The sentiment of A FRIEND IN NEED
Nowadays, I have read a composition which is named A FRIEND IN NEED.The text is taken from The Short Stories of Somerset Maugham (1983).A Friend in Need: The title is derived from the English proverb Afriend in need is a friend indeed.Somerset Maugham is an English writer who is considered to be one of the best writers of short stories in the English language.He also wrote plays and novels, including Of Human Bondage and Ale.Many of his stories are about human weaknees.The content of this composition is contrary to the title.
The composition is made up with three paragraphs.In the first paragraph, the author said that it was no easy job to judge people, for they aren’t always what they appear to be.Many people believe that their first impreions of a person are always right.However, after thirty years studying his fellowmen, for the author’s own part he found that the longer he know people the more puzzle him.
In the second paragraph, the author described King and gentle, Edward Hyde Burton, a wealthy merchant, who appeared as if he could not bear to hurt a fly.Edward Hyde Burton was a tiny little fellow, not much more than five feet four in height, and very slender, with white hair, a red face much wrinkled,and blue eyes.Edward Hyde Burton was about sixty when the author knew him.Edward Hyde Burton was always neatly and quietly dreed in accordance with his age and station.Edward Hyde Burton did not talk very much, either then or later when they were having drinks, but what he said was sensible.Edward Hyde Burton had a quiet, dry humor.Edward Hyde Burton seemed to be popular at the club and afterwards, when he gone, they described him as one of the best.Unle the author had heard the story from his own lips, he should never have believed that he was capable of such an action.However, Edward Hyde Burton turned out to be the cutthroat of his friend.
In the third paragraph, the author found that Edward Hyde Burton turned out to be cold-blooded enough to send a friend to certain death.Edward Hyde Burton had a friend, oddly enough a namesake of his, who was the best bridge player he had ever met.The name of Edward Hyde Burton’s friend is Turner, who is a remittance man.Turner was always well-dreed and smart-looking.Turner was handsome in a way with curly hair and pink-and-white cheeks.But Turner drank too much.A bit of money used to come on for Turner once a quarter and he made a bit more by card-playing.Once Turner lost much money, and he turned to Edward Hyde Burton for a job.At first, Edward Hyde Burton asked Turner’s strength.Turner told Edward Hyde Burtonthat he could swim very well in university.Knowing Turner might be dead to swim for such long distance, Edward Hyde Burton asked Turner to swim.However, Turner could not swim such long distance.Turner was dead at last.
After reading this composition, I learned that we should not identify people at the first impreion or by the appearance of people.
巩晓09490205机械电子工程2班
