Alpha of The Plough: Umbrella Morals
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Questions and Answers

What is the author's primary feeling towards the person who swapped umbrellas with him?

  • Indifference to the loss of his umbrella.
  • Resentment towards the other person's lack of honesty. (correct)
  • Amusement at the other person's cleverness.
  • Pity for the other person getting wet.

The author uses the umbrella as a metaphor for what broader concept?

  • The unpredictable nature of life.
  • The class divisions of society.
  • The importance of material possessions.
  • Minor lapses in ethical behavior. (correct)

What does the author imply about people with 'umbrella consciences'?

  • They openly flaunt minor acts of dishonesty.
  • They are unaware of the difference between right and wrong.
  • They rationalize petty dishonesty while maintaining overall integrity. (correct)
  • They are generally dishonest in all aspects of their lives.

Why does the author not put up the cotton umbrella?

<p>The umbrella frame was broken. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What point does the author make by referencing the preacher with a third-class ticket?

<p>Even seemingly moral people can have minor lapses in ethics. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The phrase 'allows his honesty the benefit of the doubt' suggests what about the person with an 'umbrella conscience'?

<p>They subtly excuse their dishonest behavior. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the umbrella exchange happening at the 'barber's stand'?

<p>It is simply a chance encounter in a public place. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author use Falstaff in relation to the umbrella?

<p>To emphasize how ashamed he was to be seen with it. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Considering the historical context of the book's dedication, what inference can be made about Professor A.S.P. Woodhouse's professional life?

<p>He was a prominent figure in the English department at the University College. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the narrator's primary feeling upon discovering the 'super-umbrella' in their house?

<p>Humiliation and fear, as if caught committing a grand theft. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Based on the phrases 'Pebbles on the Shore' and 'Leaves in the Wind', what literary device is being employed to create imagery?

<p>Metaphor, using natural elements to symbolize broader themes. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What motivates the narrator to return the umbrella to its owner?

<p>The discovery of the owner's name engraved on the umbrella. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the book's title, 'The Kings Treasuries of Literature,' and the essays' focus, what was likely the editor's main criterion for selecting the included works?

<p>Essays that demonstrate exceptional literary merit and enduring value. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Considering the essay titles, such as 'On Umbrella Morals' and 'On the Philosophy of Hats,' what can be inferred about the overall tone and style of the essays?

<p>Lighthearted and reflective, exploring everyday subjects with thoughtful consideration. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the statesman explain the umbrella mix-up?

<p>He describes being overwhelmed by noble-looking gentlemen who thrust items upon him. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the excerpt describing constellations, why does the author prefer 'homely sounds' linked to fields over the scientific names of stars?

<p>The author values the personal and cultural connection to nature that familiar names evoke. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What lesson does the narrator draw from the umbrella incident?

<p>Engraving one's name on personal belongings can reinforce honesty. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of exchanging items, what does the narrator imply about their past experiences?

<p>They have had both positive and negative outcomes. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the author's contemplation of the Great Bear constellation reveal about the human relationship with the night sky?

<p>Humans have projected stories, myths, and imagination onto the stars across different cultures and times. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can be inferred about the narrator's character from the umbrella incident?

<p>They possess a strong sense of integrity but are prone to carelessness. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Considering the variety of names given to the Great Bear ('Charles's Wain,' 'the Plough,' 'the Dipper,' 'the Chariot of David'), what does this suggest about the nature of cultural narratives?

<p>Cultural narratives are fluid, adapting to different societal values and perspectives. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What contrast does the author draw between the 'super-umbrella' and their own?

<p>One represents wealth and status, while the other is ordinary. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the phrase 'intimate though eternal, friendly and companionable though far off,' what literary device is used to describe the stars, and what effect does it create?

<p>Personification, portraying stars as relatable entities despite their distance. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feeling is stimulated after receiving the seaweed?

<p>Nostalgic longing for the sea. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main point the author tries to make, using the anecdote of the divine and literary critic?

<p>To illustrate the universal struggle of parting with loved books, even if borrowed. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The author uses the phrase 'They clung to him like precedents to law' to describe the books borrowed by the critic. What does this imply?

<p>The books were as essential to the critic's work as precedents are to legal arguments. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the friend's rule about lending books, as described by the author?

<p>It illustrates a practical solution to the problem of never getting borrowed books back. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The author writes 'Every — one — of — 'em — borrowed' to emphasize the friend's collection. What does this construction imply about the friend's tone?

<p>Humorous exasperation and irony. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the sudden shift of topic to hats suggest?

<p>An escalation of the author's comparison of dishonesty concerning borrowed items. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The author states, 'No one can put a strange hat on without being aware of the fact.' Why is this statement significant in the context of the passage?

<p>It underscores the deliberate nature of the hat exchange, implying a conscious act of dishonesty. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The author wonders if the person who took his hat was a Tory or a Radical, but dismisses the possibility of them being a Labour man. What does this imply about the author's view of Labour men at the time?

