How It Happened, Aditya j, Aditya r, Kanish, Malvika

8/9/2019 How It Happened, Aditya j, Aditya r, Kanish, Malvika

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How it Happened

Short story presentationAditya JainAditya RanganathanKanish ShahMalvika Rathod


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SummarySummaryLate at night a middle aged man decided to drive his own thirty-horse- power robur car.

He decides to test this car and asks his chauffer to sit on the nextseat, even after the chauffer warned him as he wasnt sure whether

his master could manage this car.They come across a lot of twists and turns and eventually this leadsto the death of both the loyal chauffer and the owner.

The owner is then welcomed to heaven by his role model Stanley. Theman he always admired. And to an extent the owner cant realize he is

dead. He is reassured when Stanley informs him.


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Explaining the titleExplaining the titleExplaining the title:

The title suits the story and gives a very mysterious effect. It gives atouch to the story, that makes the reader want to read on. Thewhole story is linked to the title How It Happened and explains

every bit of the incident.

From the starting of the short story, Arthur Conan Doyle (theauthor) uses great sequence of words and sentences to explain whathappened in a particular incident.


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ContinuationContinuationI think the most important element supporting the story would be

the plot. The plot explains the sequence of events that are veryessential to explain the setting, characters and theme.

The strong plot explains the setting very well.The character descriptions aren't very important and dont effect thestory to much.The setting is fairly important and effects the story, as the mainconflict is related to the setting.The theme is very strong as the main idea of the story is left on the

reader to decide


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Predominant element of the storyPredominant element of the storyI think the most important element supporting the story would bethe plot.

The plot explains the sequence of events that are very essentialto explain the setting, characters and theme. The strong plotexplains the setting very well.The character descriptions aren't very important and dont effectthe story to much.The setting is fairly important and effects the story, as the mainconflict is related to the setting.The theme is very strong as the main idea of the story is left onthe reader to decide


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Main character, conflictMain character, conflictThe main character is the narrator. The story is focused on himand his actions lead to the conflict.The narrator has to take decisions and try to solve the conflict(man vs. fate) (man vs. machine)

The conflict: Internal and External

The narrator has to try to solve the conflict with the car.(external)He can flee the car by jumping out, but he decides to stay andtry his luck with fate. He fights his fear and stays in the car(internal)


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Climax/High pointClimax/High point

The narrator had a brand new carwhich met him at the station withPerkins at the wheel.

The narrator sat at the wheel to

drive the car home. The mechanismof the new car was different from

the old so the narrator had to

master that mechanism.Things went well till the narrator

went to a hill where the troublebegan.


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Continuation of climax/high pointContinuation of climax/high point

The car went down the slope withgreat speed.

There were trouble-some moments at

three corners and then finally the carcrashed landed into the right handpillar of the narrators gate.


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Close of the story/Falling actionClose of the story/Falling action The new car with the narrator at the wheel and Perkinsbeside him went smoothly at first, things went wrongwhen they had to negotiate the hills to reach thenarrators home at the foot of the hill, the car stuckbetween gears.

It was then speeding at a great rate, the car sped alongand banged into the gate of the narrator who becameunconscious, later in this condition the narrator becameaware of his existence


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Continuation of fallingContinuation of falling

actionaction

He saw his college friend Stanley standing nearbyto help him get up.

After this we learn that Stanley had died in theBoer war and we realize that the narrator himself

had gone in the Land Of Sleep.


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MoodMood

This story creates a mood ofsurprise,thoughts, and a shock.

All along we think that the narrator is aliving person.

The appearance of Stanley makes usfeel that help will be given to the narrator

and he will survive the crash but there

comes a surprise and a shock when weread that Stanley had died years ago and

the narrator too was dead.

I it R li ti T tt t t


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Is it Realistic or True tos t ea st c or rue toLife?Life?

This story is true to life. A new car needs to

be carefully studied because the mechanismwould be different from the old car.

In this story, the narrator was fond of thegears of the old car and not the new car.

The narrator made the greatest mistake bythinking that it was not difficult to master

the new car.It was also a foolish thing to learn a new

mechanism in the dark for the net result isdisaster as it happened with the narrator

and he lost his life.


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This story is a lesson to all youngsters not tobe foolish and overconfident while driving

new cars.There should never be a desperate hurry in

mastering the mechanism of a new car. It iswiser to learn slowly and calmly at a propertime.

Due to such foolishness youngsters pose athreat to everyone and to themselves andloose their precious lives.


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FLASHBACKFLASHBACK

This story has a flashback as the narrator says that heremembers something that happened oneevening and others were like broken dreams. It is arecollection of a dead man.

This story is a short story and not a

condensation or a excerpt. It is also not

taken from any collection of stories.


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The perspective the story is told from is the masters point of view,though this is not completely clear till the second last paragraph.

The importance of this is that it was the masters decision to drivethe car in the dark as well as not jump out of the car for safety.

If it was from the Chauffeurs point of view, the feelings ofhelplessness, loyalty and/or lack of influence and power.


