Fathers and Sons
(1) Answer the following questions:
1. What were the two men talking about?
Answer: The two men, Peter Everton and Harry Glossop, were talking about their sons. Both were lamenting about how their sons lacked intelligence or the ability to think properly. Everton expressed disappointment about his son George, believing that George had "nothing in his head," while Glossop shared similar frustrations about his son Vernon, who he felt would never be successful. They both felt their sons lacked the qualities needed for success, such as intelligence and practicality.
2. Why couldn't George be a doctor?
Answer: George couldn't be a doctor because, according to his father, Peter Everton, George "can't think at all." Everton believed that doctors need to be able to think critically and make sound decisions, and since he felt George lacked the necessary intelligence, he thought George would never be able to become a doctor.
3. What did Harry say about Vernon?
Answer: Harry said that his son Vernon "has never been a thinker and he never will be one." He expressed sadness over Vernon's lack of thinking ability, believing that Vernon would never be successful and would remain poor all his life. Harry was also resigned to the idea that Vernon would never be wealthy or achieve much in life.
4. What did George want to own? How much money did he get for it?
Answer: George wanted to own a car, specifically a big red one for himself. His father, Peter Everton, gave him a twenty-pound note to buy the car. However, George was confused and believed he could buy a car with that amount of money from a flower shop, despite not having enough for a car in reality.
5. Where was George sent by his father?
Answer: George was sent by his father, Peter Everton, to a flower shop in Hudson Street to buy a car. His father gave him a twenty-pound note and instructed him to pick the car he liked best at the shop, even though George was too young to own a car and the situation was unrealistic.
6. Where did Harry ask Vernon to go ?
Answer: Harry asked Vernon to go to Rope Street. He told Vernon that their house was on fire and that he needed to go to Rope Street to find him, as Harry might still be at work there. Vernon was supposed to tell Harry to go home if he was still at Rope Street, but the task was illogical, as Harry could have simply used the telephone to convey the message.
7. What did George think about his father?
Answer: George thought his father, Peter Everton, couldn't think properly. He was frustrated that his father gave him a twenty-pound note to buy a car from a flower shop but didn't consider the practicalities, such as giving him enough money for a taxi or realizing that he was too young to buy a car. George felt that his father’s instructions were unrealistic and lacked proper thought.
8. What did Vernon say about his father?
Answer: Vernon also thought his father couldn't think properly. He was upset that Harry sent him to Rope Street to find him, even though Harry could have just used the telephone to tell him to go home. Vernon felt that his father didn't think through the situation logically, as the solution was so simple. He was critical of his father's failure to use the telephone, which would have been much faster than sending Vernon on a long walk.
9. What did both the fathers conclude at last?
Answer: At last, both fathers, Peter Everton and Harry Glossop, concluded that their sons were not much better than them in terms of thinking. They both saw their sons as lacking intelligence and practicality, despite the fact that it was their own actions and instructions that were flawed. Everton and Glossop both realized that their sons, George and Vernon, were simply following through on their confusing and unreasonable requests, further highlighting the generational misunderstanding and frustrations between them.
10. What did both the sons conclude at last?
Answer: At last, both the sons, George and Vernon, concluded that their fathers couldn't think properly. They felt that their fathers gave them illogical and impractical instructions. George was frustrated with his father for sending him to a flower shop to buy a car with only twenty pounds and no taxi fare, while Vernon criticized his father for sending him to Rope Street when it would have been much quicker for Harry to use the telephone. Both sons saw their fathers as lacking common sense and failing to think through simple solutions.
