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| Salvatore |
Question 1
"I wonder if I can do it", is the author's opening comment of the story,
Salvatore'. What was the author unsure about? What does the conclusion of
the story prove?
Ans: Somerset Maugham seems doubtful of whether he can achieve the
impossible of generating interest in his readers to read about the events in
the life of an ordinary man. No heroics, no revenge, no quarrel only
unadulterated goodness. The author seemed unsure of capturing and sustaining
the attention of the readers during the narrative of an uneventful life lead
by an extraordinarily good man. His endeavours prove fruitful as he sketches a
picture of a man who remained true to his heart in the phase of all
adversities in life.
Maugham describes the life of Salvatore, from teenage to adulthood. He invites
our attention to a fifteen-year-old boy's lust for life. It can be any boy
living on a pristine island, reveling on the shimmering shore and amidst the
waves, watching the sunshine and birds in the sky.
We can also identify with the boy's sense of responsibility towards his
family, his teenage crush and the sadness of leaving his native island and his
lady love. What we may not be able to identify, is his calm acceptance of his
affliction, the rejection he faces in love life, and his lack of grudges
towards life or people who have hurt him.
It is the very best that makes him a hero in our eyes. It is Salvatore's
goodness that makes him one of the most memorable characters in English
literature. Apart from the character, the beautiful portrayal of the idyllic
island remains in our mind as a calm background, providing strength and
sustenance to the protagonist.
And yes! the writer has certainly been able to revert our attention throughout
the narration. In other words, he has fulfilled his intention of portraying a
picture that will linger in our memories for days to come.
Question 2
Discuss the theme of love and affection as depicted in the story
"Salvatore."
Ans: Salvatore is the main protagonist of Maugham's story.
The story is focused on Salvatore in all his lineaments. The character of
Salvatore evolves into an epitome of true love and goodness. Salvatore being
the eldest brother used to take care of his two younger brothers as a
responsible guardian. It is out of a sense of duty and love. He would not let
them venture too far in the sea. He would also dress them when they had to
climb the hot hill for the mid-day meal. Salvatore had a pleasing personality.
He had a pleasant word for everyone even he was assailed by terrible hardships
of life.
Salvatore fell madly in love with a pretty girl. They were affianced but they
couldn't marry till Salvatore had done his military service. When he became a
sailor in the navy he wept like a child. He felt dreadfully homesick and
parting from the girl was too much with him. When he came back home he was
happy to see his parents and brothers waiting for him on the jetty. As soon as
they met there was a great deal of kissing. Boundless was Salvatore's love for
his family, home and the girl he loved. When Salvatore was away as a sailor,
he used to write long passionate letters telling her how much he missed her
and how much he longed to see her. When he fell ill with rheumatism that made
him unfit for further service, his heart for he could go home and meet the
girl who was waiting anxiously for him. On coming back home from military
service the greatest shock which he had to experience in the whole of his life
was that he was rudely rejected by the girl he loved.
The mother of the girl told him brusquely that his daughter wouldn't marry a
man suffering from a disease. Salvatore was so broken hearted that he began to
weep on his mother's bosom. He was terribly unhappy but he didn't blame the
girl who refused to marry him. He was so passionately infatuated with the girl
that he had not the heart to say a hard word of the girl he had loved so well.
His smile was very sad and his had the look of a beaten dog. Salvatore got
married to Assunta and they had two sons. He worked laboriously to sustain his
family even though he was suffering terribly. He used to work hard in his
vineyard and spent the night catching the profitable cuttlefish. Salvatore was
a rich storehouse of affection to his children. He loved them with all his
heart and took delight in spending time with them. He brought them blown to
the beach to give them bath. He would dip them in water very tenderly. He
would laugh away his time with them and became a mother-substitute. Though he
was an ordinary fisherman he possessed nothing in the world except a quality
which in the rarest, most precious and the loveliest that anyone can have. It
was the quality of goodness, just goodness. It is the quality of goodness
tinged with the colour of greatness that shines through the character of
Salvatore.
