10 Questions
What is the primary impression created by the description of the moving train?
A sense of dignity and grandeur
What is the reason for the man's frequent glances at his hands?
He is proud of his new black clothes
What is the bride's attitude towards her new clothes?
She is self-conscious and embarrassed about her dress
What can be inferred about the social class of the newly married couple?
They are from a lower social class
What is the tone of the passage towards the newly married couple?
Sympathetic and affectionate
What is the bride's concern about the diner?
The price of the meal
What is the significance of the train's route to the newlyweds?
It's a symbol of their journey together
How does the negro porter interact with the newlyweds?
He is subtly bullying and superior
What is the atmosphere of the train's coach?
Elegant and luxurious
How do the other travelers react to the newlyweds?
They are amused and slightly scornful
Study Notes
The Journey of the Newly Married Couple
- The Pullman train is moving with dignity, and the plains of Texas seem to be pouring eastward from the window.
- A newly married couple boards the coach at San Antonio, consisting of a man with a reddened face and brick-colored hands, and a bride who is not pretty or young, wearing a blue cashmere dress.
The Couple's Characteristics
- The man is conscious of his new black clothes, constantly performing with his hands, and has a respectful demeanor.
- The bride is shy, constantly twisting her head to regard her stiff, straight, and high puff sleeves, which embarrass her.
- The couple appears to be very happy, with the bride having cooked and expecting to cook dutifully.
The Couple's Experience on the Train
- The man asks the bride if she's ever been in a parlor-car before, and she replies that it's her first time, calling it "fine, ain't it?"
- The man explains that they'll go forward to the diner and get a big layout, a finest meal in the world, charging a dollar, which the bride finds expensive.
- The man explains to the bride about the trains, saying it's a thousand miles from one end of Texas to the other, and this train runs right across it, stopping only four times.
The Coach's Interior
- The coach has dazzling fittings, including sea-green figured velvet, shining brass, silver, and glass, and wood that gleams as darkly brilliant as the surface of a pool of oil.
- The bronze figure at one end of the coach holds a support for a separated chamber, and there are frescoes in olive and silver on the ceiling.
The Porter's Attitude
- The negro porter surveys the couple from afar with an amused and superior grin, sometimes bullying them with skill in ways that are not obvious to them.
- The porter's oppression goes unnoticed by the couple, who forget about the stares of derisive enjoyment from other travelers.
Analyze a descriptive passage from a literary work, set in the Texas plains. Identify themes, characters, and symbols in this vivid depiction of a train journey.
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