Long ago and far away when I was at school, doing things like woodwork and tech drawing, I was aware that if you were a clever so and so and doing English Literature, you might have a study guide to the book you were reading.
Sort of like a haynes manual for Macbeth, or god forbid, The Mayor of Casterbridge.
In this day and age when allegedly all students copy their homework answers of the web, is there a free online resource that will do the same ?
I only ask as for reasons I don't fully understand, I'm reading Flann O'Brien's the Third Policeman, and I would like to know what it is about
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This should help:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Policeman
Last edited by: Chas on Tue 18 Oct 11 at 15:13
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Good luck. I'm not sure even Flann O'Brien knew what The Third Policeman is about. It isn't bicycles...
If you want some gentle entertainment that doesn't tax the brain so much, you could try him writing as Myles na gCopaleen in a regular column in the Irish Times. I think there are at least two compilations available.
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There are paid-for study guide websites such as this one:
www.bookrags.com/The_Third_Policeman
But if you're not that keen, there's a reasonably good précis here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Policeman
EDIT: Beaten to it!
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Tue 18 Oct 11 at 15:13
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Let me recommend Flann O'Brien's long send-up of the whole of Irish culture and myth from Finn Mac Cool to the IRA by way of James Joyce and an assortment of fairies and evil spirits, 'At Swim-Two-Birds'. It is wildly funny in places when you're in the mood. Bits of it can be read aloud and will have people rolling about on the floor.
'What else must a man do to be of Finn's people?
'Ten thousand rams he must sequester with wisdom about his person, the half about his armpits and the half about his trews, without offence to the men of Erin...'
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It is possible that all or part of At Swim-Two-Birds consists of recycled Myles Na Gopaleen pieces from the Irish Times, and is one of the compilations mentioned by Mike Hannon. I can't remember although the text is very episodic and post-modern in structure, which might suggest something like that. But I do remember that it is often very, very funny.
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>> Sort of like a haynes manual for Macbeth, or god forbid, The Mayor of Casterbridge.
Did you do your O levels in 1969 as well, then?
As for being a clever so and so, I failed mine. I've always been a consumer of literature, but I still haven't experienced the urge to study it.
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>> I've always been a consumer of literature, but I still haven't experienced the urge to study it.
Dugong, you are so cool. I was a clever so and so, but far too stupid to see what you could see, all those years ago when it would have counted. No kidding.
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>> Sort of like a haynes manual for Macbeth, or god forbid, The Mayor of Casterbridge.
Did you do your O levels in 1969 as well, then?
In '65 it was 'The Scottish Play' and Far From The Madding Crowd, unless you were in the upper group, they did Canterbury Tales. I read the latter for pleasure, because I found it more enjoyable and easier reading.
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I think you will find that the papers and books set for any particular year varied from examining board to examining board, of which there were a number.
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>> I think you will find that the papers and books set for any particular year
>> varied from examining board to examining board, of which there were a number.
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1966 - Macbeth, and Kingslake's Eothen. Oxford & Cambridge joint board.
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I always though Michael Henchard (the Mayor of Casterbridge) was a much misunderstood man...
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I tried reading a couple of Thomas Hardy books but found that my wrists and the razor blades were getting too close to each other for comfort.
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literary (?) web site - Chas