Question 3
According to the author of the story, which one quality shone with a
radiance in Salvatore? Give reasons to support your answer.
Ans: Salvatore is the principal character in the story
"Salvatore." Salvatore is the son of a fisherman whose innocence, simplicity
and above all his purity of heart brings out his essential goodness. The
quality of goodness tend to invest him with an aura of greatness. Salvatore
has been depicted in the story as a responsible brother, a passionate lover
and a loving father. In fact he is a static character who remains the same
throughout the story. His outlook and personality don't suffer any material
change even if the events of the story evolve quite naturally.
Goodness is the quality which shines with a radiance in the character of
Salvatore. Outwardly his appearance doesn't evoke any emotion but
inwardly he is good at heart - a genuinely guileless man. When young he had a
pleasant face, a laughing mouth and care free eyes. The most significant thing
about his character is that Salvatore has great, emotional attachment to his
family. When he left to become a sailor in the navy he wept like a child. Far
away from home he was dreadfully homesick. He was missing his family and the
girl he loved. After his return from military service he met his family. When
he fell ill of some mysterious ailment, "he bore with the mute and
uncomprehending patience of a dog." His patience indeed is perennial. As a
passionate lover Salvatore is overtly sincere to the core. Despite all his
suffering he had a positive attitude to life. When he made a comeback from his
military service he was rejected by his lady love - the girl he loved. He felt
dejected. Broken-hearted he wept. Though terribly happy he didn't blame the
girl. He realized that a girl could not afford to marry a man who might not be
able to support her. "He never used harsh words for her." He accepted her
rejection in a spirit of stoic resignation.
So we see that Salvatore was a man of inherent goodness. His inherent goodness
is "the rarest, the most precious and the loveliest" quality which shone in
him with all its radiance and refulgence.
Question 4
How apt is the title of the story 'Salvatore'?
Ans: The title of the story 'Salvatore' by Somerset Maugham is
apt and appropriate. The title itself demonstrates the narrative art of the
writer. The plot of the story hinges on the life of Salvatore, the main
protagonist of the story. In fact Salvatore belongs to the common run of man
who is full of emotion, passion and compassion for others. The innate quality
of goodness brings out the best in him. The protagonist of the story is a
simple fisherman with an exceptional quality of goodness.
Salvatore's story as presented by the story writer - his life of suffering -
the little tragedies and comedies of life moves the reader with a feeling of
wonder. In fact he is a wonderful creation. He bears no malice or ill-with
against anyone around him. His attitude to life has always been positive and
compromising. Never does he resent. He knows how to accept everything with
stoicism. Even when he is jilted by the girl he loves, he doesn't blame the
girl; on the contrary he accepts the situation as the common lot of man. He
never complains against his illness of rheumatism which has assailed him. He
learns by experience how to fit in with hostile circumstances. The writer has
drawn the portrait of a man like Salvatore with a touch of realism. It is the
rarest and the most precious quality of goodness inherent in him, which lends
him a most crowning touch. Maugham thus seems to glorify the character of
Salvatore by naming the story after him.
Question 5
Critically analyze the short story 'Salvatore' by Maugham.
Ans: 'Salvatore' by Maugham is written in the style of a parable, which
aims to dictate a very important lesson of life. Initially hesitant of being
able to hold the attention of his readers, Maugham by the end of the story was
satisfied by his attempt to have etched the character of Salvatore, a man who
was blessed with the quality of "goodness, just goodness."
Maugham chose a simple narrative to describe the very ordinary life and
circumstances of the protagonist, Salvatore, an Italian fisherman. In a
chronological progression, the writer has sketched a biography of Salvatore
with all the ups and downs of a normal human life. Nothing fantastical or
intriguing, Salvatore's life could be a mirror of our own. Family
responsibilities, falling in love, a broken heart and acceptance of reality,
all of them are markers of Salvatore's uneventful life.
Yet, he is different from the rest of us and this is distinctively brought out
in all the trials of his life. His stoic acceptance in the phase of the
challenges in life is what sets him apart from others. His ethics and
righteousness always helped him make the decision that served him well in the
long term.
