The Weapon

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

The Weapon

Literature

You will read the text in groups

Read the text and answer the following questions / do the exercises:

• Describe Graham. (paragraph 1)
  
• What is wrong with Harry? (paragraph 2)
• Describe Niemand (paragraph 3)
• How come Graham knows that Niemand knows what is wrong with Harry? (paragraphs 3/4)
• What is the ultimate weapon? (paragraph 5)
• Why would Niemand suddenly want a drink (paragraph 6)
• What could have happened (but didn't) in Harry's bedroom? (paragraph 7)

Describe Graham

• Scientist
• Working on the 'ultimate weapon'
• Lives with his son

What's wrong with Harry?

• mentally arrested (is older, but still acts young)

Describe Niemand

• small man, nondescript, obviously harmless
• stranger to Graham

How come Graham knows that Niemand knows what is wrong with Harry?

• When he gives Harry his hand, it is done in a manner that fits his mental age (young), not his physical age.

What is the ultimate weapon?

• Not the gun, but a nuclear weapon.

Why would Niemand suddenly want a drink?

• To secretly get into Harry's room (to give him the gun)

What could have happened?

Two possible things. While playing with the gun:

• Harry could have killed his father 
• Harry could have killed himself

Let's continue

Read the text again

Answer the questions in your reader.

We'll discuss the answers next lesson.

What is the main idea
or theme of this story?

Answer:

Danger can only be seen when it's close to home.

What does the gun
symbolise in the story?

Answer:

the ultimate weapon / nuclear weapons

3. The idiot and the madman in the story are metaphors. What do they represent?

Class discussion

Answer:

• The idiot is a metaphor for humanity, as we as humans do not know how to deal with such a powerful weapon.
  
  
• The madman is a metaphor for the scientists (and therefore also Graham) creating the ultimate weapon.
  

4. In the last paragraph you read “There was sudden sweat on his forehead, but he forced his face and his voice to be calm as he stepped to the side of the bed.” What is the effect of this final paragraph on the reader?

Class discussion

Answer:

• It is the first time we see that Graham shows some kind of emotion; he is scared. 
• During the entire visit Graham is calm, even when he is verbally attacked by Niemand. 
• It might tell the reader that something unexpected happened.

5. What is ironic about this story?

Class discussion

Answer:

• Graham works on a very dangerous weapon and is more focused on its technological advancements than on the dangers it brings. 
• However, when someone brings a weapon to his house, he suddenly cares about dangerous situations.

What type of irony could it be defined as?

1. dramatic irony
2. situational irony
3. dramatic irony

I think I understand this poem well enough for the test.

Yes

No

Continue

If you have answered yes on the previous question, fill in the grid about The Weapon.

If you have answered no, please let me know what you do not understand (yet). Afterwards, fill in the grid as well.