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The primary action is when the brakes of thecar stop working.This is because this action is the beginning of

the conflict.This occurs just at the brow of Claystill Hill.This is debatable, as the primary action may

be the decision of the protagonist deciding todrive the car. The reason I feel that this isminor as that this action doesnt directly leadto the conflict. This action occurs just beforethe two characters enter the car in London


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Time settingTime setting

The time setting in this story is London in the 1910s.This time setting is usually portrayed as a very grey,drab, cold and utterly boring place in history. This maybe because of the war; WW1 was going on at this time,though I think this had less effect on the setting.Analyzing the story, logically, I could not be winter asthere would be snow and they wouldnt drive. If it wassummer, the author would have given some

characteristics. Hence, I think it was spring or autumn.The time of day is almost midnight. They commence the

journey at eleven thirty but what time the crashhappened was not specified. The distance (five miles) soit could not be very long.


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Duration of storyDuration of story

The story covers less than half an hour.However it is not specified how much time

elapsed after the crash when the twocharacters wake up.


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How the story starts and initialHow the story starts and initial

incidentincident

The story is a flashback, where thenarrator is telling a story of his past whichhe remembers clearly.

At that time, it is around eleven thirty.Then the master takes the decision to

drive the car himself as it is new and he

wants to try it out.


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Rising actionRising actionI think there are two rising actions in this

story.The first it when the master, who is

driving the car, cannot change gears andwhen he tries to brake the car, both of thebrakes break!

At this point the car is going out of controlat an extremely high speed.

This is the first rising action.


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Rising Action- continuationRising Action- continuation

The second rising action is much briefer.This occurs after the crash where the

reader if quite confused exactly whathappened.

The rising action is caused by the sight of

Stanley who had died in a war.This, again, builds up to the climax whereStanley says tells the protagonist is deadas well.

Personally, I believe this rising action is

much more effective. Though it is briefer, Ifeel it is better.


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ThemeTheme The theme would be Ego overpowering

common sense. Loyalty of an employee towards his

employer-displayed by chauffer. Person narrating his own death in a

euphemistic way.


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Underlying themeUnderlying theme

Common sense is not too common.


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Identification of charactersIdentification of characters

As a person, I tend to make foolishmistakes which I already know that I willbe unable to accomplish.

People often fool themselves just tosatisfy their conscience.Overexcitement as well as overconfidence

leads to drastic results.


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SymbolismSymbolism The glaring headlights of the car

symbolizes imminent death and feelingsof fear.

shadow of oaks symbolic of showingthat the author is in heaven.Mentioning of stanley symbolizes god

like figure.


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Incongruity.Incongruity.

The car and its owner.The author was incompatible with the car.The chauffer was a better driver to the

same car.


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SuspenseSuspense

Builds suspense by describing every minordetail.

Giving us hope throughout the story.

Suspense ending.


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IronyIrony

The author is incompatible with his owncar.His own car brings him to death.Drivers on passengers seat and owner is

on drivers seat.Perkins survived the crash while his

employer died. ( the driver generally facesdeath)


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SatireSatire

The setting is in London and English menare generally not very good drivers.

Admitting ones mistake especially a manis too hard to digest.


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Dynamic Character/heroDynamic Character/hero

The author could be a dynamic character.First making the foolish mistake of actually

driving the car he was not very familiar with.Not listening to the chauffers advice but later

admitting his mistake when its too late.Arrogance-regret.Perkins is the hero for risking his life for his

master.


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Figures of speechFigures of speech-I remember some thingsand others like some vague broken dreams simile.

- The wheels were whirring like a high wind ( Simile) and the bodycreeking and groaning with the strain. (Onomatopoeia.)

- I remember thinking what an awful and yet majestic sight .(Antithesis)

- We were just a great, roaring, golden death . (Personification)

-


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The words seem to choke my throat Personification.

He looked at me with the same, old,gentle, wistful smile (Synonymia)

I remember asking Perkins, .., how shehad gone (Personification)

Perkins behaved splendidly.(Understatement)


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Impression for the readerImpression for the readerLeaves the reader with a sense of shock

after giving them so much hope.

Readers impression of perkins is that of ahero and the authors impression issomeone who is arrogant and rebellious.


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Personality traitsPersonality traits

Perkins: loyalty/kindness/politness/caring

he allowed the author to drive the car eventhough he knew the author didnt know

how to.Later he asks the owner to jump off asbeing caring. When the owner decided tostay in he showed his loyalty by staying

in,


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Author- arrogant/ rebellious/ risktaker/egoistic.

Drove a car he couldnt really drive, in thedark, without much experience.

Stayed in even when the chauffer askedhim to jump as he thought he would makeit inspite of the high level of risk involved.

Showing his arrogance.


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Stanley- humble/polite/ role model/ godlike figure.

( invited author to heaven)Car- weird/murderer/stubborn.(personification of the car)


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MoralMoralThis story has a strong moral :Never be over ambitious when it comes to

your life.

Sometimes your own ego can kill you.


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Authors IntentionAuthors IntentionThe authors intention to warn all the

people who let their ego over power theircommon sense.

That sometimes such foolish mistakes canlead to big losses.

Documents

How It Happened, Aditya j, Aditya r, Kanish, Malvika