Salvatore never dwells in self-pity. Though his life never worked according to
his plans yet he lived it to the fullest due to the strength of his character.
He did not sit over the rejection of the girl he loved and moved on in life to
marry Assunta, who was elder to him and not as beautiful as the girl he loved,
but Assunta loved him and that was enough. By adjusting to situations and
nurturing his goodness every time, he was able to enjoy life and make the most
out of it. By the end of the almost fairytale-like narrative without the magic
or unrealism they are normally served with, Maugham told us the life and times
of a man who held on to his goodness and made the most out of the cards that
were dealt with him. Maugham holds Salvatore as an example of pure radiance
and selflessness and as someone who should be emulated in dealing with the
trials and tribulations of life.
Question 6
What qualities of Salvatore did the author admire?
Ans: W. Somerset Maugham created a character who is too good to be
true. Such people are difficult to find and through the literary style of the
parable, Maugham dictates a lesson on the goodness to his readers. He admired
the protagonist's goodness through the various incidents that had occurred in
his life. The story begins with the author describing the simple life that
Salvatore lived and aspired for. He wished to work hard as a fisherman and
marry his sweetheart.
Life offered Salvatore a rude shock in the form of the chronic illness that he
acquired while serving in the army in China. Despite suffering from physical
ailments. Salvatore saw the brighter side of the things. He never relinquished
hope for better things in his life and this is admired by the author.
Salvatore was a responsible man. He took care of his younger brothers and was
a responsible father to his kids. He loved them and provided them with gentle
care. He may have been vulnerable to emotions yet he wasn't overwhelmed by
them. He was a man who loved unconditionally. The rejection of his sweetheart
and her refusal to marry him does not evoke any harsh response from him. He
wished her well in life and decided to move on. His innate goodness and good
manners allowed him to live a contented married life with Assunta.
He was modest and did not wish to have accolades heaped on him. He was
self-sufficient and was not afraid of hard work. He worked in the vineyards as
well as a fisherman to support his family. He hoped to provide support to the
family and did not shy away from the toil, despite his illness.
The author appreciated and admired all these qualities of Salvatore and
considered them as his strengths which allow him to rise from the ordinary and
hold the attention of many readers. His goodness, just goodness made him an
extraordinary human being in the eyes of the writer.
Question 7
Whom did Salvatore agree to marry and why?
Ans: Salvatore wished to marry his childhood sweetheart, but she later
refused to marry him as he had acquired a chronic illness which rendered him
weak and unable to provide her a comfortable. Salvatore was dejected by the
refusal but wished the lady well and decided to move on in his life. When his
mother proposed to him the idea of marrying Assunta, Salvatore did not
hesitate to move ahead in his life. He may not have liked Assunta initially
and called her an 'ugly woman but he was aware of her feelings for him.
Dejected in love himself, he understood the pain unrequited love carries and
agreed to marry her.
On the other side, Assunta brought with her the prospect of financial
security. She had two vineyards that he could take care of His parents
approved of the alliance and Salvatore couldn't ask for anything more to move
on in his life. Salvatore was complacent and desired a simple life. Thus,
Assunta fitted into the scheme of his life and marrying her worked for him
well.
Question 8
With reference to the story "Salvatore' elucidate how Salvatore contracted
the chronic illness? What was its impact on his life?
Ans: Salvatore had a simple life. Born into a family of fishermen, he
was destined to follow them in their footsteps. However, life for Salvatore
wasn't simple as he embarks on a journey to hold onto his goodness in the face
of adversities in life.
He was conscripted in the naval force of King Victor Emmanuel. It was an
obligation that he could not escape before he settled down. Salvatore was sad
to leave his home and life behind, yet he took the prospects of his new life
in his stride, awaiting his return to his fiancée.
