHA FOR GRANTED – AND HE TAKES IT FOR GRANTED THAT THE WOMAN IN A RELATIONSHIP IS A HOUSEWIFE WHO HAS TO DO ALL THE HOUSEWORK. THE FACT THAT MARTHA WORKS OUTSIDE THE HOME IN A FULL-TIME JOB HAS NOT CHANGED THE FIXED SEX ROLES IN THIS MARRIAGE. ON TOP OF THAT MARTIN IS A LAZY BASTARD!

LESSON19 Q. 5

ALSO, TRADITIONALLY THE MALE OF AN ANIMAL COUPLE IS EXPECTED TO BE MORE COLOURFUL AND HANDSOME AND CHARMING THAN THE FEMALE – JUST THINK OF MALE LIONS, ROOSTERS, PHEASANTS ETC. THIS PHENOMENON IS OFTEN SEEN IN HUMANS TOO – THE MEN BEING WITTY AND FORGIVEN FOR ANY WILD ESCAPADES, WHEREAS THE WOMEN ARE/WERE EXPTECTED TO BEHAVE RESPECTABLY AND GROWN-UP.

LESSON19, Q. 9:

MARTHA IS RUNNING ABOUT IN HER NIGHTIE, SHOWING HER AGE AND HER THREE BIRTHS – AND THE THREE OTHERS LOOK DOWN ON HER FOR THE WAY SHE LOOKS, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT SHE IS WAITING ON (OPVARTER) THEM.

Martha is basicly a regular housewife, 38 years old, practical and good at what she does. But all they see, is that she is boring and old. They dispize her for it, since they don't want to be reminded themselves, how old they are.

LESSON19 Q 10

BUT OF COURSE MARTIN SHOULD HAVE OFFERED TO DO THE WASHING UP HIMSELF – NOT TAKE IT AS A MATTER OF COURSE (EN SELVFØLGE) THAT MARTHA WOULD DO IT.

MARTIN IS JUST PUTTING ON A SHOW FOR HIS GUESTS. HE IS PRETENDING TO BE CONSIDERATE. HE WOULD SHOW TRUE CONSIDERATION IF HE OFFERED TO DO THE DISHES THEN AND THERE, IN THE NIGHT.

A STUDENT WROTE: That remark is just a play for the gallery. He doesn't really think she should take a break. According to him, her place is in the kitchen -pleasing him and the guests. The ironic thing is that to Colin and Katie, it seems like Martha dies to please her husband and cook meals for her guests, but that simply isn't the reality!

   -“Self-pity can spoil everyone's weekend.”

LESSON19 Q. 13

MARTHA HAS EVERY REASON TO FEEL ILL USED BY COLIN AND KATIE, AND SHE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO EXPECT LOYALTY FROM MARTIN. BUT IF SHE CRITICISES HIS FRIENDS, HE TURNS HIS ANGER AGAINST HER. AND SHE KNOWS THAT IF SHE TRIES TO DEFEND HERSELF, IT WILL JUST GET WORSE. MARTIN VALUES COLIN AND KATIE FAR MORE THAN HE DOES HIS WIFE

LESSON19 Q. 16

BUT THE REALLY FUNNY THING HERE IS THAT MARTHA HAS HAD HER DRIVING LICENCE SUSPENDED! SHE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO DRIVE. BUT IN SPITE OF THIS MARTIN LETS HER DRIVE OFF WITH JASPER. I SEE THIS AS PROOF THAT MARTIN SEES THE CHILDREN AS MARTHA’S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY

LESSON19 Q. 17

Martha is 38 years old (p.23 l.36), and Katie is in her mid-thirties (p.25 l.1). MARTHA IS 38 YEARS OLD (P. 23, L. 36), AND KATIE IS IN HER MID-THIRTIES (P. 25, LINE 1).

THEY ARE ALMOST THE SAME AGE – BUT MARTHA LOOKS MUCH OLDER, DUE TO HER HARD-WORKING LIFE FULL OF RESPONSIBILITIES. KATIE LOOKS LIKE A GIRL – AND BEHAVES LIKE ONE.

