The Prince and the Pauper
by Mark Twain
CHAPTER 2-3
BY RON CHEN
Chapter 2: Question 1
 What does offal mean? How does Twain’s use of this word in naming where Tom Canty lives fit
Canty’s situation?
Offal means “Waste parts, especially of a butchered animal.”
“"The streets were very narrow, and crooked, and dirty, especially in the part where Tom
Canty lived, which was not far from London Bridge."Page:2 p:1
"The house which Tom's father lived in was up a foul little pocket called Offal Court, out of
Pudding Lane. It was small, decayed and rickety, but it was packed full of wretchedly
poor families." Page:2 p:2
"All Offal Court was just such another hive as Canty's house. Drunkenness, riot and brawling
were the order, there, every night and nearly all night long." Page:3 p:1
Question 2
How can reading affect someone’s personality? How can reading take a person beyond their station
in life? How does reading forget Tom’s personality?
Reading takes you into a different world “imaginary world” which increases you
vocabulary, gives you ideas, makes you smarter and helps you to understand life
better. As Tom read it helped him more and more to become a prince, but Tom realized
that to be a prince is not a easy job and he had to keep studying and learning as
always.
Question 3
What kinds of "escapes" do people resort to today? How do they affect their outlook on their world?
What is Tom's escape? How does it affect his outlook?
Today people use more of dangerous escapes that you can't return back to the
place you were before. People Drink alcohol, clubbing, smoke drugs, suicide to
get away with their problems. Although people also do useful things to escape
their problems, talk to a friend, go to sleep (dream), go somewhere alone,
sports, eating, shopping, reading, listen to music and watch T.V. This escapes
sometimes helps people to cheer up their life because they feel their life is
falling apart but sometimes they overstress and they cant come back to their
normal life.
Tom's escape was his dreams. Every night he dreamed something that he would
really like to stay with but he had realized on every morning that everything
was a dream, so he felt forlorn and tears dropped upon his face.
Chapter 3: Question 1
What are Some Similarities Between Tom’s and Edward’s? What is Twains Purpose in Highlighting
these?
Tom and Edward both want to change their life but when it comes to switching
their life and living each other’s life they want to go back to their normal
everyday life. Their life is similar because they both get their punishment but in
different ways. Mark Twain is trying to highlight that people should realize
what they have and they should be happy with it and not take everything as
obvious and just respect your life and be happy with the least you have.
Question 2
Why is Edward so excited about Tom's life? What makes it appealing to him?
When Edward was in the room with Tom Edward told Tom that his life is better
than a prince life because prince isn’t allowed to do what a pauper can do or
even do anything a normal person can do. He wanted to play in the mad have
fun with his friends and never study.
Edward has a life of royalty and has to take responsibility of many things
around him. He is not able to play in the mud climb trees and have fun with
friends. All he has to do is learn study and think what is he going to do next. He
wants to be someone else like Tom Canty who can do what he wants and what
he wishes to do as a child's life.
Question 3
What is the divine right of kings? Why is it ironic, then, that the guard mistakes
Edward for the pauper Tom?
When you are a king or a queen no one can touch you or is allowed to even get
their hands close to you. It will be ironic if someone will touch them because it
isn’t something that is supposed to happen but it happens. When Tom is
shouting out loud that his the Prince of Whales no one believes him because he
wasent dresses like any prince or talking like one but it was ironic because no
one believed him and everyone laughed.
Vocabulary
Stealthily: Acting with quite, caution, and secrecy intended to avoid notice.
Mendicancy: People who work or beg for their living.
Stringent:
Lament: A feeling or an expression of sorrow.
Forlorn: Appearing sad or lonely because deserted or abandoned.
Cuffing: A fold used as trimming at the bottom of a sleeve.
Obeisance: A gesture or movement of the body, such as a curtsy, that expresses
deference.
Sordidness: Dirty, disgusting.
Anachronism: The representation of someone as existing or something as
happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order.
Drawing
Translating Sentences
1. "Thy pardon, I had not meant to laugh. But thy good Nan and thy Bet shall have
raiment and lackeys enow, and that soon too; my cofferer shall look to it. No,
thank me not; 'tis nothing. Thou speakest well; thou has an easy grace in it. Art
learned?"
Your pardon, I didn’t mean to laugh. But your good sister Bet shall have cloth
and servants amidiatly, and that soon too; My treasurer shall look to it. No,
you don’t need to thank me; it is nothing. You speak well;
Translating Sentences
2. " Marry, that would not I mislike. Tell me more!"
Oh, I would like to hear tell me more!
Translating Sentences
3. "Oh, prithee say no more; 'tis glorious! If that I could but clothe me in rainment
like to thine, and strip my feet, and revel in the mud once, just once, with none
to rebuke me or forbid, meseemeth I could forgo the crown!"
Oh I beg don’t say anymore; It is glorious! If that I could just wear dirty cloth
all day and feet in the mud for once with none forbid, and give the crown.
Translating Sentences
4. "Oh, wouldst like it? Then so shall it be. Doff thy rags and don these splendors,
lad! It is a brief happiness, but will be not less keen for that. We will have it
while we may, and change again before any come to molest."
Translating Sentences
5. The soldiers presented arms with their halberds, opened the gates, and
presented again as the little Prince of Poverty passed in, in hi fluttering rags, to
join hands with the Prince of Limitless Plenty.“
The soldiers showed their arms with their weapons, opened the gates, and showed
again as the little Prince Tom Joined Edward.