Salvatore, in the course of his army routine, reached China, where he was
afflicted by a debilitating disease and had to be admitted to a hospital in
the distant country. Salvatore had contracted a virulent strain of rheumatism
and was advised to avoid heavy manual work for the rest of his life. The
disease was a blow to Salvatore that brought manifold changes in his life.
Salvatore, the pragmatic and optimistic man, refused to brood over his
misfortunes of ill health and instead considered this disease to be a
harbinger of relief from the duties of the army. He was a home-sick and
love-sick young man and yearned to go back to his native land. The prospect of
meeting his love and starting a new life with her had made him ecstatic to the
point of ignoring the chronic illness he had contacted.
However, Salvatore's happiness was short-lived. Upon returning, he realized
the changes that rheumatism would bring to his life. Salvatore's fiancée
refused to accept him as he was crippled and could not work hard enough to
earn a living. She stood by her family's unanimous decision to marry someone
else who would be fit to be the bread earner of the family.
Salvatore was heartbroken and wept in his mother's bosom' but he was not
bitter and held no grudges against the girl for not marrying him. He moved on
with his life and married Assunta, a woman older to him and in his words,
'ugly, but she loved him and offered him the happiness of domesticity.
Question 9
Describe Salvatore's life after he married Assunta. What was their
relationship like?
Ans: Salvatore married a young woman named Assunta. Though she was
elder to him and, according to Salvatore, ugly, yet he agreed to marry her
because he realized that she loved him. Having suffered the pangs of
heartbreak himself, he did not wish Assunta the same. Moreover, his mother
informed him of the money that she would bring along with her after the
marriage which could ease their life.
After marriage, Salvatore gave himself completely to the domestic way of life.
With the money brought by Assunta, they bought a fishing boat and rented a
vineyard. They lived in a tiny white-washed cottage in the middle of their
vineyard. Assunta was a good woman who took care of her husband well.
Salvatore lived the life of a hard-working fisherman; he went for fishing and
sold the catch to earn his livelihood. On days he could not go fishing, he
worked in the vineyard from dawn to dusk, with a short break in the afternoon.
Salvatore wasn't completely free from his chronic illness. Rheumatism often
returned to harangue him, making it very hard for him to work. He would then
lie on the beach, smoking cigarettes and gazing at the sea. Assunta bore him
two sons and he was a doting father to them, spending quality time with them
on the beach.
Salvatore's relationship with Assunta developed after marriage. He might have
not loved her but he definitely began to respect her for the care and love she
provided to him.
Question 10
Salvatore's "goodness, just goodness" was admired by the author. Why?
Ans: W. Somerset Maugham created a character who is too good to be
true. Such people are difficult to find and through the literary style of the
parable, Maugham dictates a lesson on the goodness to his readers. He admired
the protagonist's goodness through the various incidents that had occurred in
his life. The story begins with the author describing the simple life that
Salvatore lived and aspired for. He wished to work hard as a fisherman and
marry his sweetheart.
Life offered Salvatore a rude shock in the form of the chronic illness that he
acquired while serving in the army in China. Despite suffering from physical
ailments, Salvatore saw the brighter side of things. He never relinquished
hope for better things in his life and this is admired by the author.
Salvatore was a responsible man. He took care of his younger brothers and was
a responsible father to his kids. He loved them and provided them with gentle
care. He may have been vulnerable to emotions yet he wasn't overwhelmed by
them. He was a man who loved unconditionally. The rejection of his sweetheart
and her refusal to marry him did not evoke any harsh response from him. He
wished her well in life and decided to move on. His innate goodness and good
manners allowed him to live a contented married life with Assunta.
He was modest and did not wish to have accolades heaped on him. He was
self-sufficient and was not afraid of hard work. He worked in the vineyards as
well as a fisherman to support his family. He hoped to provide support to the
family and did not shy away from the toil, despite his illness.
The author appreciated and admired all these qualities of Salvatore and
considered them as his strengths which allow him to rise from the ordinary and
hold the attention of many readers. His goodness, just goodness' made him an
extraordinary human being in the eyes of the writer.
What do you think about Salvatore's character? Comment Below!