WEEKEND PART 3

LESSON20 Q. 2:

MARTIN TELLS THE ANECDOTE OF MARTHA’S DRIVING LICENCE TO ENTERTAIN HIS GUESTS. HE HAS TIMED IT WELL – MARTHA HAS JUST SAT DOWN, AND IS STARTING TO RELAX A BIT AND ENJOY HERSELF. PERHAPS HE WOULD RATHER BE ALONE WITH HIS FRIENDS? PERHAPS HE FEELS THAT MARTHA IS CRAMPING HIS STYLE?

BUT WHY HE DIDN’T THINK OF THE FACT THAT MARTHA’S DRIVING LICENCE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED BEFORE HE SENT HER OFF TO THE HOSPITAL WITH JASPER IS A BIG MYSTERY. IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO BE SO IRRESPONSIBLE?

LESSON20 Q. 7:

I THINK YOU ARE WRONG. IT’S TRUE THAT SHE STARTED TO PAINT THE BATHROOM TO GET AWAY FROM MARTIN AND HIS FRIENDS – SINCE THEY DIDN’T MAKE HER FEEL WELCOME. BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE SHE SAW HOW MARTIN ADMIRED KATIE (TOP OF PAGE 27), PUTTING HIS HAND ON HER ARM (TOP OF PAGE 26), AND BECAUSE SHE DIDN’T WANT TO LISTEN TO THEM TALKING ABOUT JANET. ON TOP OF THIS, DOING A JOB SHE IS GOOD AT IS PLEASANT, AND THE WHITE SMOOTH SURFACE SHE PRODUCES ON THE BATHROOM WALL SOOTHES HER MIND: THIS IS FAR LESS COMPLICATED THAN DEALING WITH MARTIN AND HIS GUESTS.

Q8:

FURTHERMORE, SHE IS GOOD AT IT AND MAYBE SHE GETS THE RECOGNITION AND VALIDATION AT WORK THAT SHE MISSES AT HOME.

LESSON20 Q 10:

I AGREE: MARTIN’S PICTURE OF HIMSELF AS THE CHIEF BREADWINNER OF THE FAMILY WOULD BE DESTROYED, AND HE WOULD TAKE IT OUT ON HER. PERHAPS HE WOULD MAKE MARTHA GIVE UP HER JOB – OR SHE WOULD CHOOSE TO DO IT TO AVOID CONFLICT?

LESSON20, Q. 15

THE READER HAS BECOME QUITE UPSET AT THE WAY MARTHA IS TREATED, AND WANTS HER TO PUT HER FOOT DOWN AND STAND UP FOR HERSELF. WE THE READERS HAVE BEEN QUITE LOOKING FORWARDS TO MARTHA TELLING MARTIN A FEW TRUTHS – SO WE FEEL A BIT CHEATED WITH THIS ENDING.

I BELIEVE MARTHA CRIES AT THE END BECAUSE SHE CAN’T BEAR THE THOUGHT THAT JENNY WILL HAVE THE SAME WOMAN’S LIFE AS SHE HAS.

IT’S A STRANGE ENDING, DON’T YOU THINK? MOST READERS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SCENE WHEN MARTHA WOULD FINALLY OPEN HER MOUTH AND TELL MARTIN WHAT’S WHAT – BUT THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN, AND WE THE READERS FEEL A LITTLE CHEATED AT THE END, DON’T WE? AND VERY IMPATIENT WITH MARTHA.

With so many unfinished questions Fay Weldon makes the reader think. The reader now has to make their own ending or just draw some conclusions on the nearest future.

Martha is also on the brick of self destruction. Martha can’t keep this up. RIGHT. ESPEACIALLY NOT SINCE SHE REALISES THAT ONE DAY HER DAUGHTER MIGHT WALK IN MARTHA’S FOOTSTEPS.

