0
Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #1
The protagonist, Philip, who was born with a club foot, moved in with his uncle Mr. Carey, the Vicar of Blackstable after his mother's death.
He dropped out of King's School at Tercanbury, came to Germany, and stays at the Frau Professor Erlin's lodging house with several guests.
...........................
It occurred neither to Hayward nor to Weeks that the conversations which helped them to pass an idle evening were being turned over afterwards in Philip's active brain. It had never struck him before that religion was a matter upon which discussion was possible. To him it meant the Church of England, and not to believe in its tenets was a sign of wilfulness which could not fail of punishment here or hereafter. There was some doubt in his mind about the chastisement of unbelievers. It was possible that a merciful judge, reserving the flames of hell for the heathen--Mahommedans, Buddhists, and the rest--would spare Dissenters and Roman Catholics (though at the cost of how much humiliation when they were made to realise their error!), and it was also possible that He would be pitiful to those who had had no chance of learning the truth,--this was reasonable enough, though such were the activities of the Missionary Society there could not be many in this condition--but if the chance had been theirs and they had neglected it (in which category were obviously Roman Catholics and Dissenters), the punishment was sure and merited. It was clear that the miscreant was in a parlous state. Perhaps Philip had not been taught it in so many words, but certainly the impression had been given him that only members of the Church of England had any real hope of eternal happiness.
[Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham]
1. I think "reserving" indicates the future thing.
So I was wondering why it is "reserving," not "to reserve/ being reserving."
2. Here the judge is the heathen.
So I was wondering how would the heathen spare Dissenters and Roman Catholics.
3. And I'd like to know if "such" is fronted.
Thank you in advance for your help.
He dropped out of King's School at Tercanbury, came to Germany, and stays at the Frau Professor Erlin's lodging house with several guests.
...........................
It occurred neither to Hayward nor to Weeks that the conversations which helped them to pass an idle evening were being turned over afterwards in Philip's active brain. It had never struck him before that religion was a matter upon which discussion was possible. To him it meant the Church of England, and not to believe in its tenets was a sign of wilfulness which could not fail of punishment here or hereafter. There was some doubt in his mind about the chastisement of unbelievers. It was possible that a merciful judge, reserving the flames of hell for the heathen--Mahommedans, Buddhists, and the rest--would spare Dissenters and Roman Catholics (though at the cost of how much humiliation when they were made to realise their error!), and it was also possible that He would be pitiful to those who had had no chance of learning the truth,--this was reasonable enough, though such were the activities of the Missionary Society there could not be many in this condition--but if the chance had been theirs and they had neglected it (in which category were obviously Roman Catholics and Dissenters), the punishment was sure and merited. It was clear that the miscreant was in a parlous state. Perhaps Philip had not been taught it in so many words, but certainly the impression had been given him that only members of the Church of England had any real hope of eternal happiness.
[Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham]
1. I think "reserving" indicates the future thing.
So I was wondering why it is "reserving," not "to reserve/ being reserving."
2. Here the judge is the heathen.
So I was wondering how would the heathen spare Dissenters and Roman Catholics.
3. And I'd like to know if "such" is fronted.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
1. "reserving" is a participle used adjectivally; it does not have a "tense" of its own. The containing clause, "a merciful judge ...
- 1.
- "reserving" is a participle used adjectivally; it does not have a "tense" of its own.
- The containing clause, "a merciful judge ...
- would spare Dissenters", refers to an imagined situation.
- 2.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
1. "reserving" is a participle used adjectivally; it does not have a "tense" of its own. The containing clause, "a merciful judge ... would spare Dissenters", refers to an imagined situation.
2. The judge is not the heathen. The heathens are "Mahommedans, Buddhists, and the rest".
3. Yes, it is an inversion of "the activities of the Missionary Society were such (that) the
2. The judge is not the heathen. The heathens are "Mahommedans, Buddhists, and the rest".
3. Yes, it is an inversion of "the activities of the Missionary Society were such (that) the
00
Thank you, GPY, for your So very helpful answer. 
2. Then, I'd like to know if "the judge" refers to *** like being.
2. Then, I'd like to know if "the judge" refers to *** like being.
00
park sang joon2. Then, I'd like to know if "the judge" refers to *** like being.Yes. Specifically, he is referring to "his ***", i.e. the "Church of England ***".
0
Related Questions