14.The Gift of Understanding 千
14. The Gift of Understanding
Contents ◆Synopsis ◆Text Analysis ◆ Explanation of the Title ◆ Exercises ◆ Questions for Consideration
Contents Synopsis Text Analysis Explanation of the Title Exercises Questions for Consideration
Synopsis When the narrator was a four-year-old boy,he did not know the value of money.Once,he went to Mr.Wigden's candy shop alone,using six cherry seeds to "buy"a lot of candies.Mr.Wigden understood the innocence of the child,he gave the candy and two pennies to the boy as change. When the boy grew up,he and his wife opened an aquarium shop.One day two little children came to his shop
Synopsis When the narrator was a four-year-old boy, he did not know the value of money. Once, he went to Mr.Wigden’s candy shop alone, using six cherry seeds to “buy” a lot of candies. Mr.Wigden understood the innocence of the child, he gave the candy and two pennies to the boy as change. When the boy grew up, he and his wife opened an aquarium shop. One day two little children came to his shop
They picked out pairs of several different kinds of fish which were worth 30 dollars.The children only paid him three pennies for the fish.At that moment,he sensed the challenge he had given long ago to Mr.Wigden and learned to understand the power to destroy or preserve the innocence of children,and gave the fish to the children.His wife understood him after he told her the story of Mr.Wigden
They picked out pairs of several different kinds of fish which were worth 30 dollars. The children only paid him three pennies for the fish. At that moment, he sensed the challenge he had given long ago to Mr. Wigden and learned to understand the power to destroy or preserve the innocence of children, and gave the fish to the children. His wife understood him after he told her the story of Mr. Wigden
Text Children's innocence can easily be destroyed in the adult world of buying and selling.Yet there are adults who take great care to preserve it even if it means losing a little profit.The narrator has a wonderful experience as a child in Mr.Wigden's candy shop,and,as an adult,passes his gift of understanding to other children.Read on to see how this happens
Text Children’s innocence can easily be destroyed in the adult world of buying and selling. Yet there are adults who take great care to preserve it even if it means losing a little profit. The narrator has a wonderful experience as a child in Mr. Wigden’s candy shop, and, as an adult, passes his gift of understanding to other children. Read on to see how this happens
1. I must have been around four years old when I first entered Mr.Wigden's candy shop,but the smell of that wonderful world of penny treasures still comes back to me clearly more than a half-century later.Whenever he heard the tiny tinkle of the bell attached to the front door, Mr.Wigden quietly appeared,to take his stand behind the candy case.He was very old,and his head was topped with a cloud of fine,snow-white hair
1. I must have been around four years old when I first entered Mr. Wigden’s candy shop, but the smell of that wonderful world of penny treasures still comes back to me clearly more than a half-century later. Whenever he heard the tiny tinkle of the bell attached to the front door, Mr. Wigden quietly appeared, to take his stand behind the candy case. He was very old, and his head was topped with a cloud of fine, snow-white hair
2. Never was such an array of delicious temptations spread before a child.It was almost painful to make a choice Each kind had first to be savored in the imagination before passing on to the next.There was always a short pang of regret as the selection was dropped into a little white paper sack.Perhaps another kind would taste better?Or last longer? Mr.Wigden had a trick of scooping your selection into the sack,then pausing.Not a word was spoken,but every child understood that Mr.Wigden's raised eyebrows meant a last- minute opportunity to make an exchange.Only after payment was laid upon the counter was the sack irrevocably twisted shut and the moment of indecision ended
2. Never was such an array of delicious temptations spread before a child. It was almost painful to make a choice. Each kind had first to be savored in the imagination before passing on to the next. There was always a short pang of regret as the selection was dropped into a little white paper sack. Perhaps another kind would taste better? Or last longer? Mr. Wigden had a trick of scooping your selection into the sack, then pausing. Not a word was spoken, but every child understood that Mr. Wigden’s raised eyebrows meant a lastminute opportunity to make an exchange. Only after payment was laid upon the counter was the sack irrevocably twisted shut and the moment of indecision ended
3. Our house was two streets from the streetcar line,and you had to pass the shop going to and from the cars. Mother had taken me into town on some forgotten errand,and as we walked home from the trolley Mother turned into Mr.Wigden's. 4."Let's see if we can find something good,"she said, leading me up to the long glass case as the old man approached from behind a curtain.My mother stood talking with him for a few minutes as I gazed rapturously at the display before my eyes.Finally Mother picked out something for me and paid Mr.Wigden
3. Our house was two streets from the streetcar line, and you had to pass the shop going to and from the cars. Mother had taken me into town on some forgotten errand, and as we walked home from the trolley Mother turned into Mr. Wigden’s. 4. “Let’s see if we can find something good,” she said, leading me up to the long glass case as the old man approached from behind a curtain. My mother stood talking with him for a few minutes as I gazed rapturously at the display before my eyes. Finally Mother picked out something for me and paid Mr. Wigden
5. Mother went into town once or twice a week,and since in those days baby-sitters were almost unheard-of,I usually accompanied her.It became a regular routine for her to take me into the candy shop for some special treat,and after that first visit I was always allowed to make my own choice
5. Mother went into town once or twice a week, and since in those days baby-sitters were almost unheard-of, I usually accompanied her. It became a regular routine for her to take me into the candy shop for some special treat, and after that first visit I was always allowed to make my own choice
6.I knew nothing of money at that time.I would watch my mother hand something to people,who would then hand her a package or a bag,and slowly the idea of exchange was formed in my mind.Sometime about then I reached a decision.I would go past the two streets to Mr. Wigden's all alone.I remember the tinkle of the bell as I managed,after some effort,to push open the big door. Charmed,I worked my way slowly down the display counter
6. I knew nothing of money at that time. I would watch my mother hand something to people, who would then hand her a package or a bag, and slowly the idea of exchange was formed in my mind. Sometime about then I reached a decision. I would go past the two streets to Mr. Wigden’s all alone. I remember the tinkle of the bell as I managed, after some effort, to push open the big door. Charmed, I worked my way slowly down the display counter