LESSON20, Q.3 OF THE BIBLE QUOTATION:

WHAT KATIE HAS IN COMMON WITH MARY OF THE BIBLE IS THAT SHE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO HOUSEWORK. BUT APART FROM THAT THEY ARE NOT ALIKE:

FOR ONE THING, WHEN KATIE GETS A LITTLE OLDER AND LESS BEAUTIFUL SHE WILL LOSE HER ABILITY TO ATTRACT MEN. SO THE PART SHE HAS CHOSEN WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER. AND OF COURSE WE CANNOT COMPARE SOMONE LISTENING TO JESUS TO SOMEONE SPENDING A WHOLE WEEKEND LISTENING TO MARTIN AND COLIN. I THINK FAY WELDON MEANT

3

THAT IS VERY TRUE. BUT THERE IS ALSO THIS: IF WE SEE KATIE AS A PARALLEL TO MARY OF THE BIBLE TEXT, WE WOULD ALSO BE COMPARING MARTIN TO JESUS! IT WAS OK FOR MARY TO LEAVE HER WORK TO SIT ABOUT LISTENING TO JESUS – BUT NOT FOR KATIE TO SPEND ALL HER TIME AT THE COTTAGE WIT H THE MEN.

LESSON20, QUESTION 4 OF THE BIBLE QUOTATION:

I FIND HER ATTITUDE VERY CRITICAL. HER STYLE IS SARCASTIC. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE READER TO IDENTIFY WITH ANY OF HER CHARACTERS, BECAUSE NONE OF THEM HAVE THE AUTHOR’S SYMPATHY. THERE ARE NO TRUE HEROES OR HEROINES IN FAY WELDON’S STORIES. THAT ALSO GOES FOR MARTHA – HER MEEKNESS (YDMYGHED) AND INABILITY TO STAND UP FOR HERSELF MAKE IT HARD FOR THE READER TO LIKE HER. WE  MAY FEEL SORRY FOR HER , AND ANGRY WITH HER, AND ANGRY ON HER BEHALF, BUT THAT IS ALL.

WEEKEND PART 3

LESSON20 Q. 2:

MARTIN TELLS THE ANECDOTE OF MARTHA’S DRIVING LICENCE TO ENTERTAIN HIS GUESTS. HE HAS TIMED IT WELL – MARTHA HAS JUST SAT DOWN, AND IS STARTING TO RELAX A BIT AND ENJOY HERSELF. PERHAPS HE WOULD RATHER BE ALONE WITH HIS FRIENDS? PERHAPS HE FEELS THAT MARTHA IS CRAMPING HIS STYLE?

BUT WHY HE DIDN’T THINK OF THE FACT THAT MARTHA’S DRIVING LICENCE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED BEFORE HE SENT HER OFF TO THE HOSPITAL WITH JASPER IS A BIG MYSTERY. IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE TO BE SO IRRESPONSIBLE?

LESSON20 Q. 7:

I THINK YOU ARE WRONG. IT’S TRUE THAT SHE STARTED TO PAINT THE BATHROOM TO GET AWAY FROM MARTIN AND HIS FRIENDS – SINCE THEY DIDN’T MAKE HER FEEL WELCOME. BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE SHE SAW HOW MARTIN ADMIRED KATIE (TOP OF PAGE 27), PUTTING HIS HAND ON HER ARM (TOP OF PAGE 26), AND BECAUSE SHE DIDN’T WANT TO LISTEN TO THEM TALKING ABOUT JANET. ON TOP OF THIS, DOING A JOB SHE IS GOOD AT IS PLEASANT, AND THE WHITE SMOOTH SURFACE SHE PRODUCES ON THE BATHROOM WALL SOOTHES HER MIND: THIS IS FAR LESS COMPLICATED THAN DEALING WITH MARTIN AND HIS GUESTS.

Q8:

FURTHERMORE, SHE IS GOOD AT IT AND MAYBE SHE GETS THE RECOGNITION AND VALIDATION AT WORK THAT SHE MISSES AT HOME.

