I Think He Died for Me She Answered

”I Think He Died for Me, ” She Answered GUIDED ANALYSIS MILLENNIUM 2 P. 189

1. Read the first paragraph. • From the opening of the passage we realise how much Gabriel is attracted to Gretta: quote. • “trembling with delight at her sudden kiss …. put his hands on her hair and began smoothing it back. . with his fingers” (ll. 1 – 3); • His heart was brimming over with happiness” (ll. 3 – 4); • “the impetuous desire that was in him” (l. 6). 2. Consider the rest of the passage a. What is the reason for Gretta’s tears? The memory of a young boy she knew when she was a girl and was at her grandmother’s house in Galway, Michael Fury, the boy, aged 17, worked in the gasworks and died of consumption just a few days after going out at night in the snow to see her once again before her departure. This makes Gretta say he died for me. b. Gabriel looks at himself twice in two different ways: quote the lines and say how he sees himself. • In lines 18 – 21 he happens to catch sight of his own image in the mirror and he seems to be proud of his good looks but also perplexed at the expression of his face. • In lines 59 – 62, instead, he sees himself as a foolish, ridiculous, vain, sentimental and selfish man, afraid of the comparison Gretta might have made between him and the memory of Michael Fury.

Match each emotion with the corresponding colour 3. Focus on characterization. The expressions that indicate Gabriel’s emotions have been highlighted for you in the text: § anger • “The smile passed away from Gabriel’s face … angrily in his veins” (ll. 30 -32); • jealousy • “ Gabriel was silent. He did not wish her to think that he was interested in this delicate boy” (ll. 36 – 37); • “O then, you were in love with him? ” said Gabriel” (l. 40); • “Perhaps that was why you wanted to Galway with that Ivors girl” he said coldly (ll. 43 – 44); • “How do I know? To see him perhaps” (l. 48). • § respect “Gabriel held her hand … shy of intruding on her grief … walked quietly to the window” (ll. 110 – 112);

• • • § humiliation “Her eyes made Gabriel feel awkward” (l. 47); Gabriel felt humiliated by the failure of his irony “ (l. 55); “a shameful consciousness of his own person …a ludicrous figure” (l. 58 -59); “Instinctively he turned his back more to the light…. the shame that burned upon his forehead” (ll. 62 – 63); “his voice when he spoke was humble and indifferent” (ll. 64 – 65). § terror “A vague terror seized Gabriel … gathering forces against him in its vague world” (ll. 73 – 75). § tenderness “put his hands on her hair and began smoothing it back … with his fingers” (ll. 2 -3); “A kinder note than he had inended went into his voice (l. 24); “caressed one of her hands and said, also sadly” (ll 69 -70); “he continued to caress it just as he had caressed her first letter … morning” (ll. 78 – 79).

4. Personal response. • What interpretation do you give of Gabriel’s contrasting feelings? What do they tell us about his personality? • Gabriel’s different reactions reveal that he is a sensitive man who, after a first reaction of anger and jealousy, becomes tender and steps back not to intrude on Gretta’s feelings.