Question

Read the following extracts from the play carefully and draw your inferences about the kind of person Herbert is.

Sergeant: You wouldn’t believe me if I was to tell you. Herbert: I will, every word
I’ll play slow music	I say, keep it if you want to, stuff and nonsense, anywhere
I shall be with you about nine. Don't wait through	You'll find the cash tied up in the middle of the bed
Herbert! hates us to wait

Answer 1

Herbert is cheerful, playful, and affectionate, and he enjoys teasing his parents. His promise, “I will, every word,” shows that he is willing to listen to Morris, but his later remarks, “stuff and nonsense,” and the joke about finding the cash tied up in bed show that he does not take the paw seriously. He even plays slow music to make his father’s wish seem like a joke. His remark that his parents should not wait for him also suggests he is considerate. Herbert’s humour is not unkind: he is a loving son who tries to keep the evening light-hearted. However, his confidence that nothing bad will happen leads him to dismiss the danger Morris describes.