LESSON20 Q 10:

I AGREE: MARTIN’S PICTURE OF HIMSELF AS THE CHIEF BREADWINNER OF THE FAMILY WOULD BE DESTROYED, AND HE WOULD TAKE IT OUT ON HER. PERHAPS HE WOULD MAKE MARTHA GIVE UP HER JOB – OR SHE WOULD CHOOSE TO DO IT TO AVOID CONFLICT?

LESSON20, Q. 15

THE READER HAS BECOME QUITE UPSET AT THE WAY MARTHA IS TREATED, AND WANTS HER TO PUT HER FOOT DOWN AND STAND UP FOR HERSELF. WE THE READERS HAVE BEEN QUITE LOOKING FORWARDS TO MARTHA TELLING MARTIN A FEW TRUTHS – SO WE FEEL A BIT CHEATED WITH THIS ENDING.

I BELIEVE MARTHA CRIES AT THE END BECAUSE SHE CAN’T BEAR THE THOUGHT THAT JENNY WILL HAVE THE SAME WOMAN’S LIFE AS SHE HAS.

IT’S A STRANGE ENDING, DON’T YOU THINK? MOST READERS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SCENE WHEN MARTHA WOULD FINALLY OPEN HER MOUTH AND TELL MARTIN WHAT’S WHAT – BUT THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN, AND WE THE READERS FEEL A LITTLE CHEATED AT THE END, DON’T WE? AND VERY IMPATIENT WITH MARTHA.

With so many unfinished questions Fay Weldon makes the reader think. The reader now has to make their own ending or just draw some conclusions on the nearest future.

Martha is also on the brick of self destruction. Martha can’t keep this up. RIGHT. ESPEACIALLY NOT SINCE SHE REALISES THAT ONE DAY HER DAUGHTER MIGHT WALK IN MARTHA’S FOOTSTEPS.

LESSON20, Q.3 OF THE BIBLE QUOTATION:

WHAT KATIE HAS IN COMMON WITH MARY OF THE BIBLE IS THAT SHE HAS CHOSEN NOT TO DO HOUSEWORK. BUT APART FROM THAT THEY ARE NOT ALIKE:

FOR ONE THING, WHEN KATIE GETS A LITTLE OLDER AND LESS BEAUTIFUL SHE WILL LOSE HER ABILITY TO ATTRACT MEN. SO THE PART SHE HAS CHOSEN WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER. AND OF COURSE WE CANNOT COMPARE SOMONE LISTENING TO JESUS TO SOMEONE SPENDING A WHOLE WEEKEND LISTENING TO MARTIN AND COLIN. I THINK FAY WELDON MEANT THIS INDIRECT REFERENCE TO THE BIBLE AS A JOKE AT THE EXPENSE OF MEN: SOMETIMES THEY BEHAVE AS IF THEY THINK THEY ARE JESUS. BUT SHE ALSO WANTS WOMEN TO THINK OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO EACH OTHER.

3

THAT IS VERY TRUE. BUT THERE IS ALSO THIS: IF WE SEE KATIE AS A PARALLEL TO MARY OF THE BIBLE TEXT, WE WOULD ALSO BE COMPARING MARTIN TO JESUS! IT WAS OK FOR MARY TO LEAVE HER WORK TO SIT ABOUT LISTENING TO JESUS – BUT NOT FOR KATIE TO SPEND ALL HER TIME AT THE COTTAGE WIT H THE MEN.

LESSON20, QUESTION 4 OF THE BIBLE QUOTATION:

I FIND HER ATTITUDE VERY CRITICAL. HER STYLE IS SARCASTIC. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THE READER TO IDENTIFY WITH ANY OF HER CHARACTERS, BECAUSE NONE OF THEM HAVE THE AUTHOR’S SYMPATHY. THERE ARE NO TRUE HEROES OR HEROINES IN FAY WELDON’S STORIES. THAT ALSO GOES FOR MARTHA – HER MEEKNESS (YDMYGHED) AND INABILITY TO STAND UP FOR HERSELF MAKE IT HARD FOR THE READER TO LIKE HER. WE  MAY FEEL SORRY FOR HER , AND ANGRY WITH HER, AND ANGRY ON HER BEHALF, BUT THAT IS ALL.