<p>They were inherently opposed to symbols of wealth and status such as silk hats. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is common between the anecdote about the books and the incident with the hat and the umbrella?

<p>The author is exploring the ease with which people justify small acts of dishonesty. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Umbrella Morals

Ethical principles related to umbrella usage, such as not obstructing others.

Arcturus

A bright star in the constellation Boötes, used for navigation.

Great Bear

A large constellation in the northern sky, containing the Big Dipper.

Charles's Wain

Another name for the constellation Ursa Major or the Big Dipper.

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The Plough

A constellation also known as the Great Bear or Charles's Wain.

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The Dipper

A star pattern forming part of Ursa Major, shaped like a cup or ladle.

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Chariot of David

A celestial vehicle or chariot.

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Star that points to the pole

The star at the head of the Plough, which points towards the North Star.

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Library Book Borrowing (ethics)

The act of borrowing an item and not returning it, often rationalized despite being dishonest.

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The Never-Returned Book

A humorous anecdote illustrating the universal experience of lending books and never getting them back.

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Trust and Lending

The idea that lending items, particularly books, often results in their permanent loss.

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Hat Exchange

An act considered beyond the boundaries of forgivable dishonesty.

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Awareness of Wrongdoing

Describes the distinct awareness one has when wearing an unfamiliar hat.

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The Stolen Silk Hat

A humorous scenario depicting the author's hat being stolen at the House of Commons.

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Social Incongruity

Suggests the unlikelihood of certain individuals (e.g., a Labour man) wearing a silk hat.

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Umbrella Exchange (mistake)

The possibility of unintentional item exchange, suggesting an element of excusable human error.

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Umbrella Conscience

A person honest in major things but lax in minor ethical issues like umbrella swapping.

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Hide-and-seek with conscience

When someone avoids acknowledging their own wrongdoings, even to themselves.

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Impeccable people with umbrella morals

People who seem morally upright can still have lapses in judgment in specific situations.

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Claiming a mistaken umbrella

Rationalizing a dishonest act by claiming it was a mistake to alleviate guilt.

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'No use going back now'

The flawed rationalization that what's done is done, so no need to correct a minor wrong.

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Honesty with 'benefit of the doubt'

The idea that people who would never commit big crimes might still justify petty dishonesty.

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Lowered morals for books

Having lower moral standards for certain things such as not returning borrowed items.

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Hitching wagon to sublime image

To connect one's self to a grand or idealized vision or purpose.

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Eyeing an exchange

The act of discreetly observing something, often with curiosity or suspicion.

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Solemn conviction of honesty

The unquestioning belief in one's own honesty, that guides behavior.

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Circumvent

To avoid or outsmart someone or something through cleverness.

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Relieves me of that

The act of relieving someone of something, often unwanted.

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Wild longings

A strong desire or yearning for something.

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Prompted by the sender

Friendly or well-intentioned.

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Humbled and Terrified

Causing humility and fear at the same time

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Study Notes

  • "Alpha of The Plough: Selected Essays From 'Pebbles on the Shore' and 'Leaves in the Wind'" is a collection of essays.
  • General editor of "The Kings Treasuries of Literature", which includes "Alpha of The Plough" is Sir A.T. Quiller Couch.
  • This copy was presented to the Library of the University of Toronto by the Estate of the late Professor A. S. P. Woodhouse, Head of the Department of English, University College, from 1944-1964.

Umbrella Morals

  • Celestial objects like Orion, the Pleiades, Pole Star, Arcturus, and Vega, are not as familiar to the author as the sounds linking night to fields, such as Arcturus, known as Alpha of the Herdsman.
  • The anecdote begins with the author walking along the Strand during a sharp shower without raising his umbrella due to its faulty frame.
  • The exchange involved the author's silk umbrella being swapped for a cotton one.
  • The person who swaps umbrellas is described as having an "umbrella conscience."
  • This person wouldn't commit serious crimes but would swap umbrellas, forget to return books, or take advantage of the railway company
  • The saying that explains lending of books, "Yes, I've got it," is an excuse to never lend books, emphasizing the rarity of their return.
  • The author once lost a silk hat at the House of Commons and had to go out bareheaded to buy another and wonders who took the hat.
  • The honesty of the umbrella exchange is questioned, revealing a series of gains and losses.
  • The author once received a super-umbrella with a gold band, gold tassel, and a statesman's name engraved on it, leading to guilt and its return to the owner with a letter of admiration for his politics.
  • The original owner humorously blamed the confusion on noble-looking gentlemen at an event
  • Noting the name on an umbrella can circumvent a man with an umbrella conscience, as the knowledge of being identified as dishonest outweighs the joy of the exchange.

A Bit of Seaweed

  • The postman delivered a fat, soft, and bulgy letter from North Wales, which contained a bit of seaweed.

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Description

A man possesses an umbrella conscience. He swaps his silk umbrella for a cotton one during a sharp shower on the Strand. Celestial objects are referenced to the sounds linking night to fields.

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