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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #3
The narrator recalls his childhood, now of his early time in Salem House, the boarding school near London.
Steerforth is his senior.
Mr. Creakle is the owner and Tungay is his pawn.
They make a tour of school rooms at morning.
When this dreadful exordium was over, and Tungay had stumped out again, Mr.Creakle came to where I sat, and told me that if I were famous for biting, he was famous for biting too. He then showed me the cane, and asked me what I thought of that, for a tooth? Was it a sharp tooth. hey? Was it a double tooth, hey? Had it a deep prong, hey? Did it bit, hey? Did it bite? At every question he gave me a fleshy cut with it that made me write; so I was very soon made free of Salem House (as Steerforth said), and was very soon in tears also.
Not that I mean to say these were special marks of distinction, which only I received. On the contrary, a large majority of the boys (especially the smaller ones) were visited with similar instances of notice, as Mr. Creakle made the round of schoolroom. Half the establishment was writhing and crying before the day's work began, and how much of it had writhed and cried before the day's work was over, I am really afraid to recollect, lest should seem to exaggerate.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know "Salem House" means "Mr. Creakle."
I think "the establishment" and "it" refer to "the school."
If so, I was wondering how a school can writhe and cry.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Steerforth is his senior.
Mr. Creakle is the owner and Tungay is his pawn.
They make a tour of school rooms at morning.
When this dreadful exordium was over, and Tungay had stumped out again, Mr.Creakle came to where I sat, and told me that if I were famous for biting, he was famous for biting too. He then showed me the cane, and asked me what I thought of that, for a tooth? Was it a sharp tooth. hey? Was it a double tooth, hey? Had it a deep prong, hey? Did it bit, hey? Did it bite? At every question he gave me a fleshy cut with it that made me write; so I was very soon made free of Salem House (as Steerforth said), and was very soon in tears also.
Not that I mean to say these were special marks of distinction, which only I received. On the contrary, a large majority of the boys (especially the smaller ones) were visited with similar instances of notice, as Mr. Creakle made the round of schoolroom. Half the establishment was writhing and crying before the day's work began, and how much of it had writhed and cried before the day's work was over, I am really afraid to recollect, lest should seem to exaggerate.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
I'd like to know "Salem House" means "Mr. Creakle."
I think "the establishment" and "it" refer to "the school."
If so, I was wondering how a school can writhe and cry.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
From your statement, Salem House is the boarding school itself (not a person). By "establishment," he means all the students who make up the school. So half of them had been beaten and are crying.
- From your statement, Salem House is the boarding school itself (not a person).
- By "establishment," he means all the students who make up the school.
- So half of them had been beaten and are crying.
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3 Answers
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From your statement, Salem House is the boarding school itself (not a person).
By "establishment," he means all the students who make up the school. So half of them had been beaten and are crying.
By "establishment," he means all the students who make up the school. So half of them had been beaten and are crying.
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Thank you, DoctorD, for your very helpful answer. 
Then I was wondering what "I was very soon made free of Salem House" means.
Then I was wondering what "I was very soon made free of Salem House" means.
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I think he is using it, humorously, for someone who has all the rights of a legal citizen of a place. He has been brought into the community (by being whipped) and is now one of them.
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