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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #1
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He is an apprentice for the lawyer Mr. Spenlow.
He and Mr. Spenlow's only daughter fell in love with each other.
On his arriving at his office one Saturday morning, the day before when Mr. Spenlow discovered his daughter's love affair, he heard that Mr. Spenlow has died last night.
.............................
I cannot describe the state of mind into which I was thrown by this intelligence. The shock of such an event happening so suddenly, and happening to one with whom I had been in any respect at variance - the appalling vacancy in the room he had occupied so lately, where his chair and table seemed to wait for him, and his handwriting of yesterday was like a ghost - the in- definable impossibility of separating him from the place, and feeling, when the door opened, as if he might come in - the lazy hush and rest there was in the office, and the insatiable relish with which our people talked about it, and other people came in and out all day, and gorged themselves with the subject - this is easily intelligible to anyone. What I cannot describe is, how, in the innermost recesses of my own heart, I had a lurking jealousy even of Death. How I felt as if its might would push me from my ground in Dora's thoughts. How I was, in a grudging way I have no words for, envious of her grief. How it made me restless to think of her weeping to others, or being consoled by others. How I had a grasping, avaricious wish to shut out everybody from her but myself, and to be all in all to her, at that unseasonable time of all times.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know if "happening" means "having happened."
1. I'd like to know if "where" introduces the whole bold clauses.
3. I'd like to know if the underlined noun phrases are in apposition to "this."
4. And I'd like to what "to be all in all to her" means
Thank you in advance for your help.
He is an apprentice for the lawyer Mr. Spenlow.
He and Mr. Spenlow's only daughter fell in love with each other.
On his arriving at his office one Saturday morning, the day before when Mr. Spenlow discovered his daughter's love affair, he heard that Mr. Spenlow has died last night.
.............................
I cannot describe the state of mind into which I was thrown by this intelligence. The shock of such an event happening so suddenly, and happening to one with whom I had been in any respect at variance - the appalling vacancy in the room he had occupied so lately, where his chair and table seemed to wait for him, and his handwriting of yesterday was like a ghost - the in- definable impossibility of separating him from the place, and feeling, when the door opened, as if he might come in - the lazy hush and rest there was in the office, and the insatiable relish with which our people talked about it, and other people came in and out all day, and gorged themselves with the subject - this is easily intelligible to anyone. What I cannot describe is, how, in the innermost recesses of my own heart, I had a lurking jealousy even of Death. How I felt as if its might would push me from my ground in Dora's thoughts. How I was, in a grudging way I have no words for, envious of her grief. How it made me restless to think of her weeping to others, or being consoled by others. How I had a grasping, avaricious wish to shut out everybody from her but myself, and to be all in all to her, at that unseasonable time of all times.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know if "happening" means "having happened."
1. I'd like to know if "where" introduces the whole bold clauses.
3. I'd like to know if the underlined noun phrases are in apposition to "this."
4. And I'd like to what "to be all in all to her" means
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
park sang joon 1. " I suppose you could look at it that way. We automatically interpret a present participle in the tense that prevails in the sentence.
- park sang joon 1.
- " I suppose you could look at it that way.
- We automatically interpret a present participle in the tense that prevails in the sentence.
- park sang joon 1.
- 2.
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3 Answers
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park sang joon1. I'd like to know if "happening" means "having happened."I suppose you could look at it that way. We automatically interpret a present participle in the tense that prevails in the sentence.
park sang joon1.2. I'd like to know if "where" introduces the whole bold cl
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Thank you, CalifJim, for your so very helpful answer. 
I cannot describe the state of mind into which I was thrown by this
I cannot describe the state of mind into which I was thrown by this
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park sang joonnoun phrasesAll of it, from "The shock of such an event" to "gorged themselves with the subject", is summarized by "this". They are all descriptive phrases, and the author has no intention of putting them into a coherent sentence. This lack of coherence is meant to mimic the lack of coherence he feels at the
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