Question

Answer in about 150 words.

The night following sergeant Morris’ visit was restless for Mrs. and Mr. White as much as the next morning was full of expectations. What has the White couple been expecting? Did their expectations came true? Explain.

Answer 1

After Sergeant-Major Morris’s visit, the Whites expect Mr. White’s wish for £ 200 to come true. The thought keeps them awake and makes the next morning tense with anticipation. When a letter arrives, Mrs. White imagines that it may contain the money, but it is only a receipt for interest on the mortgage. Soon, a visitor from the electrical works brings news that Herbert has been killed by machinery. The company offers the Whites £ 200 as compensation for his death. Thus, the wish is fulfilled in a terrible way: they receive exactly the amount they wished for, but only because they have lost their beloved son. Their expectation of receiving £ 200 comes true, but their hope of a happy outcome does not. The money cannot replace Herbert, and the fulfilment of the wish becomes a source of grief rather than happiness.